Roasted Salsa Verde

 

Easy, great to dip a chip in, or to use in other recipes.

In a cast iron skillet, over medium high heat, roast the vegetables. 

It will take about 15 minutes to get a nice char on them. I roast the vegetables in two batches; the tomatillos in one and the onion, garlic, and jalapeños in a second batch.

Peel the garlic cloves and throw all the roasted vegetables except the jalapeños in a medium mixing bowl.

Cut the tops off the jalapeños and scrape out the seeds and veins. Toss them into the bowl with the other vegetables.  If you like the tomatillo sauce really hot, leave the veins and seeds in.

Throw in a large handful of fresh cilantro leaves into the bowl. Using an immersion blender mix everything together.  Process to the consistency you want.  Sometimes if I use it as an ingredient for another recipe I will leave it a little chunkier; smoother if using for a salsa dip or topping.  Salt to taste.

Makes approximately 2 cups. You can store in the refrigerator for a couple of days.  It will probably thicken up so add a little water and re-heat before using. 

Roasted Salsa Verde

Yields approximately 2 cups

Adapted from "The Cowgirl Chef - Texas Cooking with a French Accent" by Ellise Pierce

Ingredients:

1 pound of tomatillos, husked and washed

4 cloves garlic, unpeeled

1/2 half of a large onion, peeled and sliced in a few big pieces

2 fresh jalapeños, washed

a handful of fresh cilantro leaves, washed & stripped from stems

sea salt

Method:

In a cast iron skillet, over medium-high heat, roast the tomatillos, garlic, onion, and jalapeños until charred; about 15 minutes, You may need to do this in two batches; the tomatillos first, then the rest. 

Peel the garlic and toss the vegetables, except the jalapeños, into a medium mixing bowl.

Slice the tops off the jalapeños and scrape the seeds and veins out.  If you prefer a spicier salsa, leave the seeds and veins in.  Toss them in with the other vegetables.

Throw the cilantro into the bowl and mix with an immersion blender to desired consistency. Season with salt.

This will keep in the refrigerator for a couple of days.  It will thicken up so prior to serving. add a little water and heat up.

Salem College Tea

Growing up, usually during the holiday season, a jar of "Friendship Tea" or "Russian Tea" would find its way to our home by way of a gift basket of some sort.  This drink was a mixture of Tang, Instant Nestea granules, lemonade mix, sugar, cinnamon and cloves.  You mixed a Tbsp or two in hot water and had a nice hot  drink on a cold winter day.  I loved it.


Alison W. turned me on to the real thing.  She took me to a little shop in Winston-Salem by the name of Salem Kitchen; a gourmet food to-go and catering company. We got some cheese straws, a frozen Moravian Chicken pie to take home and Salem Iced Tea; the real "Russian Tea".  I was hooked on it; and I don't even drink sweet tea.

I bought a cookbook at an estate sale called "The Old Salem and Museums Cookbook". I looked to see if there was a recipe for this tea since it is supposed to be a Salem recipe.  Indeed there was a recipe called Salem College Iced Tea.  Story behind the recipe, as published in the cookbook is this:

"A Salem College dietician, Miss Helen Vogler, started making and serving this iced tea in the college dining room many, many years ago.  Years later the recipe was acquired by Moravian ladies in Old Salem who served it at teas and receptions.  The tea became popular so the recipe was shared and is now enjoyed throughout our city. ~ Mary S. Leonard"

Alison acquired the recipe from Salem Kitchen and made a batch.  I made a batch of the recipe in my cookbook. We compared and started tweaking our recipes to make them taste exactly the way we wanted.  Here is mine.

Salem Tea
Adapted from "The Old Salem and Museums Cookbook"
Makes approximately 1-1/2 gallons

Ingredients:
3 quarts cold water
zest strips from one orange (peeled, not grated with no pith)

4 sprigs fresh mint
2 Tbsp. whole cloves
5 cinnamon sticks
5 family-size tea bags (black tea)
2 cups Sugar-In-The-Raw (Turbinado Sugar)
1 cup orange juice, fresh squeezed (~ 5 medium oranges) or Tropicana 'no pulp' OJ
Fresh squeezed juice from 8 lemons (you'll get anywhere from 1-1/4 cups to 1-3/4 cups)
1 - 46 ounce can pineapple juice

Method:
In a 5-1/2 quart or larger Dutch oven, combine the water, orange zest, mint, cloves and cinnamon. Bring to a boil then lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes.   Remove from heat, add tea bags and steep for 15 minutes.  Strain the solids. Return strained tea mixture to the pot and add sugar.  Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add orange juice, lemon juice and the pineapple juice (I don't always use the full can of pineapple juice.  You can add as much or as little to suit your taste). Cool and refrigerate overnight. 

Serve over ice or hot during the summer as well as the winter.  When Thanksgiving rolls around it just seems the right time to make a batch. When serving hot, especially on a cold winter night, it's extra special with a little bit of Bourbon in it.

NOTES:

Needs to be stirred up from time to time

Before adding to the mixture you can run the pineapple juice through a fine sieve to remove some of the fine solids