Easy Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Verde

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Verde (makes about 1½ cups)

1. Remove the husks from the tomatillos and wash them in warm water to remove the sticky residue. Also wash the poblano and jalapeno peppers.
2. Place the tomatillos and peppers on a napkin and pat dry.
3. Peel and cut the onion into quarters.
4. Preheat the oven to 450 °F / 232°C. Line a baking sheet with non-stick foil and brush it with some oil.
5. Place the tomatillos, poblano peppers, jalapenos, and onion on the lined baking sheet. Drizzle some oil on top and a generous sprinkling of salt and toss to mix and coat evenly.
6. Wrap oil-coated garlic cloves in a small piece of foil and place it on the baking sheet as well.
7. Roast the tomatillos in the oven for about 20 - 25 minutes, flipping them once half way through. The time is a guideline - the tomatillos and peppers should be roasted until there is a nice char on them, and are softened.
8. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let it cool.
9. Remove the stems from the poblano and jalapeno peppers (de-seed the jalapeno peppers if you prefer a mild salsa verde). Unwrap the softened garlic cloves from the foil and let them cool.
10. OPTIONAL - Remove the skins if you like (I don't do this).
11. Place the roasted tomatillos, poblano, jalapeno, garlic, onion, cumin, cilantro, sugar and juice of ½ lime in a food processor.
12. Pulse until everything is evenly chopped. Taste and add more lime juice if needed, and season with salt. Pour the salsa into an air-tight container or glass jar and store in the fridge until needed.
13. Pour into a serving dish and serve.

OPTIONAL - For canning salsa verde (preferably, double the recipe)

1. You can use the recipe here for canning, or follow the following steps.
2. Once the salsa verde is processed in the food processor, transfer the salsa into a pot.
3. Stir in the white vinegar and bring the salsa verde to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat and let it simmer for about 10 - 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Place the canning jars in a canning rack and submerge them in the water in your canning pot. Simmer the water at 180°F / 83°C to preheat the jars.
5. Pour the hot salsa into the warmed canning jars, leaving ½ inch gap between the salsa and the lid. Gently tap the jars on the counter to remove any trapped air bubbles.
6. Wipe the rims of the jars with a damp, clean cloth to remove any salsa.
7. Close the jars with the lids until finger-tip tight.
8. Place the jars in the canning pot and fill with water, until there's 1 - 2 inches of water above the lid. Bring the water to a boil over medium heat, and let the water gently boil for about 15 - 20 minutes.
9. Turn off the heat and let the jars sit in the water for about 5 minutes before removing them from the water. Rest the jars for a further 12 - 24 hours at room temperature.
10. Test the lids to see if they have sealed properly. If properly sealed, they can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to 12 months.