Author Notes
Over the course of the final weeks of our outdoor farmers’ market, I start stockpiling tomatillos and fresh green chile peppers to make batches of tomatillo and green chile sauce. It’s tasty and super versatile: it can be used like a regular red salsa, it can be thinned with stock to sauce enchiladas, or it can be incorporated into a pozole verde, one of my favorite ways to cook up leftover turkey or chicken. The sauce freezes well, and its citrusy tang is always welcome on cold damp nights, a reminder that summer will be back again soon. Note: I generally make this stew with dried hominy that I’ve soaked overnight and cooked until soft – it takes a bit of time, but I like to prepare a big batch at once and portion out the cooked, drained hominy in freezer bags so I have convenience portions for future meals. The texture of hominy that has been soaked and cooked from dry kernels is superior to that of canned, but you can certainly use a canned version to save time – just drain it well and add it to the stew about 10 minutes before serving, so it doesn’t get too soft. —lastnightsdinner
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Ingredients
- Green Chile and Tomatillo Sauce
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1 pound
fresh tomatillos
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1 large or 2 medium fresh poblano peppers
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1/4 cup
pepitas (green pumpkin seeds)
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1
fresh serrano pepper
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1 cup
chopped onion
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3-4
cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
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1 cup
fresh cilantro, picked, loosely packed
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1 ounce
freshly squeezed lime juice
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1/2 teaspoon
Kosher salt
- Turkey Pozole Verde
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1 tablespoon
neutral-flavored oil
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1
medium onion, peeled and diced
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Kosher salt
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3 cups
Green Chile and Tomatillo Sauce
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1 quart
turkey or chicken stock
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6 cups
prepared, or 2 cans rinsed and drained hominy
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3 cups
shredded or chunked cooked turkey meat
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1 tablespoon
dried Mexican oregano or marjoram
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any or all of these for garnish: lime wedges, sprigs of fresh cilantro, thinly sliced or chopped radish, diced avocado, grated Monterey Jack cheese, sour cream or Mexican-style crema, tortilla chips or warmed tortillas
Directions
- Green Chile and Tomatillo Sauce
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Preheat the oven to 375.
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Remove the papery husks from the tomatillos and rinse the sticky layer off of them. Place the tomatillos and poblano/s on a baking sheet and roast for 40 minutes, turning them midway through.
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Toast the pepitas in a small skillet until lightly browned. Remove from the heat and set aside.
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Remove the baking sheet from the oven and place the tomatillos into the bowl of a blender. Put the poblano(s) in a small bowl and cover with cling film.
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Remove the stem from the Serrano pepper, cut it in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds and membrane with the tip of a knife. Roughly chop and add to the blender along with the chopped onion, garlic, cilantro, and toasted pepitas.
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Rub or peel as much of the charred skin from the poblano as possible (you may want to use latex gloves for this). Remove the stem and seeds, roughly chop, and add to the blender along with the salt and lime juice. Puree until blended.
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Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. You can use this immediately, or cool and refrigerate or freeze for future use.
- Turkey Pozole Verde
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In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, add the oil and heat over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and a pinch of salt, stir, and cook until the onion is softened.
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Add the chile and tomatillo sauce and stir. Add the stock, hominy and turkey, stirring to combine. Rub the Mexican oregano or marjoram in your palms to lightly crush it and release the oils, then add it to the pot, stirring through. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Taste and adjust seasoning, then spoon into bowls and serve with your favorite garnishes.
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