Homemade Salsa Verde (Green Salsa)

Preheat & Prep The Oven. To start, arrange oven rack 4-5 inches away from the heat coils on top and preheat the broiler. Line a sheet pan with foil.

Prep Tomatillos & Peppers. If you haven't already, peel away and discard the papery husks from the tomatillos. Rinse the peeled tomatillos off in a colander to help remove any sticky residue or dirt & shake off any extra water. Place tomatillos on a baking sheet lined with foil. Slice jalapeño pepper in half lengthwise and use a small sharp knife to remove the stem, white membranes, and seeds if you'd like your salsa more mild. (Leave the seeds and membranes in if you want your salsa spicy). Place jalapeño halves cut-side down on the baking sheet with the tomatillos.

Broil. (watching carefully! Things cook fast!) for 4-5 minutes per side, until the skins of the tomatillos and jalapeño are blistered and charred. Use tongs to carefully flip the tomatillos and pepper over and broil an additional 3-4 minutes or until the second side is also charred. (Note: if your peppers char faster than the tomatillos, you can flip and remove them as needed. This is why you want to stay close by and watch them!) Removed charred veggies from the broiler and turn off the oven.

Blend. Add onion and garlic to a blender or food processor and immediately place the hot tomatillos and 1/2 the jalapeño in the blender on top of the onion and garlic. (The heat from the veggies will take out some of the onion-y bite.) Let the veggies cool to room temperature to avoid hot splatters or burns, and add cilantro, 1/2 Tbsp. lime juice, and salt to the blender. Blend the salsa to your desired consistency. (I like mine pretty smooth, but you can do just a few pulses to break things up if you prefer more texture.) Taste and add additional jalapeño, salt, or lime juice, to taste.

Serve & Store. Enjoy right away with your favorite tortilla chips or your favorite main dish. Store leftover salsa in an airtight container in the refrigerator 4-5 days.