Sometimes boring old salsa just won't cut it. In such a case, the situation demands the spicy, sweet, and satisfying flavor that only a fresh salsa verde can deliver!

In this Instructable I will go through the steps I use to make one of my favorite salsa, which can be used in some very creative ways. Paired with crudite, chips, in a burrito, or on a burger (one of my very favorite applications) this king of all salsa will have you licking the plate. Let's fire it up!

Step 1: Gather and Prep Your Ingredients

As usual, the first step is to gather all of the ingredients that you will need. These include:

1 Dozen Tomatillos
1/2 Onion
1 Large Lime (or 2 small limes as I have shown here)
1 Bunch of Cilantro
1 Bulb of Garlic
2 Jalapenos (I like to use one green and one red to add a little color contrast)
Fresh Ground Black Pepper
Salt

Once you are sure you have everything you will need, wash your produce under cold water. You will need to peel off the paper like casing off of the tomatillos and then use your knife to remove the core from each. Cut off the stems to your jalapenos and split them in half. Cut your half onion into quarters and slice off the top of the garlic bulb. DON'T CHOP THINGS UP INTO FINE PIECES!!!

Do a very rough cut on your cilantro and split your limes in half. Set these items aside for the time being.

Place your tomatillos, jalapenos, onion, and garlic on a baking pan and drizzle them with olive oil. At this point your ingredients should look like I have shown.

Step 2: Roast Your Vegetables

Set your oven to broil and place you rack 5-6 inches below the heating element. Place the baking sheet with you vegetables in the oven and close the door. Allow the vegetables to roast for 5-6 minutes, checking them often to make sure they do not become very burnt.

When you vegetables have a good char on top and have softened you can remove them from the oven. They should look about how I have shown. With the garlic roasted, the bulb will have softened enough that you can simply squeeze the bulb and they will pop right out.

Step 3: Blend the First Half

The trick to getting a great consistency in your salsa is to not blend all of the ingredients at the same time. Start by placing half of you roasted tomatillos, jalapenos, and onion in the the food processor. Puree these into a smooth consistency as shown.

Add your cilantro to the food processor and squeeze in your limes. Be sure to add some of the lime zest as well to enhance the citrus aromatics and brightness of the salsa. Add fresh ground black pepper and a teaspoon or so of salt to the mix. Blend this until the cilantro is well integrated with the developing salsa.

Step 4: Add the Second Half and Pulse to Perfection

With the first half of the ingredients blended into a smooth puree, add in the remaining tomatillos, onion, jalapeno, as well as the roasted garlic. Pulse the food processor so that the second half of the ingredients is chopped up but not pureed like the first half. Use a rubber spatula the scrape down the sides and make sure no large chunks remain.

When your salsa reaches the consistency shown in the pictures you are all done! At this point, sample the salsa and add any additional salt or pepper that is needed to give it your final stamp of approval. The salsa should still be hot at this point so throw it into the refrigerator for a couple of hours. Once it is cool you are all set to spoon it out and enjoy!

Step 5: Add to Your Favorite Dish!

Obviously, salsa verde is fantastic with tortilla chips but don't stop there! When I make hamburgers I like to ladle a scoop onto each pattie after it has been flipped and then place a slice of pepper jack cheese on top. As the cheese melts it will seal the salsa verde on top of the burger. This is my twist on a trick I learned on a trip to Los Alamo, NM where they pride themselves on their red and green chilis which they put on just about everything. Delicious!

Breakfast? Fry up a couple of eggs with some bell peppers and onion. Top with salsa verde and serve with toast. Alternatively, make a sandwich from it and you have yourself a healthy and delicious power sandwich that i will keep you going well through your morning.

Why not add some fresh kick to your nachos? In the picture I have shown here, I diced some grilled chicken breast and spread it out on tortilla chips along with shredded cheese and diced onion. After a quick toast under the broiler I severed these up with a ramekin of fiery roasted salsa verde. My only regret was that I didn't make more (which was quickly resolved by a second round of nacho construction).

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! Be sure to let me know what creative ways you use this recipe to compliment your own culinary creations!