Courtesy Katherine Stern, chef, La Posta in Santa Cruz
We often associate tomatillos with Mexican cuisine, but chef Katherine Stern serves this Italian-style dressing with a fresh tomato salad, spooned over pan-roasted fish or with grilled vegetables.
½ pound tomatillos
1 small yellow onion
2 cloves garlic, peeled
Handful, fresh basil leaves
1 bay leaf
1 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper
Heat your oven to the hottest temperature. (La Posta does this in its pizza oven.)
Remove the tomatillos from their husks. Thinly slice the onion and garlic. Put the vegetables in a baking dish big enough to hold everything without being too crowded. Toss with a tablespoon of olive oil, the bay leaf and a pinch of salt. Roast the veggies, turning them halfway through, until they are soft and starting to char a bit, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and toss the basil leaves through so they will wilt. Cool.
Once cool, remove the bay leaf and place everything in a blender. While blender is running, slowly add in the oil, emulsifying the dressing. When all the oil has been added, taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Makes 2 cups
About the author
At Edible Monterey Bay, our mission is to celebrate the local food culture of Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey Counties, season by season. We believe in sustainability, and we believe everyone has a right to healthful, clean and affordable food. We think knowing where our food comes from is powerful, and we hope our magazine, website and newsletters inspire readers to get to know and support our local growers, fishers, chefs, vintners and food artisans.
