Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa Verde Jalisciense

Jalisco, especially Guadalajara and the towns that feed into its markets, knows this green salsa as the taqueria spoonful that belongs next to carnitas, tacos dorados, and a stack of warm corn tortillas. It is not guacamole. It is not crema with green color. It is salsa verde con aguacate, and the tomatillo is still in charge.

The chile here is fresh chile serrano. Not jalapeno because you had one rolling around in the refrigerator. Serrano gives a cleaner bite and a sharper green perfume. The tomatillos are simmered only until they soften, then cooled before the avocado goes in. That keeps the salsa bright instead of gray. The women selling tomatillos at Mercado de Abastos in Guadalajara will tell you the same thing: firm, tight husk, no yellowing. Si no conoces el mercado, no conoces la cocina.

My mother did not put avocado in every salsa verde. She was from Jalisco and she knew when body mattered. For carnitas or tacos dorados, yes, avocado helps the salsa cling to the tortilla and the meat. For a light spoon salsa on caldo, no. Cada estado, su propia cocina, and every table has its use.