Salsa Verden and Guacamole

Salsa verde

Makes about 2 cups
Ingredients
15 large tomatillos, husks removed and washed
2-3 serrano chilies or 1 jalapeño (see note)
5 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1/2 small white onion, unpeeled
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
10 sprigs cilantro
Directions
Pierce chilie(s) with a fork. Cook tomatillos, chilie(s), garlic and onion on a griddle over medium-high heat, turning them until softened and somewhat blackened in spots - about 8 minutes for garlic and chilies and 12 minutes for tomatillos and onion.

Remove from heat. Let cool, then peel garlic, onion and chiles.

In a blender, combine the onion, garlic, cilantro, chilies, tomatillos and salt. Blend until smooth. Note: If a milder salsa is desired, add fewer chilies.

- Agustin Gaytan, agustincooks.com

Guacamole en molcajete

Makes 4-6 servings

For the guacamole:
Ingredients
2 serrano chiles
3 large tomatillos, husks removed and washed
3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1/4 small white onion, peeled
4 sprigs cilantro, chopped
2 Hass avocados, mashed
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
12 fresh corn tortillas

Special equipment needed:
Molcajete, or another large mortar and pestle (see note)
Directions
Pierce chiles with a fork. Cook tomatillos, chiles, garlic and onion on a griddle over medium-high heat, turning them until softened and somewhat blackened in spots - about 8 minutes for garlic and chiles and 12 minutes for tomatillos and onion.

Remove from heat. Let cool, then peel garlic and chiles. Remove and discard outermost layer of onion. Slice off the onion's tip. Finely chop onion.

Place garlic, chiles, onion and cilantro in the mortar. Mash with the pestle.