Tomatillo Gazpacho . . .

Margo had a bumper crop of tomatillos this season !
True to her generous nature, she delivered a sack of them to us and got me going even greener . . . 

Here is a new recipe I came up with or a Tomatillo Gazpacho:

1 pound of husked, roasted tomatillos
1-2 heads of large roasted garlic cloves
2 deveined jalapenos (Any pepper with a 'kick' can be substituted here.)
1/2 of red bell pepper, diced
1 cup of shreaded red cabbage
1 large diced red onion
1-2 peeled cucumbers (added just before serving)
1 small diced fresh red tomato (optional)
1 lime
2 cups of fresh cilantro leaves (save a few leaves to use as a garnish for individual servings)
1/4 Tsp of coarse black pepper
1/4 tsp of ground cumin + pinch of cumin seeds
1/4 tsp sea salt

Preheat oven to 450
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper
Remove the paper husk from the Tomatillos.  (Add husks to compost pail.)
Wipe them with a slightly moist paper towel.  (They have an oily nature, so you will not oil them for roasting.)
Place them on the cookie sheet, top side down, so they do not touch each other.
Place cleaned garlic cloves in a shallow dish with enough olive oil to lightly cover them.
Drain garlic and place on another cookie sheet covered with parchment paper.  (They will go into the oven after the Tomatillos are turned over.)
Place cookie sheet with Tomatillos on a middle rack in oven.
Set timer for 7-9 minutes.  Don't walk away.
Afer timer goes off, or if the Tomatillos have browned, remove tray from oven and turn them over.
Place the garlic tray on the middle rack while you are turning the Tomatillos over.
Slide the Tomatillos back into the oven on a middle rack, if you have the room to do so.  Otherwise, move the garlic to a lower rack.
Reset timer for 5-7 minutes. 
Remove from Tomatillos and garlic from the oven and place on a cooling rack.

In a food processor with a chopping blade attached, add the cabbage,cilantro, onion, peppers.
Zest the lime.
Cut the lime and squeeze the juice of it into the food processor.
Add coarse ground pepper, cumin and 1/2 of the salt (You may not want the entire 1/4 tsp.)
Pulse until ingredients are evenly chopped.
** Remove ingredients from food processor.  **
Using the same blade, after the Tomatillos have cooled to the touch, add them to the food processor along with the garlic.
Any juices and oils from cookie sheets can also be added.
Pulse until blended.
Now, add and blend the seasoned cabbage / onion / pepper mix to the food processor and pulse to mix / blend everything together.  (If your food processor is smaller than 7 cups, you may need to do this in stages.  The goal is to thoroughly blend all of the flavors.)
Chill in the refrigerator, covered,  for a few hours.

Before serving this beautiful Gazpacho, hand dice your peeled and chilled cucumbers (and hand diced tomatoes, which are optional), and evenly divide them into your serving bowls.
Add the gazpacho to serving bowls and garnish with a cliantro leaf.

Share with good friends. 

*The jalapenos can be eliminated if they will bee too spicey for guests.
The fresh, ripe red tomato totally changes the flavor.  I think of it as another option, since I am a huge fan of the sweetness of the Tomatillo, which can stand alone.
*Gazpacho is a very versatile dish.  If you have fresh celery, you can certainly dice it and add it to your mix, at serving.
Some people love to have garbanzo beans in their gazpacho.  The cooked and drained beans can be added to the serving bowls, too.
Possibilities are endless !!!!