Recipe: Ninfa's Restaurant Green Sauce (spicy avocado dip)

NINFA'S GREEN SAUCE

"If the couch potatoes in your crowd like guacamole, they'll leap goalposts to get this spicy avocado dip. Ninfa Laurenzo created it as a signature dish for her Houston chain of Ninfa's Restaurants."

4 fresh tomatillos* (about 6 to 8 ounces), chopped (drained if canned)
3 medium green tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 fresh jalapenos, chopped
3 medium Hass avocados, halved, seeded, and peeled.
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 tablespoon minced cilantro
1/4 teaspoon salt, or more to taste

In a medium saucepan, simmer the tomatillos and tomatoes with the garlic and Jalapenos for 15 minutes, or until their liquid ha evaporated.

While the tomatillo mixture simmers, place the avocados in a blender. Spoon the thickened tomatillo mixture into the blender. Add the sour cream, cilantro, and salt, and blend for up to 5 minutes to create a smooth puree. Taste and add more salt if needed.

Serve the sauce immediately with tostada chips, or refrigerate it for later use. Ninfa's makes this sauce fresh every day, but we've kept it overnight, and it has remained tasty and hasn't turned gray the way guacamole does.

*If you can't find Tomatillos, you can omit them. Ninfa suggests adding a squeeze or two of lemon juice to replace their tang.

Makes 4 cups
Sourcee; Texas Home Cooking by Cheryl Jamison