Call it what you will (Nouveau SouthwestMex? American Fusion?) this sauce is tasty — tart, sweet, a bit spicy and slightly creamy. Try it over simple broiled chicken, toss it with corkscrew pasta or use it as a salsa blanca for enchiladas.

Green-Apple Tomatillo Sauce

1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 medium onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 jalapeño chile, stemmed and chopped (see note) 4 cups chicken broth 3 Granny Smith apples, cored and diced (do not peel) 1 pound tomatillo, husked, rinsed and diced 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, firmly packed 1/2 cup milk 1/4 cup apple cider 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Heat oil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until a drop of water sizzles on it. Add onion and cook until translucent, stirring frequently, 5 to 7 minutes; add garlic and jalapeño. Sauté until the onions start to brown, another 5 to 7 minutes. Add chicken broth, apples and tomatillos; bring just to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add cilantro, milk, apple cider, salt and pepper, stirring to combine; simmer for another 10 minutes.

Makes about 6 cups.

Note: Working with jalapeños or other chiles:
Capsaicin is the ingredient in chiles that causes the burning sensation associated with fresh peppers. It's a good idea to use rubber gloves when handling fresh chiles. (Disposable surgical gloves, available at most drugstores, work best for this.) If you choose not to use gloves, be extremely careful not to touch any part of your body, especially your eyes. After you've finished handling the chiles, wash your knife and cutting board with hot soapy water to ensure that there is no carry-over to other foods that may come in contact with the peppers.