4 Tantalisingly Tasty Tomatillo Recipes

Few summer crops are as flavourful, productive and easy to grow as zippy tomatillos, the essential ingredient in Mexican salsa verde, or green sauce. Native to Mexico and Central America, tomatillos or “little tomatoes” are super healthy, too, loaded with anti-inflammatory nutrients that support eye health in a high-fibre package.

In the kitchen, tomatillos’ tangy flavour makes them a great base for sauces and salsas, and even tomatillo chutney. Tomatillos are famous for producing huge crops all at once, hence the need for plenty of tomatillo recipes.

Growing Tomatillos

Sometimes called husk tomatoes, tomatillos are grown on the same schedule as tomatoes, with similar needs for nutrients and water, and no tolerance of cold. Depending on variety, the fruits may be green, purple or yellow. Tomatillo seeds often lack variety names except for distinctive strains like Dr. Wyche's Yellow Tomatillo, renowned for its mild flavour.

Tomatillo blossoms are not self-fertile, so two to three plants are needed for good fruit set. Think carefully before growing more than four plants, lest you become buried in tomatillos. The rangy, somewhat brittle plants also require a sturdy cage to keep them upright. Caged plants are more productive, and cages make the fruits easier to pick.

Harvesting and Storing Tomatillos

Harvest tomatillos after the fruits swell and split the papery husks. Ripe tomatillos pull easily from the stem, or you can shake the plants and harvest the fruits that fall to the ground. Like tomatoes, tomatillos will crack when heavy rains follow dry conditions. Harvest almost-ripe fruits before flooding rains are expected.

Tomatillos that will be used within a few days can be kept at room temperature, or you can store them in the refrigerator. If you have way too many tomatillos coming in and no time to put them up, simply wash them, pat them dry, and stash them in the freezer in an airtight container.

Tomatillo Recipes

Tomatillos can be enjoyed raw or cooked, depending on the dish and your preferences. Uncooked tomatillos have a crisp texture and bright, herbal flavours under their natural tartness, which is welcome in gazpacho, fresh garden salsa, and salsa verde. Should tomatillos come on a bit strong for you, simply cook them in an open pan for ten minutes. Cooking mellows the acidity of tomatillos while enhancing their sweetness. And, while most tomatillo recipes include coriander, other fresh herbs can be substituted.

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Verde

Many recipes for salsa verde start with roasting, grilling, or pan-cooking tomatillos, onion, and jalapenos until soft, and then pureeing them into a sauce.

• 7-8 tomatillos, cut in half
• 1 small onion
• 2 jalapenos or other spicy pepper
• 1 clove garlic
• Several sprigs of coriander, parsley or basil
• Salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon lime juice

Place the tomatillos, peppers and onion on a baking sheet and broil until slightly blistered. Transfer a food processor along with the cooking juices and lime juice. Add garlic, herbs, and salt, and process until lightly chunky. Salsa verde will keep in the refrigerator about a week.

Tomatillo Gazpacho

This chilled summer soup from Spain often includes stale bread, and there are endless variations. Here purple tomatillos add flavour and flecks of fun colour.

• 5 to 6 tomatillos
• 1 large or 2 small cucumbers, peeled
• 1 small tomato
• 1 small onion
• 1 jalapeno pepper
• 1 clove garlic
• Several sprigs of coriander or parsley
• 1 tablespoon lime juice or vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Pinch of salt

Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor. Chop to desired consistency, which can be chunky or smooth. Chill for at least an hour before serving to allow time for the flavours to develop. Will keep in the refrigerator about 3 days.

Fresh Tomatillo Salsa

Chips and salsa get a jolt of juiciness when tomatillos team up with tomatoes and peppers. Add canned, drained beans to make it into a meal.

• 3 to 4 tomatillos
• 2 small tomatoes
• 1 small onion
• 1 jalapeno or other spicy pepper
• 1 clove garlic
• Several sprigs of coriander, parsley or basil
• Salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon lime juice or vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Chop the vegetables and herbs into small dice on a roomy board and place them in a bowl. Sprinkle with salt, then mix in lime juice or vinegar. Drizzle with olive oil before serving. Tomatillo salsa will keep in the refrigerator for about a week.

Purple Tomatillo Chutney

This savoury sweet-and-sour chutney works well with the darker shades of purple tomatillos. Because of its high vinegar content, tomatillo chutney can be canned for long-term storage.

• 6 to 8 ripe tomatillos
• 1 medium apple, peeled and chopped
• A small onion, peeled and chopped
• 1-2 small peppers, sweet or hot
• ½ cup sugar
• ¾ cup vinegar
• 2 tablespoons raisins
• Pinch of cinnamon, a few mustard seeds

Place all ingredients in a heavy saucepan and simmer, uncovered and stirring often, about 45 minutes or until thick. Pour into clean jars. Will store 2 weeks in the refrigerator, or much longer when canned in hot jars and processed for 10 minutes in a simmering water bath.

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