A lot of people think this is an unripe green tomato, but it isn't. It certainly looks like a tomato, but it's covered with a paper husk on the outside. What is it?
Ingredient Spotlight: Tomatillo
It's a tomatillo. While a member of the same nightshade family as the tomato, it is not a tomato. I'm originally from Georgia, and one day after I moved to California, I craved fried green tomatoes. I was shocked that I couldn't find green fryers in the markets, and asked around - "where can I find green tomatoes?" All my California friends kept pointing at tomatillos, not understanding that they are not green tomatoes.
Tomatillos were first cultivated by the Aztecs. The name "tomatillo" comes from the Aztec "miltomatl," which means "round and plump with paper." (The Aztecs called tomatoes "xitomatl.") Tomatillos are also called husk tomatoes and Mexican tomatoes. They're an essential ingredient in salsa verde and other Latin American dishes. They taste great roasted or grilled and added to guacamole. Select green tomatillos with green husks; if they are yellow with brown husks, they are past their prime. They can keep in the fridge for two weeks. Don't remove the husks until you are ready to cook with them; the husks maintain their freshness. They have a slightly tart taste.
Related:
Recipe: Guacamole
Recipe: Garlic Salsa Verde
(Image: Kathryn Hill)
Comments (10)
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Not sure why the garlic salsa verde recipe is linked, since it contains no tomatillos, but the salsa verde would be much improved by adding a bunch! Also, I prefer to use habanero peppers over jalapeno in my salsa verde, because they are much hotter.
view Susmita's profile
You need to wash them well to rinse a soapy residue off. They make fantastic enchilada sauce of course. Also, try them in chilled soup, a la gazpacho.
view ValHalla's profile
Elise at Simply Recipes has a fabulous recipe for chile verde that uses tomatillos...may not be the thing to make in the middle of the day in summer, but it's wonderful, and freezes well.
view anesly's profile
Try growing some- its easier than tomatoes! My tomatillo plant is currently one of the most successful in my garden. I started it from seed in March, and now it has tons of flowers on it.
view gillsnthrills's profile
There's nothing better than tangy, raw, tomatillo salsa with chunks of avocado.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/art_chel/2522523961/in/set-72157605258354613/
(it's the one on the right.)
view art's profile
I love to make salsa verde by cooking the tomatillos til soft and pureeeing them with pepper, onion, garlic and lots of cilantro, such a healthy condiment.
view Kate (NC)'s profile
Tomatillo salsas are great, but my favorite tomatillo recipe is this pork and tomatillo stew from Food and Wine:
http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/pork-and-tomatillo-stew
It's spicy, tangy, delicious and great for a crowd (or tasty leftovers)...
view jooleeyet's profile
Love tomatillos. I make Chile Verde (much like the above's pork stew). A great slow cooker recipe and comes out much fresher and delicious than anything I've ordered in a restaurant.
view Jet'set's profile
I looooooooove tomatillo sauces, but nothing I make at home ever tastes right. Even the time we boiled the tomatillos, the salsa still tasted gross. To me, they taste like they're horribly unripe. Like eating a totally green banana. (I can't stand bananas until they're totally yellow or they just taste wrong.) It's not that I don't like strong flavors--I love them.
Do they mellow more the longer you cook them? I just don't understand what I'm doing wrong.
view parhelia's profile
gillsnthrills--yep, my tomatillo looks better than my tomatoes at this point. I can't wait to eat them.
view brittanykate's profile