Sweet and sour tomatillos add depth to fall meals.
While the word tomatillo means “little tomato” in Spanish, the tangy, green fruits are quite different from their popular cousins.
Like tomatoes, tomatillos also are members of the nightshade family. They originated in Mexico and were cultivated by the Aztecs for thousands of years. Also known as husk tomatoes or Mexican ground cherries, the varieties are usually green but also can be purple or yellow. The fruit is rarely seen in typical American recipes, but pork chile verde and Christmas enchiladas would not be the same without them.
“A lot of people don’t realize that green salsa or salsa verde is made with tomatillos,” says Marlene Hild, farm school cultivator at Urban Roots in Reno. “I think they think they are made with green tomatoes. A lot of people have eaten tomatillos without even knowing it.”
Hild also adds that the flavor of a tomatillo is so radically different from that of a tomato that it should not be considered a substitute.
“They have a sweet and sour taste to them, and the sweetness can be very fruity,” Hild says. “I think they almost have a grapey flavor to them. Not only is the flavor different, but the texture is very different. I would eat a tomatillo raw, but not everyone else would.”
Tomatillos also grow differently from tomatoes. Each fruit is covered with a papery husk, and the plants prefer to sprawl along the ground like squash or pumpkins. However, like tomatoes, they do need plenty of sun, water, and mulch to protect them from the bare ground.
Choosing Tomatillos
Tomatillos are typically harvested in late summer and fall and can be found in stores throughout this time.
Erik Fagerstrom, produce manager at Great Basin Community Food Co-op in Reno, recommends choosing bright green tomatillos with the husks still on them. The fruit should be tightly fitted within the husk; any shrinkage will indicate an older or less ripe fruit.
“Tomatillos that are tight within the husk will also store better,” Fagerstrom says, adding that you should look for a tomatillo to be about the size of a golf ball.
Cooking with Tomatillos
Braulio Claro, sous chef at Estella Tacos y Mezcal at The Jesse hotel in Reno, will use different-sized tomatillos for different recipes.
“Tomatillos are interesting because it really depends on the size how I use them,” Claro says. “The bigger they are, the more watery they are. I’ve always had a preference for the smaller ones since I’ve felt that they have more flavor.”
Claro adds that how you cook tomatillos really changes the flavor profile.
“If I want something fresher, I will boil them to retain that freshness,” Claro says. “When it comes to a more caramelly flavor, I will tend to roast them or put them in the oven. They are very versatile, and I use them in most of my recipes no matter what I’m doing.”
He adds that tomatillos also partner well with other ingredients.
“For me and my family, [tomatillos] have always been an easy way to carry the fresh flavors that we want — especially the spices,” Claro says. “The freshness of the tomatillos really brings out a lot of the flavors in everything else.”
Roasted Tomatillo Simmer Sauce
(courtesy of Braulio Claro, sous chef, Estella Tacos y Mezcal in Reno. Makes 1 quart of sauce)
This recipe is great to simmer any type of meat in; it makes enough for about 2 pounds of meat.
5 jalapeño or 4 serrano peppers (seeds removed)
30 large tomatillos, husked and washed
1 medium onion, quartered
10 cloves garlic
1 bunch cilantro
1 bunch epazote (optional)
Lime juice, salt, and pepper, to taste
Roast the tomatillos, peppers, onion, and garlic together in a pan until the tomatillos are dark and releasing liquid. Blend everything in a food processor and season with lime juice, salt, and pepper. Thin the sauce as desired with stock or water. Use sauce to simmer chicken, beef, pork, or seafood in.
