Using Tomatillos

[cjs]

Best thing I did last summer as soon as we moved in was to plant tomatillos! I had such a great crop that I was able to freeze a couple bags of them. And, this winter I've sure had fun with them.

Today, I made a new Tomatillo salsa from Taste of Home that is just delicious! And, now I have a large enough batch of it to freeze some of also! double win.


CONDIMENT - Tomatillo Salsa Recipe*****

“Dare to deviate from tomato salsa and try this tomatillo-based version for a deliciously addictive change of pace. It’s fantastic on its own with tortilla chips or served as a condiment alongside a variety of meats." —Taste of Home

8 tomatillos, husks removed
1 medium tomato, quartered
1 small onion, cut into chunks
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded
3 Tbs fresh cilantro leaves
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 Tbs lime juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp pepper
Tortilla chips

1. In a large saucepan, bring 4 cups water to a boil. Add tomatillos. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Drain.

2. Place the tomatillos, tomato, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, garlic, lime juice and seasonings in a food processor. Cover and process until blended. Serve with chips

Yield: 2-1/4 cups

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Going to use on a Mexican pizza soon!

[BarbaraS]

That looks delicious Jean!

Barbara

[labradors]

Cool! I'm trying out tomatillos from seed, this year, so I'll have to bookmark this.

[foodfiend]

Tomatillos are so easy to grow! Well, at the farm they were A couple of spoonfuls in guacamole gives it a wonderful, lighter flavor. And they're great with fish tacos (the plain kind-- whitefish pieces dipped in flour and cumin, fried, and served in corn tortillas with the salsa, chopped tomatoes, lettuce, and thinned sour cream). Rick Bayless has a recipe in one of his books for a thick tomatillo salsa that's fried, then thinned a little with broth, and used for chicken chilaquiles. You're lucky, Jean, to have bags of them in the freezer!

[cjs]

Here's another favorite -
Made this dish for Denise's Mystery B'day dinner, 8/10/13 - absolutely wonderful!!!!

Baked Shrimp with Tomatillos*****

2 Tbs vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped, about 1 cup
1-2 jalapeno chiles, seeded, minced
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 lb tomatillos, chopped
Salt
1/2 cup clam juice OR 1/4 cup water*
1 lb shrimp, cleaned, deveined
1 cup Cotija queso seco cheese (can substitute feta)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Lime juice
Black pepper
An oven-proof sauté pan or cast iron pan

1. Heat oil in the pan you will use for baking. Add the onions and jalapeños, cook for 5 minutes on medium high until the onions begin to brown. Add the garlic and cook a minute more. Add the tomatillos, reduce heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes, until the tomatillos are cooked through, but still hold their shape. Sprinkle salt over the tomatillos as they are cooking.

2. If using clam juice, add to pan, turn up the heat and reduce by half. If using water, just add the 1/4 cup of water without reducing. Add the cheese and shrimp. Cook in a preheated 425°F oven for 10 minutes.

3. Remove pan from the oven. If using a pan with a handle, such as a cast iron frying pan, I recommend cooling the handle with ice for safety; it's so easy to forget that pan has just come out of the oven, and you grab the hot handle by mistake. Right before serving, mix in the cilantro and sprinkle with lime juice and freshly ground black pepper.

Yield: Serves 4.

Notes from: http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/bak...omatillos/
1. Shrimp can be cooked either shell on or shell off. Cooking with the shell on will result in better flavor, but can be fussy to eat, as you have to pick off the shells as you eat them. Shelling and deveining the shrimp before cooking can add a good 10 minutes to prep time, but the resulting dish is easier to eat. This is a one pan dish, going from stove-top to oven, so use an oven-proof pan.
2. One time we made this we used tequila instead of clam juice, it was good too!

[foodfiend]

Thanks for the recipe, Jean. Tomatillos go so well with seafood, and there are a ton of Mexican grocerias around here so I can pick up fresh tomatillos for a lot less than the chain grocery stores. And I'm going to go with the tequila option!!!

[cjs]

I will too, the next time!

[Harborwitch]

I love tomatillos! Chile Verde is one of our favorites using them.

This summer we made a couple batches of smoked salsa; tomatoes, tomatillos, onions,garlic, limes, jalapenos, poblanos all in the smoker and then run through the blender, fresh lime juice and cilantro added at then end. Yum.

We're lucky to live where there is a large hispanic population so they are really inexpensive here. I think I'll get some for tonight's dinner.