tomatillo

I will be growing tomatillos this year for the first time. Any great ideas about them or what to do with them in recipes once I get a crop? I will be container gardening this year . BEV

Hi Bev! I'm hoping someone has ideas for tomatillo recipes. I grew them for fun last year but I didn't know what to do with the fruit. (Other than letting the raccoons eat them!)

They grow fine in containers, but according to a friend of mine, they will get HUGE planted in the ground. I haven't tried it.

Make sure you have at least two plants next to each other because they are not self-fertile.

The really ripe ones are sweet, like berries. I'm thinking they could be made into jam. I'm wondering if anyone has tried such a thing? --Rhonda

thanks for the tip as I only have one plant now will get another one

I will be planting bell pepper bell boy that is sunleaper and sweet 100's in containers along with olive grape tomatoes and jalapenos and anaheim peppers for a start along iwth my herbs BEV

I grow the purple tomatillos. They are a bit smaller in size but I like the tart flavor. I saw a recipe for tomatillo salsa on the side of the box of canning jar lids. I plan to try it out and if it is a good one I'll post it to recipes later this summer.The plants don't get terribly big planted in the ground, but the plants tend to be weak at the joints, especially with a heavy fruit load, so caging or propping helps prevent breakage.

I'm planning to try tomatillos for the first time this year as well. I'll be planting the purple ones, a big green one from Burpees, and Pineapple Tomatillos (lower growing ground cherry variety). Pinetree's description mentions using the pineapple ones to make jam.....

I've used the green ones with sauteed chicken & veggies, but it's been years, so I'm not sure what else went into the sauce... probably basil, butter, white wine.... dice them and use them as you would tomatoes, for a little sweet/tart flavor. I'm looking forward to experimenting with them some more. Sorry not to have more concrete suggestions for this thread.

I appreciated the advice about staking. I've also heard that once you plant tomatillos, you can have volunteer seedlings forever, so I'm thinking about giving them their own little patch in our little orchard area where they can go wild if they like.

Yes, they will readily volunteer! If a ripe fruit falls off and you don't pick it up before it breaks down, the seeds are there for the next season, and sometimes sprout in the same year in the zones with longer growing periods. Letting them naturalize is a great idea.

where did youget your seeds for the pineapple tomatillo? BEV

I got the pineapple tomatillo at Pinetree, http://www.superseeds.com/home.htm

Cost was 95 cents, plus something like $2 for shipping on a seeds-only order (I ordered other seeds too, of course LOL).

I like Pinetree because they tend to offer smaller packets at correspondingly smaller prices, nice for home gardeners! I just opened the tomatillo packet, and the seeds are tiny, but there must be at least 50 in there, probably double that.

PS. Bev, let me know if you decide not to order from Pinetree (I'm guessing you'll want more than the pineapple tomatillo from them, once you look at their catalog). I can do trade or sasbe for a pinch of seeds (don't know the germination rate, but you probably need just a couple of plants for a container, so a little pinch should do you), and I also have seeds for a nifty little pepper called 'Sweet Pickles'. If you want to trade a few seeds around, email me with a have/want list.

Tomatillo Recipes...

I make an excellent "White" Chili with pork, tomatillos, green chiles, cumin, oregano, onions, garlic, etc. Also a vegetarian version w/ hominey. If there is enuf interest I can post here or should I do it in the recipe area? (Sorta new here...) Or just "Google" for "tomatillo white chile recipe" and I bet you'd find tons of info and ideas... no tomato is the main idea.

Where are those seeds for PURPLE tomatillos? I'm growing RED dwarf Okra from Container seeds.com. Just got their order. Cool stuff. Had several email exchanges about dome picky details... nice folks.

I got my purple tomatillo seeds ("de milpa") from Seeds of Change. I think the selection is also carried by the Chili Woman and Southern Exposure. My supply is a bit low right now - otherwise I'd offer you some.

Bev,

Cooking tip:
Make friends with hispanics. They are the best resource of great tomatillo recipes. They are also usually very generous with their recipes and tips if you show an interest in their cooking and culture. My wonderful Scandinavian wife has learned how to make some "killer tomatillo" recipes this way. Some of my favorites: Green salsa for enchiladas. A green salsa for chip dipping. Blackened tomatillos as a garnish...and the list goes on.

Growing tips:
Containers have been a bit tricky for us. Lots of wind here. They really get top-heavy and at times the branches break, or as stated above, they have "weak joints". You may want to consider making a trellis system for them against a wall or fence ASAP. But if you tie them, you’ll need to tie them all the way up the stem and not just a couple of places.

As mentioned above, if you really start liking tomatillos like we do, dedicate an area in your garden to them. Let some of the fruits ripen and fall to the ground. I am not sure how the system will perform in FL, but here in MN they will start in the spring on their own schedule and be much hardier than the transplants. They are a little later, but much tougher and bigger fruits. I've had no problems with them being invasive. They are easy to kill if they spread...at least in our zone.

Gentle warning:
Bees absolutely love the flowers. So if you have kids you'll need to teach them to "play nice" with the bees. My mom taught me to love and be fascinated by bees as a little kid...that was a great solution to bee problems. She coupled that with her wonderful counsel that “if you get stung it will be your own fault because you were mean to them.” I’ve loved watching them ever since.

Pollination:
Physalis ixocarpa should be an inbreeding plant with “perfect flowers” that self-pollinate. I could be wrong, but I don’t think you’ll need more than one plant to have fruit.

Jefe

I grew these last year and I have to say they were slow to get going, but then they took off and took over my tomato garden. They are more like a long vine than an upright tomato plant. I love green salsa!

I tnink tomatillos benefit from a little cooking to develop the flavor. Here is a rough recipe for green sauce: Spread a pile of fruit onto a baking sheet and add a couple of hot peppers. Bake at about 400 degrees for several minutes until the toms and peppers start to blacken. turn and blacken for a couple more minutes. Put them all into the blender with a handful of fresh cilantro blend a little. Stir in some finely diced onions and let cool. Yummy! Use for a dip or a sauce for various dishes.

I love them with mashed potaoes and cheese! sounds weird but its really good! :)

Do you actually mash them in with the potatoes? How are they cooked? IMWTK!

I layer it, sort of like Shepherd's Pie and heat it for about 1/2 hour until the cheese melts.

Thanks! I'll try it this summer, when I hope to have lots of tomatillos!

I think you'll like it. :)

This one is really good, the lime juice is a must for good salsa verde..

Larkie

Tomatillo Salsa Verde:
1 pound tomatillos, husked and rinsed
1 jalapeno, stemmed, or as much as you like
1 medium l Spanish onion, quartered
3 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon kosher salt, black pepper to taste
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
2 limes, juiced

Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the tomatillos, jalapeno, onion, garlic, and 1 tablespoon salt. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 5 to 10 minutes until the tomatillos are soft but have not burst. Add the cooked vegetables to a blender with the cilantro leaves and lime juice. Pour in 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking liquid and process to a coarse puree. Taste and adjust seasoning with more cilantro, lime juice, or salt.

Yield: 2 cups

Thanks! I was needing a basic recipe like that!

Have you ever frozen this? I'm not sure if the lime juice is sufficiently acid for canning..... Don't get me wrong, I'm sure it's fabulous fresh and probably best that way, but if I end up with a big crop I know I'll be looking for ways to put it up!

Hi Everybody,
Being that my last name is Sanchez I would be more than glad to get some recipes for ya'll from my Mother-in-Law who is a FANTASTIC cook. She grows tomatillioes every year and has tons and tons of them. I noticed a Verde Salsa recipe above which I'm sure is great, but I can get a recipe for that as well as a recipe for tamales w/green sauce from tomatilloes. Whenever she makes tamales she makes some with chiken w/green sauce and some w/ red sauce. As well as tamales w/ center cut pork chops w/ green/ and red sauce. And one of my favorites is a Quesidilla that she makes w/all fresh veggies from her garden. It has green & red bell pepper, zucchinni w/the beautiful yellow flower bloom from the zucchinni in it. Which I had never heard of cooking and eating the bloom, but it is delicious and has a great flavor. Also she adds carrots sliced very thin, and several other veggies including tomatilla sauce. And cheese. She also makes her tortillas fresh-but I haven't been able to tackle that yet. But all of these dishes are delicious especially the fresh Quesidillas. If you'd like for me to get these recipes and maybe more-or atleast what all I can get out of her I'd be glad to.
Just let me know-and if there are any special Mexican recipes that you would like just let me know that as well, and I'd be more than happy to get any recipe that I can.

Thanks,
Traci Sanchez

Oh, Traci, thanks -- that would be great!! I love green sauce, but have never made it myself. I think I could eat in on practically anything!

I'm thinking there's got to be a way to freeze or can green sauce, also..... I haven't even started my tomatillo seeds yet, and I'm already hoping for a bumper crop -- talk about counting your chickens before they've hatched! LOL

Those quesidillas sound amazing! Hmmm, maybe I should switch to eating zucchini blossoms rather than waiting for the squash; by the time the squash started growing last year, the borers were after the plants, so I didn't get much from them.

I wonder if we should start a tomatillo recipe thread over on the recipies forum, or at least cross post over there so more people see these recipies.... :-)

Traci..... how about a "Chili verde" recipe from your dear MIL???? I fell in love with that dish in AZ.

I will certainly ask her. Since I speak very little (pokito) spanish, give me and idea about this recipe. Do you mean chili as in Chili like a soup chili or a pepper recipe?

Thanks,
Traci

Traci...... the "Chili Verde" ((green chili)) I refer to is a soup-like dish containing tomatillos, peppers, onions, etc... and made with small pieces of pork. I'm not sure of the other ingredients / spices that are used to make this delicious dish.

Ok, I'll see if I can get her in touch w/ her either tonight or sometime this weekend. Would you like the other recipes as well, like for the Quesidillas,etc... And I don't know if you have ever had this before but it is a soup called Albondigas. It is so delicious. It is made w/ 1/2 pork and 1/2 beef, w/zucchinni, potatoes, carrotts and several other veggies and w/a delicious tomato base to the soup. It is one of my favorites and until I married my husband I was just a typical picky American Southern girl. But now I absolutely love all of these dishes. Albondigas are soo delicious. And I have made them myself. It has just been a while, and I just would confirm the recipe w/her before I gave it to anyone else. But yes, I'll certainly ask for the chili verde recipe asap :)

Thanks, Traci!! Understand what you say about "international foods". I never tasted Chinese food for the first 26 years of my life, until... I married my wife from Hong Kong (28 years ago) . Now I have Chinese food everyday! Surely Hope you can get a Chili Verde recipe... I'm sure others would enjoy it also! Any recipes you might want to post here (( OR, more appropriately, on the RECIPES FORUM)) will be appreciated by many of us, I'm sure!!

Great! I will get the recipe as soon as I can. If not this evening, then I will get it as soon as I can get in touch w/her this weekend. I'll post the recipes on the recipe forum as well as I'll email you with the Chili Verde. Do you have a good recipe for Homemade Peppered Steak and a good recipe for Won-Ton Soup (sp?), and for egg rolls? If so, I'd love to have that.

Thanks so much, Traci S

Traci.... We can certainly give you a recipe for Won-Ton soup and egg rolls.
My wife doesn't make pepper steak, however, and doesn't have a recipe for it.

srkrause........ I just saw your Feb.13 entry on this thread re: "white chili" made from pork, tomatillos, spices, etc... I "think" that's what I referred to as Chili Verde. Care to share the recipe with us?

Oh my...I just read this thread and my mouth is watering.

PLEASE, TraciS, I would love your tomatillo recipes, and the quesadillas and the Albondigas soup. All sounds so yummy!

And, Larry, CHINESE RECIPES!!!!!! Please post your recipes here too? or send them to me? DH and I absolutely LOVE chinese food, and we find the Chinese way of cooking to be much more healthy than most of our American ways of cooking.

I would love to get some of the recipes you all are talking about on this thread, and I will appreciate them forever. I promise.

Have I begged enough? LOL

yep....that oughta do it, Joan.

Thanks Larry. :) Tell your DW thanks too! And, just FYI, I had one Sioux tomato seedling pop up yesterday, so there's some hope for them.

yipppeeeee........ I hadn't given up yet.
Thanks Joan!

TraciS,

That quesadilla mix does sound fantastic. I am sure your mother-in-law will be very pleased that you are bragging up her cooking. If she has trouble translating it into English, she could always write it down in Spanish. You could post it in Spanish. I'd be happy to translate it.

Jefe