Tomateo Snack Chips

[Sean Gadhar]

[youtube]gOUZDnIPiYs[/youtube]

 

[Nativearizonan]

Tomatillos, or husk tomatoes, look and taste a lot like an unripe tomato or ground cherry. I grew them one year but couldn't really figure out what to do with them. They are primarily used in green salsa. I fried a few, like frying green tomatoes, but that has never been a favorite dish of mine. I haven't grown them since. I just couldn't see much advantage to them over using green tomatoes.

 

[Sean Gadhar]

I would suggest making some Pico de gallo or salsa Make two batches one with green tomatoes one with tomatoes. I think you will find citrus and earthy elements are added that really do make a difference. They do LOOK a ton like small green tomatoes though, don't they.

 

[Kansas Jake]

When I saw the heading, I thought you were referring to dehydrated tomatoes. I now re-read it and see it is tomatillos that are being referred to in the post. I like them, especially in a green salsa.

I wonder how they would be if they were sliced and dehydrated. We have a Excalibur dehydrator and find most fruits and veggies sweeten when dehydrated because it concentrates the natural sugars. We have done tomatoes and they are good as a snack or great in cooked stews, soups etc.

 

[sidelock]

do they ripen to a different color like ground cherries or stay green?

 

[Sean Gadhar]

I have had plants that got a slightly purpleish hue to the fruit as it ripened but for the most part they stay green.

 

[Kansas Jake]

Most of the grocery stores here carry tomatillos and I've occasionally picked a few up. I've not tried to grow them, but some of the local market gardens have them.

 

[George]

I have used tomatillos to make a sauce for fried fish.

Sauce:
6 tomatillos, 1/2 pound, husks removed
1 medium onion, peeled and halved
2 medium to large poblano peppers, seeded and stem removed
2 cloves garlic
salt and pepper
1 tsp honey

Bake tomatillos, onion, peppers and garlic at 400F for 25 minutes. Put in the food processor, complete with any juice, add salt, pepper and honey and process until only slightly chunky.

Fish:
2 fillets of tilapia
cumin
sweet paprika
salt and pepper

Sprinkle both sides of the fillets well with cumin and paprika, salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil to medium hot in a nonstick pan and fry the fillets for 3-4 minutes on each side, until beginning to brown.

To assemble, drizzle each fillet with fresh lime juice, then place a generous stripe of tomatillo sauce down the middle of each.

Yum.

Works with largemouth bass fillets, too.

Spence

 

[Kansas Jake]

You are making my mouth water Spence. That looks like a great meal.