IN SEASON NOW TOMATILLOS In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month in
September, try adding starchy, tangy tomatillos to recipes inspired by traditional Hispanic dishes.
ALSO KNOWN AS
The name tomatillo, meaning little tomato, was first found in English records around 1910. It is also known as a Mexican green tomato (tomate verde in Spanish), husk tomato, and jamberry. In Oaxaca, Mexico, the Aztec word for tomatillos, miltomatl, is still used.
A salsa staple
Tomatillos are the main ingredient in salsa verde—a tangy, spicy, all-purpose condiment in Mexican cuisine. This salsa pairs especially well with milder proteins like chicken, shrimp, and fried or scrambled eggs.
Shop and store
Look for tomatillos that fill their husks and are slightly firm to the touch. The fruit inside the husk should be bright green with hints of yellow (a sign of ripeness) and free of dark spots. Store in a paper bag in the crisper drawer of your fridge for 2–3 weeks.
200
FRUITS Tomatillos are ready to harvest about 75 to 100 days after planting. Once it has matured, a single tomatillo plant can produce up to 200 fruits in a growing season.
Despite their similar color and mildly tart flavor, green tomatoes (essentially underripe tomatoes) and tomatillos are not closely related.
Tomatillos are closer to gooseberries— tart, golden yellow fruits that also have papery husks.
40 SEPTEMBER 2024
SAVORYONLINE.COM
900 BC
The first tomatillos were cultivated by the Aztecs in the Tehuacán Valley of Mexico thousands of years ago, in 900 BC. This was long before the first tomatoes were grown. While the tomatoes, corn, and chilies they grew spread worldwide, tomatillos remain fairly unique.
Tomatillos are known for their loose, papery husks that often split once the fruit has reached its full size. Remove these first, then rinse to remove the sticky residue that coats the tomatillos before chopping or slicing.
PEEL, RINSE, AND CHOP
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