What is a Tomatillo?
When you hear the term ‘tomatillos’, your first thought is likely that they are related to tomatoes. In fact, even the name literally translates as ‘little tomato’ in Spanish. However, they are not exactly tomatoes nor a variety of them. Tomatillos, also sometimes called husk tomatoes, are bright green, tiny, spherical fruits that are native to Mexico and grown extensively in the United States. The plant is a member of the nightshade family. Here, they are often used in their raw form to maximize the crunch factor and the acidic taste. The acidic taste also goes well with the likes of vinaigrettes. On the other hand, you can add them to sauces and curries by pureeing them and turning them into a thick or thin but extremely smooth and colorful paste. These little fruits are filled with flavor so they work great for stews as well. Not to mention, you can just chomp down on one as a tangy snack or maybe line up some slices on some toast with ricotta for a healthy and delicious breakfast. They are very often used in Mexican cuisine. The fruit itself is not very spicy but it is frequently used to make extremely hot sauces and purees. For example, a green sauce made from fresh tomatillos can be super hot, going up to 110k SV on the Scoville rating scale for peppers. But nothing is quite as delicious as a smoky, spicy salsa verde.
How to Cook a Tomatillo?
The first thing you will want to do is remove the papery husks from the exterior. The presence of husk around the little fruits is what lends them the name ‘husk tomatoes’. You can simply use your hands to remove the husk. Then you have to wash the fruits and you can use them as you like. To cook them, sauté them lightly to develop flavor and soften them up. Then chop them and cook them in a pan with oil, garlic, onion, and salt. This maximizes the tangy, delicious flavor of the tomatillos. To roast them, preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Then peel the skin off of the fruits and spread them across a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle some olive oil, and roast them until they become nice and soft. Learn how to roast tomatillos here.
