Time to try tomatillos: Start the introduction with salsa verde, but there is much more

What do avocados, chocolate and chia seeds have in common? They are popular foods that have roots in ancient Aztec and Mayan cultures. If you haven’t already discovered them, it’s time to add tomatillos to that list.

When I have tomatillos on my farmstand, customers ask if they are green tomatoes. While in the same family (Solanaceae), they are different species. There are some similarities, but we should consider that humans and chimpanzees are also part of the same family (Hominidae). It doesn’t help that the word tomatillo translates to “little tomato.”

Typically bright green and about the size of a Ping-Pong ball, tomatillos grow inside papery husks that split when the fruit is ripe. They need to be rinsed as they are covered in a tacky substance that protects them from insect damage. (Side note: It also deters golden retrievers, who help themselves to the tomatoes but leave the tomatillos alone.)

Salsa verde is the most common way cooks use tomatillos, but many other delicious options exist. They are good raw, roasted, broiled, grilled or fried and have a citrusy-sweet-tart flavor.

Once you make the salsa, you can use it as a secret ingredient in chili, salad dressing or soup. Try stirring some into your scrambled eggs or topping grilled chicken with a generous spoonful. Here I mixed it with a little sour cream and drizzled it over roasted purple potatoes for an unexpected, crowd-pleasing snack or side.

I don’t really follow a recipe, but I will give you one for reference. It isn’t an exact science, so you can and should feel free to make adjustments to suit your tastes or your vegetable drawer. For instance, in one batch, I used purple basil and red onion in place of the cilantro and white onion. It’s quick and easy enough for you to experiment without any qualms.

Since I grow my own, I can use the less common purple and yellow varieties. If you can find those at a market, give them a try. They have a slightly milder flavor profile, and I find the purple ones a little sweet. I learned too late that the purple tomatillos were only purple on the exposed segment where the husks split and were green on the inside. I will remove the husks after harvest for the rest of them and let them sit on the counter for a few days. Apparently, they will gradually turn purple, and even the insides pick up some pigment.

• Leslie Meredith is the winner of the 2019 Cook of the Week Challenge and teaches people how to grow and cook “real” food. She runs Farmhouse School on a historic homestead in Campton Hills. See the school’s Facebook or Instagram pages @FarmhouseSchool or contact Leslie at food@dailyherald.com.

Salsa Verde

10-12 tomatillos, husks removed and stickiness rinsed off

4-5 garlic cloves, crushed

1-3 jalapeño or serrano chili peppers, depending on heat tolerance

1 small white onion, finely diced

⅓ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

Salt, to taste

Arrange tomatillos, garlic and chilis on a sheet pan and put under the broiler for about 5 minutes. Turn everything over and broil for another 4-5 minutes. Remove from the oven when the tomatillos char in spots and start to burst open and the garlic is soft. When cool, squeeze the garlic out of its skins into a blender or food processor. Add the chilies and tomatillos, including any accumulated juices from the pan, along with a big pinch of salt.

Blend to desired consistency, then stir in the cilantro and onion.

Makes about 2 cups

— Leslie Meredith