So I grew a couple of Tomatillo plants this year for the first time, I put one in my greenhouse and gave the other away. Then I read on t'internet that you need two together to cross pollinate otherwise you get no fruit. So mine was dug up and transplanted into my friend's garden. They have grown really big and started producing ripe fruit a couple of weeks ago. They have a unique taste, best described as a cross between a tomato and a gooseberry, I'll certainly try them again next year:
There were some packets in the Wyevale 50p/packet sale and I Umm'd and Ahh'd ... and then no-bid :( but reading the back of the packet aren't they used for Tomato sauce (or was it Salsa)? I'm really keen to make a nice chilli Salsa dip just like the one I get form Tescos Well ... "better" is what I'm, modestly, really after :D
John, Made this with them a couple weeks ago, really good, and keeps for a good week in fidge. Good warm or later cold on corn chips. Great with beer. Ingredients 1 pound fresh tomatillos 1 large Spanish onion (about 12 ounces), cut into large chunks (about 3 cups) 3 cloves garlic 1/2 packed cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves 1/2 jalapeno (seeds and all if you like heat) 1/2 lime, juiced Kosher or fine sea salt Directions Pull the husks from the tomatillos and wash them under cool water until they no longer feel sticky. Cut them into quarters and put them into the work bowl of a food processor. Add the onion and garlic and process until smooth. Add the cilantro, jalapeno and lime juice and process until the jalapeno is finely chopped. Scrape the mixture into a small saucepan. Season lightly with salt and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid is boiled off and the salsa looks relish-y, about 15 minutes. Cool before using. The sauce can be refrigerated for up to 1 week. If refrigerated, you may want to add a little salt and/or lime juice to the salsa before serving.
redstar: will it freeze? I'd like to be able to defrost some Salsa, perhaps add some fresh Tomato to provide " chunkiness", and may be add the chillies then too? - I'm thinking they will be overpowering if added first, and subsequently frozen?? I knew I should have bought that extra 50p seed packet in the sale :(
Don't see why not it should freeze. Just pack it well. Freezer container then inside a freezer bag--sometime I do over do, but to make sure no freezer taste gets in. By the way I served it with grilled steaks, yummy together.
They look kind of interesting, John, though I'm not so sure that they look wholly appetising. Did you have to feed them as you would a tomato, or were they left to fend for themselves?
They are treated the same as tomatoes in terms of feed etc, they need more supports as they get so big. You're right about them not looking as tempting as a proper tomato, and they aren't sweet so I can't eat one on its own.
try the physalis hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm ACE first time this year, they grew out of the greenhouse cut them almost every week, nothing can stop them growing and i did not feed them at all and the taste!!!!! oh my GOD, the best fruit i ever grown so far
Where did you get this plant from? I quite like them but they are expensive to buy in the supermarkets.Look like little oranges.Can they be grown from seed?
oh yeah , i grown mine from seeds!!!!!!! even the outdoor ones are doing OK, planted them out late june! cause there was no room in the greenhouse!!
Back when I was a chef we used to use these fruits by pealing back the covering leaves and twisting them around its own stem, we would hold onto this bit to then dip the fruit into either chocolate or fondant and serve then as a petit-four treat with the after dinner drinks. Also known as Cape gooseberries... Steve...
Over in a food store near me there is always a big bin of them available. Seems like folks from Mexico use it often to make that type of recipe as I presented above. I've not heard of any other way to use them.
