August 12, 2021 - This Week's Box Contents, Featuring Tomatillos!

 

Cooking With This Week's Box

Tomatillos:
Hot Dogs with Tomatillo-Melon Pickle Relish & Pickled Onions (See Below)
Tomatillo & Corn Salad with Chipotle and Feta (See Below)
Green Chilaquiles with Fried Eggs
Huevos Divorciados Plus 20 More Tomatillo Recipes!
Spiced Chocolate Cake with Tomatillo Sauce

Porcelain Garlic:
Garlic-Scented Tomato Salad

Yellow Onions:
Zucchini and Onion Gratin
French Onion Cheese Bread

Green Slicers and/or White Martini Cucumbers:
Refrigerator Garlic Dill Pickles
Grilled Fish with Tomato-Cucumber Salsa

Green and/or Italian Zucchini:
Chocolate Oatmeal Zucchini Cookies
Tex Mex Chicken and Zucchini

Orange Carrots:
Edamame, Carrot and Cucumber Salad with Soy Ginger Dressing
Carrot Zucchini Muffins

Green Beans or Navajo Romano Beans: 
Green Beans with Garlic and Fresh Tomatoes
Green Bean Wild Rice Casserole

Edamame:
Wasabi Roasted Edamame
Garlic Chili Spicy Edamame

Sweet Corn:
Quick and Easy Corn Fritters
Vegetable Enchiladas with Tomatillo-Cream Sauce

Sun Orange, Chocolate Sprinkles or Red Grape Tomatoes:
Roasted Tomato Crostini
Baked Salmon with Corn, Burst Tomatoes and Basil Vinaigrette

Green Bell Peppers:
Greek Chicken Kabobs (with Peppers, Onions, Tomatoes & Zucchini)
Green Pepper Steak with Tomatoes and Onions

Jalapeño Pepper:
Crispy Bacon Jalapeño Popper Stuffed Chicken Breast
Southwestern Eggs Benedict with Jalapeño Hollandaise

Variety of Tomatoes:
Corn and Tomato Salad with Torn Croutons
Corn and Tomatillo Pizza with Tomatoes & Basil

Sun Jewel Melons and/or Sweet Sarah and/or French Orange Melons: 
Chardonnay Cantaloupe Sangria
Summer Melon Salad with Honey Lime Dressing

Green Chilaquiles with Fried Eggs
photo from holajalapeno.com

Hello!

This week we’re featuring tomatillos, a unique “vegetable” that is actually a fruit!  Every year I try to find non-traditional ways to use tomatillos beyond the usual Salsa Verde.  This year in my search I discovered a fabulous new blog featuring Mexican/Mexican-American Recipes, holajalapeno.com.  This is where I found the inspiration for this week’s featured recipe for Hot Dogs with Tomatillo-Melon Pickle Relish with Pickled Onions (See Below).  The original recipe called for fresh pineapple in the relish.  I went to the store to buy a fresh pineapple and as I stood in the produce department holding a very green, slightly sad looking pineapple, I couldn’t bring myself to buy it!  “Come on Andrea, there has to be another alternative.”  That’s when it came to me that I could use the Sun Jewel melon instead of pineapple!  Sun Jewel melons are often pickled anyway, so it will be perfect!  The hot dogs were tasty topped with these condiments, but you can use this relish in a lot of other ways too.  It stores in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks, so you can use it over time!

The other recipe we’re featuring this week is for a Tomatillo and Corn Salad with Chipotle and Cheese (See Below).  This is a tasty salad that has a lot of texture as well as different flavors going on in it.  The combination of the mild, yet slightly tangy tomatillos, the sweetness from the corn, the spice of the dressing and the creamy cheese makes for a tasty, well-balanced, simple salad.

Vegetable Enchiladas with Tomatillo-Cream Sauce

I pulled up a few other recipes from our archives that have been well-received in past years.  This recipe for Vegetable Enchiladas with Tomatillo-Cream Sauce is a winner every time and you can vary the vegetables throughout the season based on availability.  I also included the link to a recipe for a very simple Garlic-Scented Tomato Salad.  This is a simple recipe, but it really brings out the flavor of the tomatoes!  Lastly, if you’re feeling like pizza this week, my recommendation of the day is this Corn and Tomatillo Pizza with Tomatoes & Basil.

What are you going to do with zucchini this week?  Maybe a batch of Chocolate Oatmeal Zucchini Cookies or Carrot Zucchini Muffins.  You could also try this Zucchini and Onion Gratin or Greek Chicken Kabobs with Peppers, Onions, Tomatoes & Zucchini.

Southwestern Eggs Benedict with Jalapeño Hollandaise
photo from thesuburbansoapbox.com

If you want to kick things up a bit this week, check out these two spicy recipes for Wasabi Roasted Edamame and Garlic Chili Spicy Edamame.  If that’s not enough go for the Crispy Bacon Jalapeño Popper Stuffed Chicken Breast or Southwestern Eggs Benedict with Jalapeño Hollandaise!

 
There’s never a shortage of delicious meals to be had this time of the year.  Looking ahead to next week we may have watermelons!  Poblano peppers will be ready soon and we’re hoping to see some colored sweet peppers before too long.  We’re also hoping for some sunshine to ripen more tomatoes!  Have a great week and enjoy these days of summer cooking!—Chef Andrea

Vegetable Feature: Tomatillo

By:  Chef Andrea Yoder

Description: Tomatillos are typically used as a vegetable, but technically they are a fruit.  The fruit is hidden inside a husk that looks like a paper lantern.  You know the tomatillo is ready to pick when it fills the husk nearly completely.

Preparation & Use: Tomatillos may be eaten raw or cooked and have a mild, tangy flavor that is slightly fruity.   When raw, tomatillos are firm with a dense flesh.  Once cooked, tomatillos soften and break apart becoming more like sauce.  They contain pectin which is a natural thickener.  The outer husk is not edible, so this needs to be removed before you use them.  The fruit inside might feel a little sticky, which is normal.  Just give them a quick rinse and you’re ready to go.

Corn and Tomatillo Pizza with Tomatoes and Basil

One of the most familiar ways to use tomatillos is in making salsa!  Tomatillo salsa may be prepared with all raw vegetables which will give you a fresh, chunky salsa.  The alternative is to cook the tomatillos in a little water before blending the softened, cooked tomatillos with the other salsa ingredients.  If you cook the tomatillos first, you’ll get a more smooth salsa.   Roasting tomatillos along with the other salsa ingredients such as onions, garlic, peppers and even limes cut in half will further develop the flavors of these ingredients giving you yet another version of tomatillo salsa.  Tomatillo salsa is delicious when simply served as a snack or appetizer along with tortilla chips, but it can also be used to top off tacos, quesadillas, make enchiladas, or served alongside your morning eggs or stirred into a bowl of black beans and/or rice.

Mexican Eggs in Purgatory

Salsa is not the only use for tomatillos.  There are many other interesting ways to take advantage of their unique tang and natural pectin.  The tanginess of tomatillos pairs very well with pork and can make a delicious stew  which is thickened by the tomatillo.  They can also be used to make sauces for chicken and bean dishes, blend them into guacamole, or incorporate them into soups, salads or even dessert!

Storage: Tomatillos are best stored at room temperature until ready for use.  They are also very easy to preserve for use in the off-season.  One option is to make salsa now and either can or freeze it.  Alternatively,  you can freeze tomatillos whole and raw.  Simply remove the outer husk, wash and dry the fruit.  Put them in a freezer bag and pop them into the freezer.  They don’t retain their firm texture after freezing, so don’t be surprised if they are soft when you thaw them.

Growing Information: Tomatillos grow on plants that are similar to a tomato plant, but they are usually larger and have more of a wild, jungle-like appearance.  Their main stem is thick and sometimes resembles a small tree trunk! The plants can grow to be over seven feet tall, so we put stakes in between and tie the plants to them progressively as they grow in order to keep the plant upright and the fruit off the ground.  Tomatillos grow from pretty little yellow blossoms which are a favorite food source for bumble bees and other pollinator creatures.

Grilled Hot Dogs with Tomatillo-Melon Pickle Relish and Pickled Onions

Yield: 3 cups Tomatillo-Melon Relish and 1 pint Pickled Onions (more than enough to top 8 hot dogs)

Chef Andrea Note: This recipe was adapted from one originally featured at www.holajalapeno.com which used pineapple in place of the melon.  The relish and pickled onions are an excellent topping for hot dogs, but could also be used with brats or sausage as well as a condiment to serve with grilled fish or chicken, on sandwiches, or with beans, etc.  If you aren’t into meat or hot dogs, skip that part of the recipe and just make the relish and/or pickled onions to serve however you wish.

Tomatillo-Melon Relish:

⅓ cup granulated sugar

1 cup distilled white or apple cider vinegar

1 cup water

1 Tbsp kosher salt

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 pound tomatillos, husked and rinsed

Jalapeño (quantity to your liking), minced

1 cup small diced Sun Jewel melon (rind removed)* 

½ cup small diced bell pepper (green or colored)

¼- ½ cup minced cilantro

For the Pickled Onions:

3 Tbsp granulated sugar

½ cup distilled white or apple cider vinegar

½ cup water

1 tsp kosher salt

1 small onion, thinly sliced

For the Hot Dogs:

8 hot dogs or your favorite smoked sausages

8 hot dog buns

Mayonnaise, for serving (optional)

Sliced ripe avocado, for serving (optional)

1. First, make the Tomatillo-Melon Relish.  Combine the sugar, vinegar, water, salt and mustard seeds in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil, whisking to dissolve the sugar and salt.  
2. Meanwhile, cut tomatillos into small dice.  Put in a heat-proof bowl along with the jalapeño, Sun Jewel melon, and bell pepper.  Pour the hot vinegar mixture over the vegetables and stir to combine.  Cool to room temperature then cover and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight.  Just before serving, stir in the cilantro.
3. Next, make the pickled onions.  Combine sugar, vinegar, water and salt in the same saucepan you used to make the vinegar mixture for the relish.  Bring to a boil, whisking to dissolve the sugar and salt.
4. Place thinly sliced onions in a heat-proof bowl or a pint jar.  Pour the hot vinegar mixture over onions and cool to room temperature.  Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight.  
5. Grill hot dogs to your liking and warm the buns either on the grill or in the oven.  Serve the hot dogs topped with the relish and pickled onions.  A bit of mayonnaise on the bun and/or some sliced avocado are also delicious!

Note: Both the Tomatillo-Melon Relish and the Pickled Onions may be stored in the refrigerator and used for up to 3 weeks.

*Note:  If you don’t have Sun Jewel melon, you can also substitute any variety that is similar such as honeydew or canary melon.  The original recipe used fresh pineapple, so that’s always an option as well!

Tomatillo & Sweet Corn Salad with Chipotle and Cheese

Yield:  6-8 servings

1 pound tomatillos, husked and rinsed

1 ½ cup cooked sweet corn kernels

½ medium onion, minced 

¼ to ½ cup finely chopped cilantro

Salt & Black pepper, to taste

Dressing:

1 or 2 chipotle chiles in adobo (canned), finely chopped*

2 tsp brown sugar

½ tsp salt, plus more to taste

1 lime, juiced

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 oz crumbled cotija or feta cheese

1. Cut tomatillos into small dice.  Place in a medium salad bowl along with corn, onions and cilantro.  Season lightly with salt and black pepper.  Stir to combine and set aside while you prepare the dressing.
2. In a separate small mixing bowl, combine the chopped chiles, brown sugar, ½ tsp salt and lime juice.  Stir until all the salt and brown sugar have dissolved, then drizzle in the olive oil, whisking vigorously until well combined.  Taste and add more chile or salt to taste.   (Keep in mind that the dressing will be more mild once it is mixed with the tomatillos).
3. Pour some of the dressing over the tomatillo mixture and stir to combine.  You want to use enough to lightly dress the salad, ensuring all components are coated.  Stir to combine.
4. Crumble the cotija or feta cheese into the salad and stir gently.  Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking with additional salt and pepper.  Serve right away, or refrigerate for 1-2 hours or overnight before serving to allow the flavors to “marry.”

*Chipotle Peppers in Adobo: This recipe calls for chipotle peppers in adobo.  Chipotle peppers are available in a variety of forms, but this recipe refers to canned peppers in adobo which is a red sauce.  You can find these in the ethnic section of most grocery stores near other Mexican foods.  After you use what you need for this recipe, you will still have more than half the can remaining.  Transfer the remaining portion to a storage container and refrigerate.  They’ll store for several weeks in the refrigerator so you can use them in other recipes, such as enchilada sauce or taco meat!

This recipe was adapted by Chef Andrea with inspiration from a recipe entitled “Summer Salad of Tomatillos” that was originally published on the Williams Sonoma Taste blog.