The rain has come at just the right time to help swell my tomatillo harvest. Went outside this morning to gather the first few.
Here they are with their husks:
Now de-husked, washed in soapy water, rinsed and dried:
When they are removed from their husks, they are incredibly sticky – similar to a fly paper. They need a gentle scrub in warm soapy water with a sponge, rinsed and dried with a cloth. They are then ready to be stored in the fridge, loosely wrapped in a plastic bag.
They should last for around 1 month in the salad drawer but need to be checked every few days for those going off or to get rid of any condensation.
They would normally be a lighter green than this, but when their husks pop open, they are ready. The dark green ones had fallen off the plants last night. I use them as a base sauce in Mexican food but they are just as good as the base for most stew type dishes. They are very juicy when cooked and taste slightly sweet with a sour/tart overtone.
All being well, I hope to get a few pounds off my container plants. They grow far better direct in the soil but take up as much room each as a fully grown courgette plant. They are more like boisterous tomatoes when in a pot!