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!
I don't think I've ever seen a tomatillo!! Happy harvesting!
ReplyDeleteI doubt you would find them in the shops. They are available by post but are expensive and they are very easy to grow. In the USA apparently, they can be considered weeds in some areas.
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