What is a tomatillo?
Tomatillo is a small green Mexican fruit with a lantern-type shell surrounding the fruit. It’s part of the nightshade family but more closely related to gooseberries and the Chinese lantern plant. Tomatillos are native to Central America and grow wild in parts of Mexico. In the United States, tomatillos are grown in various areas, particularly in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.
They are about the size of a golf ball or one to two inches in diameter. They are covered in a papery husk and contain a sticky film called withanolides, which helps ward off insects. Some varieties may ripen to yellow or purple. When picked green, they have a unique tart, bright citrusy flavor, especially if eaten raw. When boiled, the tomatillos tend to keep their tart flavor. When roasted, tomatillos become a little sweeter and lose some of their tartness.
How to pick tomatillos.
When picking tomatillos, they should be firm to the touch and almost bursting out of their husks. To check for ripeness, peel back a little bit of the husk and you should be a bright green color and firm to the touch. They should not have any blemishes, holes, or soft spots. At its green state, the tomatillo has not completely ripened, but eating them at this stage gives you the citrusy tangy flavor. Once they are 100% mature, they change color and become soft and lose their citrusy tangy flavor.
Storage before using.
Can be left on your counter for a day or two at room temperature or for two to three weeks wrapped loosely in paper towels in the fridge. Make sure you store them with their papery husks on until you're ready to use them. Tomatillos can also be frozen. Remove the husks, wash thoroughly, dry and and store in a freezable bag.
Nutrition facts. What Are the Health Benefits of Tomatillos? (webmd.com)
Tomatillos aren't too widely used across the globe. However, they are worth getting to know for their versatility and nutritional value.
According to WebMD, tomatillos are a great source of dietary fiber and are low in fat content. They’re also a good source of vitamin C, D and K. Also niacin, potassium, manganese, and magnesium.
They also contain organic compounds like withanolides and flavonoids like lutein, zeaxanthin, and beta-carotene, which which have many physiological benefits.
A 100-gram portion of tomatillo contains:
Energy: 32 calories
Protein: 0.96 grams
Total lipid (fat): 1.02 grams
Carbohydrate: 5.84 grams
Fiber (dietary): 1.9 grams
Calcium: 7 milligrams
Iron: 0.62 milligrams
Magnesium: 20 milligrams
Potassium: 268 milligrams
Phosphorus: 39 milligrams
Vitamin C: 11.7 milligrams
Vitamin K: 10.1 micrograms
Choline: 7.6 milligrams
Zinc: 0.22 milligrams
Copper: 0.079 milligrams
Manganese: 0.153 milligrams
Thiamin: 0.044 milligrams
Riboflavin: 0.035 milligrams
Niacin: 1.85 milligrams
Selenium: 0.5 micrograms
With a host of nutritious ingredients, tomatillos offer several health benefits.
Could support healthy vision. Tomatillos are rich in nutrients that are essential for eye health. Lutein and zeaxanthin are natural antioxidants that are present in the retina and protect your eye from environmental damage.
May reduce the risk of cancer. Tomatillos contain a group of compounds called withanolides that are known for their antioxidant, antitumor, anti-neurodegeneration, and apoptotic activity
May support weight loss. At just 21 calories in a half-cup serving, tomatillos are a great addition to weight loss diets. Due to their high water content, you can eat a lot of tomatillos without taking in many calories. Also, unlike many other condiments, fresh sauces and salsas made with tomatillos contain very little sugar and are a healthy and tasty way to fill your stomach.
May help with arthritis. Withanolides also have anti-inflammatory properties.
Course: Condiment, Sauce
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Tomatillo, Roasted Tomatillo, Poblano Pepper and Green Sauce
This delicious versatile Roasted Tomatillo and Poblano Pepper Sauce can be used for so many things. Simmer sauce over roasted chicken, enchiladas, tacos, tamales or scoop with chips or whatever you taste buds desire!
Ingredients
- 1 lb tomatillos remove papery husked & thoroughly washed
- 1 sweet medium onion, cut in half
- 6 whole large garlic cloves peeled
- 3 large poblano peppers
- 1/2 cup cilantro leaves and stems
- 2 cups water
- 1 tblsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1/2-1 tsp oregano, fresh or dried
- Roasted chicken
- 15 corn tortillas
- 2 cups sour cream- optional
- 3 cups Mexican cheese blend, Monterrey cheese or muenster cheese
- ½ lb queso fresco or extra creamy queso fresco – optional
- 9X13 baking dish
Instructions
- Peel tomatillos, garlic and onion. Wash tomatillos thoroughly and dry. Cut onion in half and lightly coat tomatillos, onion, garlic and poblanos with olive or avocado oil.
- Place the peppers, onion, tomatillos, and garlic on the baking sheet, comal or griddle.
- If using oven, preheat oven on broil to 450 F and place in middle rack until the peppers begin to blister. Turn them on both sides. Roast for about 6 minutes on each side. Garlic cloves and onion may cook faster than tomatoes and peppers.
- If using a comal or griddle, cook on medium to high heat until you see the roasted or charred marks on both sides. They will also start to pierce and soften.
- Remove Poblano peppers and wrap in plastic to sweat. Place tomatillos, onion, and garlic aside.
- Peel the skins from the peppers and slice them open to remove the seeds and stems.
- Add peppers, tomatillos, onion, oregano, garlic, and cilantro to the blender or food processor. Add salt and pepper.
- Pulse until you get the consistency that you like. Pulsed several times to get a slightly chunky textured sauce.
- Taste salt and pepper to your liking.
If you do not want to make the sauce, I would recommend the following store-bought sauces:
- Place chicken in a sealable plastic bag to debone the chicken by massaging the chicken. Remove the bones and place chicken in a bowl. Use a had mixer to shred the chicken.
- I like adding sauce to my shredded chicken but its optional.
- Run water through your tortillas to soften them. Place them on wax paper as shown above and microwave for a minute until they are soft and foldable without breaking. You can also use a comal or griddle to soften them.
- Pour ½ cup of green sauce in pan. Place shredded chicken on corn tortilla and roll. Place rolled tortilla on top of sauce in pan. Continue the same process until the pan is filled. You can also make individual plates.
- If using sour cream and or queso fresco, spread over rolled tortillas evenly. I like to crumble the queso fresco and add into sour cream, combine and spread over the enchiladas
- Pour sauce over rolled tortillas and cover evenly. Then sprinkle cheese evenly.
- Bake in preheated oven at 350 F for 20 minutes. Garnish as desired. Enjoy!
Add raw or roasted jalapeños and you have Tomatillo Poblano Spicy Sauce or Salsa Verde.
I prefer to use the red jalapeños because they are in their ripe state.
Add avocado and lemon juice and now you have spicy avocado sauce. If you don’t want it spicy, omit the jalapeños. For this sauce I used all raw ingredients, including the tomatillos. You will get more nutritional benefits and the sauce is very fresh and delicious tasting. Enjoy with chips or veggies.
