Tomatillos In My Salsa

It is harvest time. This is the time that I love my garden the most. Over the course of the summer we have picked peas, basil, onions, lettuce, kale, cherry tomatoes, and even a cantaloupe. We have canned tomatoes and are planning on canning even more! 

One item in our garden that I especially love are tomatillos. I use them in that wonderful Costa Vida ranch dressing and I even put some in my salsa. They came in a pack, so this year we planted 3 tomatillo plants. There is no way that I will be able to use that many tomatillos as they come. I didn't want that many to go to waste and I needed a way to store them.

Because I use pureed tomatillos when I put them in the ranch and the salsa, the most convenient way to store them seemed to puree them first and then freeze them.

First you need to pick the tomatillos when they are ripe. Tomatillos off the vine are bit smaller then at the store as with most things. Over these past weeks of picking the fruit I found that the best time to pick them is when the bottom wrap is split open and the wrapping is just barely starting to get a purple color.

Next you need peel the wrapping off the tomatillos, wash the sticky film off, cut the tomatillos in half, core them, and puree them. I just stick them in my ninja and it makes the fruit nice and smooth.

 

Last I poured about a cup and a half in a labeled freezer bag to store flat in the freezer. In one bag I stored about the amount that I would use in my salsa. This way I just take out the bag of frozen tomatillos to thaw for a couple of minutes and then throw in the salsa. 

It only takes a couple of minutes to get these stored and they last up to a year!

Also thought I would share the two recipes that I use tomatillos for. Tomatillos aren't a common ingredient, but Jordan says he can tell when I put too little of them in my salsa. 

I use THIS recipe for the Costa Vida/Cafe Rio Ranch sauce.

I have grown up with the following salsa recipe and it is just packed with vegetables and fruit. I don't even add salt or a chili powder. I love the fresh taste, but it isn't even close to bland. However, depending on the quality of your produce the quality of the salsa can vary a bit. Hint: buy quality produce!! 

Obviously anything fresh out of the garden is best including tomatoes. Just be sure to blanch the skins before throwing them into the salsa. The skins do not blend super well. 

Salsa Recipe

Ingredients:

3 green onions

1 bunch of cilantro

3-4 tomatillos

3 garlic cloves

1-2 Jalapenos (The amount depends on how hot you like your salsa, I use one and a half. Also the darker the jalapeno the more spicy I have found it to be.)

4-5 14 oz cans of diced tomatoes

2 limes

 

Use a food processor or high quality blender and chop/puree the onions, cilantro, tomatillos, jalapenos, garlic, and tomatoes. ( I have to do it in 2-3 different shifts to make it fit.) Squeeze limes into salsa and stir.

Enjoy!!