This Week’s Box
Tomatillo:
- Roasted Tomatillo & Black Bean Chili (See Below)
- Chilled Watermelon & Tomatillo Salad (See Below)
Red Monastrell Onions:
Orange Carrots:
Variety of Tomatoes:
- Tomato Galette with Honeyed Goat Cheese, Caramelized Shallots & Fresh Thyme
- Easy Tomato Pie
- Fresh Tomato Spice Cake
Edamame:
- Easy Edamame Salad with Black Beans & Corn
- Teriyaki Sushi Salmon Bowls
- Crispy Parmesan Garlic Edamame
Sweet Corn:
Green Bell Peppers or Italian Frying Peppers:
Sugar Cube or French Orange Melon Melon:
Red Seedless Watermelon:
Chocolate Sprinkles or SunOrange Tomatoes:
Purple or Yellow Cauliflower:
Jalapeño Pepper:
Farm Update
Well, somehow, we have reached the end of another month and summer will be coming to a close before we know it. Late summer is a great time to eat local vegetables in our midwestern season as there is so much abundance which means endless meal possibilities! This week we’re featuring Tomatillos, technically a fruit but we treat them more like a vegetable. Tomatillos are fun to use as they are much different than any other vegetable and have some unique qualities. This week I’ve selected two recipes for you to consider trying. The first is for a Roasted Tomatillo & Black Bean Chili. You can never go wrong pairing tomatillos with beans and chili is one of those dishes most people like. The other recipe for Chilled Watermelon & Tomatillo Salad uses raw tomatillos. It’s a nice play on sweet and tangy.
I stumbled upon a new use for green bell peppers that I have never seen before. Turn them into a gluten-free, Paleo alternative for bread and use them to make a Bell Pepper Sandwich! While we’re talking peppers, what are you going to do with one jalapeño this week? Use it to make Baked Jalapeño Pepper Mac & Cheese or One-Pan Cheesy Jalapeño Chicken & Corn. Both options would make a tasty dinner option!
We are in the peak of tomato season and hopefully we’ll still have a few more weeks to enjoy them in their fresh form. Use this week’s small tomato selection to make this Tuscan Cherry Tomato & White Bean Salad. Eat it as a side dish, or enjoy it as a main dish item for a light lunch. In our Facebook group a member recommended this recipe for Tomato Galette with Honeyed Goat Cheese, Caramelized Shallots & Fresh Thyme which looks amazing! If you’re feeling adventurous, try this recipe for Fresh Tomato Spice Cake. Tomato cake? Why not?! If you do try this recipe, let us know how it turns out!
Cooking with Edamame
For this week’s suggestions for using edamame, I turned to our Facebook Group and found a few suggestions I had forgotten about. This Easy Edamame Salad with Black Beans & Corn is a very doable recipe and would make use of this week’s sweet corn. This is a good option if you need something quick and easy. This recipe for Teriyaki Sushi Salmon Bowls is also a simple recipe, but has a fancier feel to it. And lastly, the kids will likely go for this Crispy Parmesan Garlic Edamame.
I’m going to wrap up for this week, but before I do, I’ll offer a glimpse of what is yet to come. While the end of summer is upon us, it’s not done yet! In addition to more tomatoes, sweet corn, watermelons, and melon, we still have a lot more peppers yet to harvest. You can look forward to orange Italian frying peppers, mini-sweet peppers, Korean chiles, poblanos and guajillos. Have a great week and I’ll see you back in this space next week!
Featured Vegetable: Tomatillos!
Tomatillos–used like a vegetable, classified as a fruit, and may be used for so much more than just salsa! The fruit of a tomatillo is hidden inside a protective husk that looks like a paper lantern. As the tomatillo grows, it fills out its husk, which is how we know when it’s ready to pick. This outer husk is not edible and should 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.
We plant tomatillos with our tomatoes in two separate plantings. The plants are similar, but tomatillos are more wild and have a thick stem that seems disproportionately thick and sturdy in comparison to the fruit. However, if you could see the plants now, you’d know the plant needs that thick stem to hold up the weight of the plant as it can grow to be quite large and may be loaded with fruit!
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, they soften and break apart becoming more like sauce. Interestingly, they also contain pectin which is a natural thickener that is released when they are cooked. Their innate pectin can help thicken soups and sauces.
I can’t ignore the fact that one of the most familiar ways to use tomatillos is in making salsa! There are different ways to make tomatillo salsa, also known as salsa verde. It 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.
More than just Salsa
Over the years I have learned that salsa is not the only use for tomatillos. The tanginess of tomatillos pairs very well with pork and can make a delicious stew which is thickened by the pectin in the tomatillos. 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!
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.
