Meatless Monday with Audrey Ting

Tomatillos are small green fruits with a papery husk that needs to be removed before eating them. They’re similar to tomatoes, but firmer and more acidic.

Tomatillos are one of many types of plants grown at Blue Jay’s Perch, a Hopkins-supported community garden at the Johns Hopkins Eastern campus. The Perch is home to individual plots open to anyone in the Baltimore community, communal beds, and many fruit trees.

ROASTED TOMATILLO AND PEPPER SALSA

Ingredients

• 2-3lbs tomatillos
• Neutral cooking oil
• 1-3 jalapeños (or other peppers), depending on spice tolerance
• 1/4 medium white onion
• a few sprigs of cilantro or parsley
• 1/2 lime or lemon
• salt and pepper to taste

Steps

1. Dehusk the tomatillos and rinse the sticky coating off of each fruit.
2. Cut the tomatillos and peppers in half. For the peppers, cut away the white membranes to reduce spiciness. Lightly coat the halves with oil and broil skin side up for 10-15 minutes at 400ºF. The skins should be slightly browned after broiling.
3. Set aside the tomatillos and peppers to cool. Peel the onion, and roughly chop it. Chop your cilantro (or parsley) as well.
4. Combine the tomatillos, peppers, onion, and cilantro/parsley in a blender and pulse until desired consistency. Add lime (or lemon) and salt and pepper to taste.