According to a recent survey, many young New Zealanders don’t even recognise common vegetables. I am a couple of years too old to be part of the surveyed population, but I would have asserted unhesitatingly, if asked, that I was familiar with all the vegetables commonly used in Western cuisine. This doesn’t mean I’m willing to cook all of them - you will never see brussels sprouts in my kitchen unless someone has specially requested them, I’m participating in some strange cooking competition, or I’m under threat of violence – but I know what they are. Sometimes I even grow them. (The vagaries of Massachusetts summers are making those efforts variably successful, but I persevere.)
In fact, the capsicums are nearly the only thing that did grow well this year. At least something did.
I could even point out something like okra, if only because we looked at it in that botany class I took during undergraduate to pad out a few extra biology credits. Vegetable-wise, I’m good. And I wasn’t expecting to discover any new ones while we were living in America; new forms of junk food, yes. On that front I have not been disappointed. Bemused, stunned, and occasionally startled, yes, but not disappointed.
I never realised how many variations you could get on "deep-fried dough with sugar".
So when I set out to find a recipe for a really good salsa I’d had in several Mexican restaurants – known rather generically as “salsa verde” – I assumed it was going to involve green tomatoes, because, well, “regular” salsa used the red type and this one was green and that basically made sense. Of course, we all know where assumptions lead you.
Delicious, delicious tomatillos.
Salsa verde is, in fact, made primarily (i.e. almost entirely) out of tomatillos, which confusingly means “little tomatoes”. They are, in point of fact, not very closely related; tomatillos are closest to cape gooseberries, as you can probably tell from the papery husks. This did explain why salsa verde tasted so delicious. I was always a bit skeptical about the probability of green tomatoes tasting that good. It’s genuinely unlike anything else I’ve ever had; the sign at the locak supermarket describes them as tasting of “sour apples”, which isn’t totally inaccurate but undersells them, in my opinion. And pork cooked in salsa verde – which is how I originally encountered it – is pretty much the best thing ever. I’m already feeling depressed at the thought I might not be able to find tomatillos in New Zealand. (If anyone knows how I can, tell me!) Otherwise, I’ll just have to try growing them.
The thing is, I clearly need to pay more attention to what’s in food over here. It might keep surprising me.
Well, you could grow ‘em: http://www.kingsseeds.co.nz/shop/Organics/Organic+Vegetables/Tomatillo+Grande+Verde-5373.html http://www.garden.geek.nz/2011/04/tomatillo-time/
They look sort of familiar but I think it must be the Cape Gooseberry thing. I don’t think I’ve seen them before (though I had heard of them and knew they existed). Will keep an eye peeled at Moore Wilson’s though … when are they in season?
I don’t know for sure but I think they’d be in season in summer? Most fruit-type vegetables are.
You can buy tins of tomatillos (big ones) from mexican specialties in Auckland and many supermarkets now and they are just as good for salsa. And yes they are a wonderful flavour. Chipotle chilli is also very special, smokey, spicy goodness.
As for brussel sprouts. You might be a supertaster and hence extra sensitive to the bitter compounds. But try cutting them in half drizzling (liberally) with olive oil and some salt (maybe even some smoked paprika) and roasting them on a tray (spread out a bit) in the oven. The outer leaves go crispy and they seem to have more flavour and be less bitter.
Mmm, chipotle. I am so pleased to know I’ll be able to get Mexican specialty stuff somewhere in NZ – really good Mexican food has definitely been the big culinary revelation of my time over here.
I don’t think I’m a supertaster – I like other brassicas just fine – but I always figure that between going to lots of effort to make brussels sprouts taste nice and cooking a different vegetable I know I like…I’ll go with the latter. But good tip in case I ever host someone who specially likes them!
I started eating them a couple of years ago. They’re plain old delicious roasted and not difficult to prepare (I like not having to put peas/beans on the stove or make a salad to get a green).
Roasting them like that is almost zero effort :). Easier than boiling them :).
Brussels are also nicer sliced and stir fried together with sliced carrots!
I think I’ve seen tomatillos in NZ but they’re a rare sight and they looked evil so left them alone. Will search them out now!
Hi Lucy,
I have bought fresh tomatillos in Wellington previously (from Moore Wilson’s, where else?). They were only there for a few days. Apparently they came from Central Otago. I think it was mid to late summer.
I bought some seeds from Kings and tried growing them – they didn’t like Wellington conditions at all, but a friend in Nelson grew some for me, and sent me several kg of them. They like hot sunny conditions.
Moore Wilson’s also sell big cans of tomatillos. They seem to work pretty well for salsa verde.
You guys live in fast-food-heaven and you are trying to tell us you c o o k!
Damn straight we cook. Because we’re awesome at it.