Tomatillo and Tamarind Soup
The best American name for this vegetable would probably be “Mexican green tomato”, but they actually taste nothing like regular tomatoes, In fact, the tomatillo is not a tomato at all. The tomatillo has a tart, lemony flavor that is enhance when cooked (especially roasted) and is an excellent base for salsas. While salsa (salsa verde) is the most popular way to enjoy tomatillo, they can be used in other ways. Tomatillos contain high amounts of vitamin A&C. Tomatillos are our #2 sales item!
Ingredients:
3 Tbsp. canola oil
1 large white onion, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, roughly chopped
1 cup white wine
1 Tbsp. seedless tamarind paste
1 pound tomatillos, dehusked
5 cups chicken stock or low sodium canned broth
1/4 pound butter, cubed
sugar, to taste
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
To prepare the soup:
Heat the canola oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and add the onion, garlic and ginger. Saute, stirring until the mixture becomes brown and soft, about 6 minutes. Add the white wine and reduce by half, then stir in the tamarind and tomatillos. Saute for another 4 minutes, then add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the soup until the tomatillos turn from a dark green to a light green and are soft, about 20 minutes.
Using a hand blender or a food processor, puree the soup mixture. Add the butter 1 piece at and time, blending again after each addition, to thicken the soup slightly. Season with sugar, salt and black pepper.
Recipe by Ming Tsai and Amy Trujillo.