Tomatillos

kaliyuga, Mar 8, 1:35pm
what does one do with tomatillos! it is the first time I have grown them and they have started falling off and are outgrowing their skins so can Ipresume they are ready!
destiny6nz, Mar 8, 1:59pm
I dont even know what that is!
junie2, Mar 8, 2:38pm
They make a mean salsa. Diced with a bit of red onion, chopped chilli, garlic, lime/lemon juice. If they are Grande Verde variety they should be a bit yellowish/green if they're ready ( and a bit sticky) and you can eat them just like that with a bit of salt.
kaliyuga, Mar 8, 8:30pm
thanks Junie, how are you doing! did you try growing the purple ones! they came out both green and purple types for me. I better just bite the bullet and try one, they are turning yellowish now in the fruitbowl.
destiny6nz, they arelike a cross between a cape gooseberry and a tomato, same family.
goatchickens, Mar 9, 7:08am
Yes, as junie2 says. they are really lovely chucked in with a slow roast of pork, all day in the slow cooker, with a couple of jalapenos or hot banana chilies, some cumin and S&P.Makes a gorgeous sauce.You can freeze them whole (remove husk first) and just use as additions to stews and slow cooker roasts all winter long.I have what looks like millions growing in my vege patch where they self seeded!
junie2, Mar 9, 12:57pm
I didn't realise that first post was yours kali! Hi to you too. Didn't I send you those seeds - so of course at least some of them will be grande verde. Yes, eat'em. I love them. I didn't get any this year boohoo. We have courgettes, beans and toms coming out of our ears though, as usual!
sumstyle, Mar 9, 2:53pm
junie2, I had a surprise crop of tomatillos come up in my garden this year, so if you want them that's fine by me - I know we are both in chc.
junie2, Mar 9, 3:38pm
Oooooh yes, sumstyle. Can I swap ( offload on you, LOL!) for some zucchini! I don't have an abundance of anything else much at the moment. you could leave me your ph no on one of my lisitngs perhaps! In words, rather than numerals.
sumstyle, Mar 10, 5:53am
I too have zucchini coming out of my ears.It's ok - no need to swap.I wasn't expecting tomatillos, so I wasn't planning on using them.I'll look at your listings.
kaliyuga, Mar 13, 6:13pm
well thats a happy outcome for you June, I tried them in a salsa this eveing and wasn't bad, mind you anything with lemon juice and salt and chilli on gets my vote. i did see someone using them in an asian style soup recently too. the first ones are big , but it has been so dry that subsequent ones are pretty small. took them a few days in the fruit bowl to change colour. goatchickens, that sound pretty yummy but my hubby wont eat pork.I guess I will have them forever now, the cape gooseberries self seed themselves from my compost here too.
arabelle, Mar 13, 9:47pm
One tomatillo, soon makes plenty tomatillo, andthen years later many more tomatillo. [hum the tune!]
I like them straight from the lantern, but have to have a full netting fence around, every bird be they domestic hens or wild birds from the bush, know exactly when they are just one day off purrfect, and come eat them. Wish they were able to take the first of the nearly frosty nights, which come early here, as I lose the crop and only get the very protected ones
wilson16, Mar 14, 7:28pm
My first season growing this year. Hundreds of fruit and what seems like thousands on flowers on four plants. A few finally starting to go papery.

I couldn't wait and tried one that needed a couple of days more. Still a bit tart but sweet too. They're a purple variety so still needed more colour too.

These are going nuts too. best eaten when they are tiny.
http://www.knowyourvegetables.co.uk/know-your-caigua
Put in some late Grande Verde about a month ago, in an all day sunny spot. I've been pincing them back alot and there are already a few flowers. A long shot but they might amount to something by the time the others finish.
kaliyuga, Mar 19, 9:28am
arabelle, i have wekas knocking mine off, I have two plants inside a glasshouse which hopefully will lengthen the season.I gathered up the fallen ones and they seem to colour up inside
arabelle, Apr 25, 4:02am
nothing bird brain about the birds then ;) funny how they work out about the berries being inside the pods. Mine have been knocked around a bit with the wind and rain, I am sooo looking forward to a feed