Tuesday, July 24, 2012

U Pick Instructions and Recipes


Two new items are being offered as an option in this week’s U-pick. I’m excited to introduce to you ground cherries and tomatillos! Both are in the tomato family and are rare and tasty treats.
Ground Cherries
Ground cherries are mildly sweet and to me, taste like a cross between a grape and a cherry tomato. They look like a small cherry tomato wrapped in a loose, papery husk. They are called ground cherries because they are harvested from the ground, after they have fallen off the branch of the plant. Look for them on the ground and pick the ones with dried, brown, outer husks. If you peel back the husk slightly, the “cherry” on the inside should be a shiny and somewhat translucent, varying from light green to yellow to tan. Remove the husk and enjoy! I just snack on them as they are, but see the recipe section for suggestions on how to cook with them.
Tomatillos
Tomatillos are slightly tart and to me, taste a bit like a green tomato with a hint of lemon. They look like small tomatoes wrapped in a tight husk. Look for them on the plant, and pick the ones that have grown large enough to fill out or split open their husk. The actual tomatillo will be various shades of green inside the husk. Remove the husk and use in salsa verde or other Central American dishes. See the recipe section for more cooking suggestions. 

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