Last summer Moosewood partner Joan Adler started three small tomatillo plants, never imagining the vitality and fertility of those unassuming seedlings. By summer’s end she was trawling every food medium imaginable for ways to use tomatillos. Initial castings about landed her in the world of pickles. After trying a few recipes, she struck out on her own to produce a simple, clean-tasting pickle with tones of coriander and lime. She aced it, and here’s her recipe.
It takes at least 12 hours in the brine for the flavor to saturate these tomatillo pickles, but assembling is so easy that you can pop them into the fridge the night before or even in the early morning of an evening meal. Use these pickles as a tart little counterpoint to creamy, milder dishes.
Yields 1 pint
Prep time: 15 minutes
Pickling time: at least 12 hours
½ pound fresh firm tomatillos
6 sprigs fresh cilantro
½ teaspoon coriander seeds
3 garlic cloves, smashed
1 or 2 strips of lime peel*
½ small fresh jalapeño hot pepper, seeded for milder “hot” (optional)
⅓ cup white wine vinegar, plus more as needed
⅓ cup water, plus more as needed
¾ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon sugar
*We use a potato peeler to shave a shallow strip of peel about 2 inches long and ½ inch wide. Be careful not to cut too deeply, because the white pith can be bitter.
Have a clean pint jar with a lid ready.
Remove the papery husks of the tomatillos. Rinse the tomatillos and cut them into wedges ¾ to 1 inch thick. Put the cilantro sprigs and the coriander seeds in the bottom of the jar. Closely pack the tomatillo wedges into the jar, inserting the garlic cloves between the wedges and the lime peel and jalapeño along the inside wall of the jar.
In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, water, salt, and sugar. Whisk until the salt and sugar dissolve. Pour the mixture into the jar of tomatillos. Top off with equal amounts of water and vinegar. Cover tightly, invert once or twice, and refrigerate. These pickles are ready in 12 hours. They’ll keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks.
Serve with any dish in the Hispanic canon. They are particularly suited to creamy enchiladas, stuffed chilies, frittatas, and tortillas. To add zing and interest, chop them into a salsa, pico de gallo, or guacamole, or sprinkle on top of tostadas in place of tomatoes.