Conference turris::cooks

    
>    	I wanted to make a "salsa verde" which called for 8 tomatillos.
>    	Couldn't find them.  I also needed fresh coriander or fresh
>    	cilantro.  No luck.  Another recipe I have calls for jicama.
    
 
Don't know about the tomatillos, although I have bought them from various Star
markets when they are 'featured' (twice in the last 2 months), the same
for jicama.

You can get fresh coriander (or cilantro, it's the same thing) from the Indian
grocery ( called the East/West or something similar) in Lamplighter Square
(near Pheasant Lane Mall). The lady that runs the shop says she 'always has it' 

    
>    	What could I substitute for tomatillos???  Red tomatoes??
>    	But then I wouldn't have a salsa verde anymore!!  I looked
>    	to see if I could find it bottled but no go.


I've used VERY unripe ordinary tomatoes ( which will keep your salsa verde!)
and although the flavour's not the same, it's acceptable.

                                                                               
I'd also like to find a reliable source for fresh tomatillos and jicama.
                                                                               

Andy

    I must be fortunate...
    
    In Detroit, I can get some jicama, tomatillos, cherimoyas (sweet
    sops), plantains, and everything from fresh ginger root to fresh
    oregano in the grocery store.  If you want to motor to Motor City,
    go to Farmer Jack Supermarket.

    SHAW'S ?  Yuk!
    
    Try Purity Supreme, Heartland, or Stop& Shop. I've always found
    exotic veggies in those stores.

    or try Colorado...
    
    Seriously, I have found tomatillos from time to time at Alexander's
    on 101-A in Merrimack.  I've even found cilantro there.  But I don't
    recall ever seeing jicima.  I sympathize with you because I, too,
    make mexican food and have need for these ingredients.  I have a
    great recipe for enchiladas suizas - the sauce is green and is made
    entirely of tomatillos.
    
    What I'd really like to find in this area is the large bags of dried
    chili pods.  I've never seen them anywhere in this area, so when
    family visits from California or when friends travel to Colorado
    on business, I always ask for a couple of bags.
    
    BTW - tomatillos can be purchased canned in most parts of the U.S.
    (other than N.E.).  I have a mail order catalog at home somewhere
    for a mexican food supplier that sells canned tomatillos.  If 
    interested, send mail and I'll try to remember to look that catalog 
    up and provide prices for the canned variety.

    Dried hot red peppers, little tiny VERY hot ones, can be obtained
    by the bagful at the oriental food store at lamplighter square.
    One bag will last you a while - be careful since they're hotter
    than the bigger chili peppers.  I used ONE in a large kettle of
    minestroni soup, and it was HOT minestroni soup!
    
    --Louise

I hate to sound like a broken record, but try Idylwilde Farms in West Acton.
They always have a wide variety of exotic foods.  I know it's not just a
stone's throw from your house, so call before you drive, to make sure they
have what you want.  Their phone number is 617-263-5943.  To get there take rt
3 south to 495 south to rt 2 east.  Get off at the next exit on rt 2 (West
Acton), and turn right. Idylwilde's is a couple of miles down on the
right...very hard to miss. 

Examples of the exotica:
	fresh ancho, serrano, jalape�o, and anaheim chilis
	jicama
	fresh cilantro (just about year round)
	fresh basil in the winter
	mangoes, papayas, guavas, mandarin oranges, blood oranges, star and
		ugli fruit
	fresh shiitake, morel, chanterelle, porcini, enoki and oyster 
		mushrooms
	dutch tomatoes in winter (not quite summer garden's, but much better
		than the plastic ones from the grocer's, and more $ to boot!)
	lots of different cheeses, spreads, and crackers

And, a host of other unusual stuff.  Also, the BEST quality every day veggies 
and fruits I've ever seen.  Especially when things are not in season here.  
The catch is that the place is more expensive than most grocer's.  So, in the 
summer, it's best to get the usual fare elsewhere, but for the unusual, or the 
fresh food out of season, you cannot beat it.  I still drive there about once 
a week from Lunenburg (about 40 miles round trip)!

						     
							- JP

ps I remember stopping by there on Dec 27th and getting the ingredients to 
   make fresh guac and salsa for New Year's Eve.  I'm sure you Southern 
   Californians are not impressed, but it's really saying a lot for New 
   England!

    
    
    Re: Purity Supreme suggestion..
    
    
    	I have shopped once or twice at purity supreme and I find that
    Shaws is far superior to Purity in the produce department.  Purity
    didn't have any peppers, except for the green once, no scallions,
    and what they did have was a mess.  So much for Purity.  Plus I
    can't stand the cramped aisles.  Shaws is much wider open.
    
    	Now, as far as heartland, thats the second time its been suggested.
    Is there one in Nashua??  If so, where?  And where is shop and save?
    
    	Karen

    RE .8,.7
    
    I'll second .8's response. The produce section at Purity in Nashua
    improved when the store remodeled, but in my opinion the quality of
    the produce is still inferior to any of the other stores in the area, 
    Shaw's, Alexanders or Market Basket. 
    
    Maybe we just have a bad produce department here in the Nashua Purity.
    Hampshire Farms had great produce, but they're gone!
    mike

    Try J. Bildner and Sons in Boston. They usually have a great selection
    of exotic stuff. If you know what you need in advance, they will
    order it for you. I don't know if they will "transfer" to produce
    to he other stores (Burlington and Marblehead) but I bet you could
    talk them into it. They have ordered me some very unique things.

Just heard on the radio this morning that Bildner has declared Bankruptcy.  
They mentioned that he only had about 7 stores left of the many more that 
opened originally.  They did not mention whether or not these stores would 
close.

						     
							- JP

    I have just found some tomatillos (fresh) here in New England.  I've
    wanted to make some fresh 'Salsa Verde' for some time, but have lacked
    the necessary pieces.  Well, I've found'm.  
    
    Question?  How you know when one is ripe?  I saw some that were light
    green, darker green, some with skins, some without.  Help!  I chose the
    darkest ones I could find, figuring that darker is better.
    
    Also, if I make a batch and freeze some, how long will it last?
    
    larry
    

I've found tomatillos pretty regularly at Idylwilde Farms in Acton, Ma.  The 
difference between the dark and light ones is negligible.  

The recipe I use for salsa is from Dianne Kennedy's "Cuisines of Mexico" and 
calls for simmering the cleaned tomatillos for a few minutes, then pureeing
them.  She recommends adding cilantro just before serving, as its flavor 
will dissipate quickly.  The salsa becomes thin and watery after being 
stored in the fridge for a day.  I wouldn't recommend freezing it.  It would
probably be better to can the whole tomatillos if you can't find a regular 
source.

    	I am overloaded with tomatillos from my garden this year (much to
    my surprise). I have recipes for a couple of variants of salsa verde
    which I've made already. I'd like to find some other use for the
    tomatillos, if possible. I have a few pounds of them in the fridge and
    a bunch more waiting to be picked. Any other creative ideas for using
    them?

    You can put tomatillos in Chile Verde; they also make a terrific green
    sauce for enchiladas or chile rellenos.
    
    For chile verde, boil meat (pork, beef, chicken, or turkey) with lots
    of green bell peppers and onions.  Strain; save stock.  Place peppers, 
    onions, some garlic, and some blanched tomatillos in blender with some
    of the stock; blend until smooth.  Combine sauce and meat in a saucepan
    and simmer for a while longer.  Sorry I don't have exact amounts for
    you; I usually just add stuff to taste.  You should use more bell
    peppers than onions ( 5-6 peppers to 1 med. onion).  When you're blending
    the sauce, add tomatillos until you like the flavor.  You can also add
    some fresh cilantro if you want.
    
    To make the green sauce, blanch some tomatillos.  Blend them with some
    cilantro (also commonly called chinese parsley), garlic, jalapeno (I
    use about a quarter of a fresh jalapeno and it's plenty hot).  Add salt
    and pepper to taste (optional).  Pour into a sauce pan and simmer for
    15 or 20 minutes.  Serve over enchiladas or chile rellenos.  I just
    remembered that I recently came across a recipe for crab stuffed chile
    rellenos that called for this green sauce.  I'll try to remember to
    bring it in and post it tomorrow if anyone is interested.
    
    Also, tomatillos do quite well in the freezer.  Just blanch them,
    freeze on a cookie sheet, then place them in zip-lock bags for freezer
    storage.  Then you can use them as you need them, rather than trying to
    use them all in recipes now.
    
    Hope this helps.
    Best,
    Michelle

RE: .3

**BELL** Peppers??? for Chili Verde?  I thought that CHILI Peppers were used!
At least they are in this part of the country (Colorado and New Mexico).

-Nicki

    I thought that too, until a friend of mine, who is of Mexican heritage,
    made some chile verde and I asked how she made it.  She said it was
    made with green bell peppers and *no* chile peppers.  I tried her
    recipe, and it was some of the best chile verde I've eaten.
    
    --Michelle

    	You'll probably get all of New Mexico on your back after that one!
    I use a recipe from Barbara Hansen's "Mexican Cookery" for chile verde.
    It uses 4 anaheim chiles and 1-2 serrano chiles...no bell peppers.

    OUCH!  That must be hot!!!
    

>>>    OUCH!  That must be hot!!!
    
as a proud New Mexican I can attest...if you can't blow flames out yer
nostrils, it ain't hot enough...we don't mess around where I come from.

			8^}

ps - when traveling across the Southwester US, as in N.M. and Az, be
very respectful of that little dish of salsa on virtually every table
in every restaurant at which you stop...it isn't like LaVictoria, let
me assure you.  In fact, it may be more like lava.  But, oh my, do
I get homesick for properly made chile verde - and, yes, it is hot.

Chile verde with bell peppers and no chile peppers would be BELL verde (anyone
know how to say "bell" in Spanish?)

>>> >>>    OUCH!  That must be hot!!!
    
>>>as a proud New Mexican I can attest...if you can't blow flames out yer
>>>nostrils, it ain't hot enough...we don't mess around where I come from.

My mother lives in NM, and I can attest to this!  I've 
never been able to handle hot foods, and there are only a limited number
of things I can eat at the resturants in Northern New Mexico!  Kinda
embarassing for an AZ native.

    I used to love HOT HOT HOT spicy food, but I can't really tolerate it
    anymore unless I'm really in a masochistic mood!  ;^)
    
    I did think it was strange that the Chile Verde didn't have any hot
    peppers in it, but when I made it, it was really good (especially for
    us weeny-can't-handle-the-heat people 8^).

>    I used to love HOT HOT HOT spicy food, but I can't really tolerate it
>    anymore unless I'm really in a masochistic mood!  ;^)
    
checked your gall bladder for stones lately??  This was the first of a
series of symptoms that I experienced...and I recently had emergency
surgery to have my gall bladder removed.  If your tolerance for spicey
or hot foods has diminished, you might want to discuss your diet and
exercise program with your favorite nutritionist - and your upsets with
your doctor...remember, gall stones are made of cholesterol..

			Been there - but fine now,

				   D

    Whew! You scared me there for a minute, Diane.  If gall stones are
    related to cholesterol, I should have nothing to worry about; mines
    only 143.
    
    8^)

>    Whew! You scared me there for a minute, Diane.  If gall stones are
>    related to cholesterol, I should have nothing to worry about; mines
>    only 143.
    
if it has ALWAYS been 143, and IF your HDL levels are correctly balanced,
you are probably fine...but, one can have stones for years, y'see...and
then they get you.  Believe me, you don't wanna do it the way I did...so
I pass the word - all you eaters out there - if you have suddenly gotten
a touch tummy in the last few months or so...and you are taking antacid
alot more these days...or if you have discovered what hearburn is....

now, back to our regularly scheduled talk about food....

				

    RE. .5 
    
    How about putting your friends recipe in here.

    The "recipe" is in .3 - I don't have exact amounts; just what she told
    me.  I made it and it tasted just like hers.  Although the tomatillos
    in the sauce were a later addition (my idea when I had a surplus).
    
    Sorry I can't be any more specific than that.  I'd make it again and
    keep track of the amounts, but I don't eat meat anymore and I can't
    think of a substitute that would really work in this recipe.
    
    Best,
    Michelle

    I've just finished making batches of salsa verde for my freezer - I
    make it the way my Mexican Nina from Sonora taught me:-

    Fill a large pot with tomatillos - cut into quarters - add 2-4 **green
    chili peppers, 1-2 whole white onions quartered - 1 whole head of
    garlic, cloves peeled and crushed slightly, 3-5 mild green chilies (I
    can't get them here in the UK so I resort to bell peppers) and a
    handful of fresh coriander (cilantro) - cover with broth and cook until
    all ingredients are tender.  When cooled puree with broth as needed -
    heat a heavy skillet and cover the bottom with oil - remove from heat
    and pour puree into oil - place back on heat and cook for 10 - 15 mins
    until thick and glossy.  Season with salt.   

    gailann

    ps.  if the tomatillos are very acidic add a tsp of sugar.  

    ** I use the fresh Kenyan chili peppers

    Would anyone be able to provide the salsa recipe which Johnny's
    Selected Seeds distributes with the purchase of tomatillo seeds?
    
    Dick