THE ODD-LOOKING TOMATILLO ADDS AN UNUSUAL ZING TO SALSA AND SAUCES - Celebrate Memorial Day with a Picnic on the Patio. Sunny recommends Hotluck Chile-Chicken Enchiladas. The dish is prepared with tomatillos, a tangy Mexican green tomato.

STOP.  Rather than using those big, fat red tomatoes in the fridge to make your next batch of salsa, give tomatillos a try instead.  Perhaps you've seen the odd-looking vegie in the gourmet produce section.
 
The tomatillo (toe-ma-tea-o) is about the size of a small green tomato, but the fruit, also green, flaunts a parchment-thin husk, which is removed before using. The flesh is firm and seedy and tastes slightly sour with a lemony savor.  (Some folks claim tomatillos hint of apple and herbs.)

Kin to the tomato, pepper, and eggplant, the tomatillo plant is as a member of the Nightshade family (solanaceae).  They're also called jamerberries and strawberry tomatoes, and in Mexico, tomate verde (green tomato).

The drought tolerant tomatillo plant is easy to grow in moist, fertile soil in direct sunlight.  Their vines can be left intact on the ground as a shrub or trained up a short pole or trellis.  Dainty bell shaped flowers and small yellow-to-purple berries surround the fruit's thick husk, which protects it from light frosts. When the husks begin to split and change from green to brown, the tomatillos are ready for picking. Vine-ripened tomatillos turn yellow but they taste better when green.
 
Although the tomatillo is now grown throughout the Western Hemisphere, they're native to Mexico and are used to add a tart twang to many traditional Mexican dishes such as moles, stew, and, in particular, both fresh and cooked salsa.
When paired with chile, you've got yourself one little hot tomato! The tangy Chile Tomate Verde Salsa, shared below, is a refreshing alternative to the standard red variety. And it isn't just for dipping.  Use it as a brush-on sauce for grilling chicken or fish. The salsa is prepared with jalapenas but the sting isn't wicken. (Because of the chile heat reducing qualities of the tomato ingredient.)

And for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend, how about a Picnic on the Patio featuring Hotluck Chile-Chicken Enchiladas slathered with a rich and sassy tomatillo sauce.  Each "corny" tortilla is spooned with the green sauce and filled with shredded chicken that's been tossed in a milky, cream cheese gravy underscored with chiles and then rolled into little bundles. Ladle on the extra sharp cheddar cheese and enjoy the holiday with friends and family.  Happy Memorial Day!

HOT SITE:  JALAPENO CAFÉ
Jalapeno Café (http://www.azstarnet.com/~coriel/) is a fun, chile-hot web site that is loaded with recipes. The site is also sponsoring a "Favorite Spicy Recipe Contest."  Winner to be chosen June 1.  So, click on and good luck!

Tomatillo Tips:

• Choose firm fruit with a smooth skin and a dry, tight-fitting crisp husk.
• Store with husks on for up to two weeks in a paper bag in the refrigerator. For longer storage, remove husks and place fruit in tightly sealed plastic bags in refrigerator. Tomatillos can also be frozen in freezer bags whole or sliced.
• Tomatillos are rich in vitamins A and C, low in fat and calories and sodium and cholesterol free.
• Remove husks and stems before using. Wash thoroughly to remove the sticky substance that holds the husk on.
• Cooking intensifies tomatillo's flavor.
   

CHILE TOMATE VERDE SALSA
1 pound tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons onion, diced
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
4 serranos or jalapenos, stems removed, coarsely chopped
Salt to taste

Place tomatillo in a saucepan and cover with a small amount of water.  Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes or until tomatillos are soft.  Place half of the tomatillos in a blender jar. Add the cilantro, garlic, onion, and chile.  Blend until pureed.  Add remaining tomatillos, and pulse just long enough to break up large pieces.  Return sauce to the pan and simmer for another 10 minutes.  Salt to taste.

HOTLUCK CHILE-CHICKEN ENCHILADAS WITH TOMATILLO SAUCE
4 chicken breast halves, skinned, boned and cooked (I simmer the chicken in a potpourri of spices in a small amount of water for about an hour or until done.)
8 oz cream cheese, soft
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 cup onion, chopped fine (I used the in-season sweet Texas)
5-6 chiles (mild or as hot - I use Sandia Hot), roasted, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2  teaspoon pepper, or to taste
Tomatillo sauce (see below)
12 corn tortillas, 6-inch
2 cups extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Cilantro

Tomatillo Sauce
1/2 lb. tomatillos, fresh
4-5 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped fine
1 can chicken broth
2 T cornstarch
2 T water
3 T cilantro, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Shred cooked chicken and set aside.  Beat cream cheese and evaporated milk at medium speed with an electric mixer until mixture is smooth.  Stir in chopped chicken, chile onion and salt and pepper.  Set aside. Spread 3/4 cup tomatillo Sauce (recipe below) in a lightly greased 13x9x2-inch baking dish.  Set aside. Soften corn tortillas, one by one, in the microwave for just a few seconds.  Spoon about 1 tablespoon of tomatillo sauce evenly over each  tortilla, spreading to the edge.  Then, place about 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture evenly down the center of each tortilla.  Roll up tortillas, and place, seam side down, in the baking dish.  Cover with foil and bake enchiladas at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Turn off oven.  Scatter enchiladas with cheese and allow tomelt in oven. Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve with remaining tomatillo sauce and chopped tomatoes, sliced black olives, guacamole, and sour cream.

Tomatillo Sauce
Remove husks from tomatillos, rinse tomatillos.  Combine tomatillos, peppers and broth in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.  Combine cornstarch and water; stir into tomatillo mixture. Add cilantro and salt or pepper, if desired.  Bring to a boil; let boil 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Cool slightly.  Pour mixture into a blender or food processor; process until smooth. Note:  For a thicker sauce, add more cornstarch, 1 tablespoon at a time, until preferred consistency.  Yield: 3 cups.