Month: November 2010

I feel sorry for tomatillos, the way I once felt bad for the last kid picked for the kickball team at recess. They languish on otherwise empty farmers market tables at the end of the morning, often destined for the compost pile, because tomatillos are nobody’s favorite fruit.

They’re so tart the only people willing to eat them are the culinary equivalents of polar-bear swimming-club members. And few people seem to know how to cook with them. The tomatillo remains an outcast, watching from the sidelines while the more popular fruits of summer twirl on the dance floor. Once in a while a bowl of green salsa gets made; more often they rot in the fridge before you get around to it.

If only more people were exposed to my chile verde recipe, tomatillos would quickly become in short supply.

Once, a batch of this spicy tomatillo stew got dumped on the floor. This wasn’t a floor that was clean enough to eat off of. But unmentionable liberties were taken with the five-second rule as we scooped it with spatulas and into bowls, from which we ate like fiends.

Tomatillos look like paper lanterns stretched around extra-large light bulbs. A member of the nightshade family, like tomatoes, some people mistakenly assume tomatillo is Spanish for “little tomato” (that would be “tomatito”). The word tomatillo comes from the Aztec “miltomatl,” which means, appropriately, “round and plump with paper.” Mesoamerican habitants have been enjoying tomatillos since at least 800 B.C., and my chile verde dates back to those early times. It’s made principally of ingredients prevalent in early Central America: tomatillos, chiles, and meat. Pork is typically used, but most any meat will do — it works great with extra-tough deer cuts, like shank, that have been braised three to four hours at 300 degrees, melting the cartilage into creamy gelatin.

The tomatillo tartness penetrates the animal parts it’s cooked with, revealing savory and tender secrets you never knew your meat even had. Meanwhile, the tomatillo becomes transformed into a surprisingly rich and edible version of itself.

To serve five people, start by browning one-and-a-half pounds of meat, cut into inch-or-smaller cubes. Most people assume meat should be browned in a pan with oil, but I prefer browning below the broiler. There’s less splatter, less pan-cleaning, and it’s easier to develop a satisfyingly golden-brown crisp. For extra-tough cuts, start by oven-browning the whole roast until it gets a shiny shell, then remove, cool, and cube. After the meat is nicely browned, braise in water and wine with bay leaves and salt, tightly covered at 300 degrees, until the meat softens, adding more water and wine as necessary.

Add these braised chunks to an oiled pan, and after it starts frying, add chopped onion and chopped garlic. Take a moment to savor the odor of hot brown meat and raw onion cooking together. Sprinkle with salt and sample.

Season the meat with 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, two teaspoons of garlic powder, and a teaspoon of cumin powder. When the onions are translucent, add a quart of chicken stock. Simmer for half an hour.

With the meat under control, it’s time for the peppers. Any and all varieties should be considered for this task, and the more variety the better. Poblanos, jalapeños, bell peppers, dried red chile, Jimmy Nardellos, senoritas, concha de toros, Bulgarian fish peppers … whatever capsicum you’ve got, chop or crumble (in the case of dried) into the mix, removing the seeds and membranes of the hot ones as you see fit, given your audience.

Slice a pound of tomatillos in half and liquefy, adding a cup of cilantro and two garlic cloves. Add this potent puree to the meat and peppers. (Both should be half-dissolved by now.) Simmer for another hour or two on low heat, seasoning with salt and pepper, stirring frequently, and adding water or stock as necessary. When you’re ready to be done cooking, stop adding water and allow to thicken a bit. Serve with tortillas or rice.

There’s no way around the fact that a good pot of chile verde takes time. But while the cooking time is long, the prep time is short. Once it’s cooking it’s easy to keep it cooking for hours more, adding water when necessary, and I’ve only noticed improvement with longer cooking.

Whether it’s used with a succulent piece of pork or on a slow-cooked shank, chile verde is a dish worth waiting for. It’s a dish worth eating off a dirty floor. And even if Microsoft applications label “tomatillo” as a misspelled word, this ancient fruit has a place in today’s kitchen.

A new upscale grocery and deli is set to open at the corner of Union and Main Street, on the ground floor of the Radio Center Flats, sometime next week.

City Market is loosely modeled on Miss Cordelia’s in Harbor Town. Their motto is “e2 — eat and enjoy,” and it plans on offering that experience to customers in the form of fresh groceries, high-quality deli foods, coffee, and free wireless Internet.

“It has to be an upscale deli and grocery, and that’s what we’re aiming for,” says Hamida Pirani, managing partner with her husband Sunny Mandani. “We love downtown. A market like this wants to be in an urban environment where people are focusing on eating healthy, and they’re single, and they want something prepared that they can take home.”

Pirani and her husband are dedicated to striking a balance of good value and healthy food for downtown. “We’ve been traveling to different states looking at different concepts. We’ve been to Chicago to look at Olivia’s Market, and we’ve been to Arkansas to look at the Argenta Market. We’re always looking for new products that will taste good and at the same time be healthy.”

The menu, which will offer a number of sandwiches with Boar’s Head meats and cheeses, as well as vegetarian options, is an eclectic blend of cultural influences. Curry chicken salad, a Cuban hero sandwich, and a Mediterranean veggie sandwich mingle with a traditional club sandwich and other American deli classics.

There also will be soups, fresh vegetables, salads, rotisserie meats, and other items for take-away or purchase by the pound. Boar’s Head meats and cheeses will be available for purchase as well. A bakery case will offer muffins, scones, biscuits, cookies, and cakes from area bakeries such as Ladybugg Bakery and Sugaree’s. Umai will deliver fresh sushi every morning at 11 a.m. Tropical Foods will provide its signature trail mixes, wasabi cashews, gummi bears, and other snack foods, and St. Clair will supply some of the salads for the deli case. Pre-made wraps and sandwiches, fruit cups, and yogurt parfaits will be available for a quick lunch on the go.

As for the groceries, traditional items such as toilet paper, eggs, and milk will be stocked as well as gluten-free, dairy-free, and organic products. The store will have six-packs of beer but no single servings. As much produce as possible will come from farmers markets, though Pirani says the amount will depend on availability.

There will be bar seating lining the front window and patio seating outside on Main Street. Sandwich prices will range from $7 to $10. City Market will be open Monday to Saturday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

City Market, 66 S. Main, citymarketmemphis.com

Au Fond is getting in the holiday spirit with a new special offer: From now until January 31st, anyone who brings in a new or gently worn children’s winter coat will receive one free meal. Part of a joint effort with the Shelby County school system, the offer is limited to one meal per person making the donation, but patrons are encouraged to bring as many coats as possible.

Au Fond, 938 S. Cooper (274-8513)