Purple Tomatillo Physalis philadelphica

Growing on compact vines purple fruits burst with flavor! Slightly sweeter than its yellow counterpart this unusual deep purple tomatillo makes an ideal salsa with its sweet tart flavor. The leaves of the plant itself have outstanding purple veins with husks of light green. A very decorative fruit when used as a garnish. Often served fresh in salads and salsas, or as a pickled appetizer. A beautiful compliment to any dish!


Uses:
Fresh in salads, Pickled, canned


Planting Depth - 1/4"
Seed Spacing - Sow indoors and plant outside 18" apart
Days to Germinate - 6-12
Row Spacing - 12"
Days to Maturity -75-85 days

Fun Facts:

Like their close relatives cape gooseberries, tomatillos have a high pectin content

Ripe tomatillos will keep in the refrigerator for about two weeks

The tomatillo is also known as the husk tomato, jamberry, husk cherry, Mexican tomato,

Tomatillo means "Little Tomato"

Roasted Purple Tomatillo Salsa

1 lb purple tomatillos remove the husks and rinse
1 medium onion
1/2 lb of mixed peppers/chilies of your choice
1 or 2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon of sugar
1/4 teaspoon of cumin (optional)
Juice and zest of one large lime
1/4 cup of chopped cilantro 
1 tablespoon of fresh oregano, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt 

1. Roast the tomatillos and onion on medium heat until mildly blackened. 
2. Let cool.
2. Roast the peppers or chilies on a high heat until they are blackened. 
3. Place them in a covered bowl for about 10 minutes
4. Peel the peppers or chilies when cool and remove seeds (be careful of hot peppers when handling) See Hot Pepper Information
5. Dice or using a food chopper mix all of the ingredients until finely chopped. 
6. Then pour into a large bowl and stir until thoroughly mixed.

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