Green Tomatillo Chutney

Summer went by and I was still waiting for my tomatillos to turn orange — only to find out they never would.
They’re supposed to be green!
No worries — tomatillo chutney to the rescue. Here’s how I made it:

Step 1: Tomatillo harvest

First, head into the garden and harvest your tomatillos.
(Alternatively, you can buy them — though in Switzerland, you’ll mostly find the orange variety, sold in quantities so tiny they’re hardly worth it.)

Despite being November, the plants are still full of surprises… can you spot the blossoms?

Step 2: Preparation

Remove the papery husks from the tomatillos.
Tomatillos naturally come wrapped in these thin, lantern-like shells, which dry as the fruit matures. Once peeled, the berries may feel slightly sticky — that’s normal. Give them a quick rinse before using.

Step 3: Ingredients

• Tomatillos

• About the same amount of apples for body and sweetness (I used one)

• ½ onion

• Fresh ginger (about a 3 cm piece)

• Green chili (I used pimientos verdes, which are mild)

• A few garlic cloves (I used 3 and grated them)

• A splash of apple vinegar

• A pinch of salt

• Date syrup (or brown sugar)

• Spices to taste — whatever tickles your taste buds: cumin, mustard seeds, green pepper, coriander, cinnamon (I used green pepper and cinnamon)

Step 4: Let it Simmer

Finely grate the ginger and garlic, then add all the ingredients to a pan.
Simmer gently until the mixture becomes thick and glossy.
(The photo shows the very beginning of the process, so don’t use it as a reference for the final texture.)

Step 5: Fill and seal

Sterilize your jars and fill them with the hot chutney. Close the lids right away and allow the jars to cool.

Step 6: Enjoy!

I paired the chutney with a simple dish – oven-roasted eggplants – to let its bright flavour take center stage:

Preheat the oven to 180 °C / 356 °F.
Slice one eggplant per person and brush generously with a marinade of olive oil, lemon juice, and soy sauce on both sides.
Roast for about 30 minutes on the middle rack (top and bottom heat). The eggplants are done when they turn soft and golden brown.

Success! The combination was absolutely delicious.

From My Kitchen to Yours: You’ve probably noticed that my measurements are a little… free-form.
There are two reasons for this. First, I tend to wing it when I cook, using whatever I have on hand – within reason, of course, unless I’m deliberately reinventing a recipe altogether. And second, I want to encourage you to do the same: adjust ingredients to your taste, play with flavours, and let the recipe become your own.