Tomatillos

Remove husks before freezing. Keep at room temperature until ripe (when husk splits). Refrigerate ripe tomatillos in a paper bag to extend freshness.

Tomatillos are ripe when the fruit fills out the husk and the husk begins to split.

Roast or grill tomatillos to deepen their flavor for salsa verde.

Remove the papery husk and rinse the sticky residue before cooking.

Firm, unripe (green) tomatillos are preferred for their tartness; very soft or yellow ones are sweeter.

Use raw in salsas for bright acidity, or cook for a mellower flavor.

Cilantro, lime, jalapeño, garlic, onion

Avocado, cotija cheese, cumin, chiles

Chicken, pork, seafood in Mexican and Latin dishes

Waiting too long to use them—tomatillos soften quickly in the fridge.

Forgetting to remove the husk before cooking.

Using overripe (very soft) tomatillos when tartness is needed for salsa.

Not rinsing away the sticky coating under the husk.