Tomatillo Soup
Tomatillo Soup
I was given some beautiful tomatillos. I was also getting together with friends for dinner. I knew I wanted to use the tomatillos in something, but I did not want to make salsa verde. I thought about a glaze or sauce, but ended up making a soup.
Tomatillos have a wonderful citrus tang to them. They look like little green tomatoes, with a papery covering. Remove and discard the covering. You can use them like green, or even ripe, tomatoes. Most often I have seen them used them to make salsa, but think outside the box and don’t be afraid to be creative. You might just be pleasantly surprised. I was.
I used a mix of tomatillos and other veggies and pureed it. as I was tasting it- I decided it needed some creamy element. I looked in my fridge and found a block of cream cheese. I melted it into the soup and pureed it. It was a big hit at dinner that night and I am certainly going to make it again.
Tomatillo Soup
3 T. Oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 c. chopped tomatillos
2 c. peeled and sliced carrots
1 rib celery, sliced
1 c. chopped tomato
About 5 c. chicken or veggie stock
2 t. paprika
2 t. hot sauce- or more to taste
8 oz. cream cheese, cubed
1 c. potato flakes*
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat oil in soup pot and saute onions until golden brown. Add garlic and cook another minute, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add the veggies and stock and cook, covered until veggies are tender. Simmering gently, this should take less than an hour. Add seasonings and cream cheese and puree the soup until smooth. I use an immersion blender- so I can puree right in the pot. You can also puree in a blender, but be careful when blending hot ingredients. Add the potato flakes and puree a little longer. If the mixture is too thick, you can add a little more stock, or even water. Adjust seasonings. Soup can be served hot or cold.
* My plan was to use fresh potatoes in the soup- but I got distracted and didn’t get them in. I would say 2-3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed up, added with the rest of the veggies, would provide the same thickening as the flakes.
Tomatillos- thanks, Deanna
