4 Ways With Tamarillos. If you have never encountered a Tamarillo (or tree tomato) – it is time to.
Tamarillos are the best thing about the long drawn out time of turning a cold winter into the warm winds of spring – tangy tamarillos are in abundance now. Tamarillos are available from April through to November, depending on your locality.
The red almost burgundy egg shaped fruit, grow hanging on a tree, swinging in the breeze under a canopy of broad, green tobacco like leaves. The inner flesh can best be described as guava crossed with a tomato, and is scooped out of the egg like casing with a spoon. The yellow to purple flesh is very high in Vitamin A & C, giving a citric, slightly acidic, almost sour flavour not too dissimilar to the tomato that are part of the same family.
One of the oldest cultivated fruits from New Zealand, originally tamarillos outer skin was purple, but over time and forward cultivation they now appear red, orange or even sometimes yellow. The more yellow they are the more sweeter they become.
They are now being delivered to your door by the clever team at Twisted Citrus – an online fruit delivery business. What’s more they don’t just pack and send, these are the growers, harvesting in the morning, packing in the afternoon and delivery to you the very next day. Now that’s fresh.
Tamarillos supplied From Twisted Citrus, Gisborne, www.twistedcitrus.co.nz
Quick serves
Fresh Tamarillos – slice them in half with a sharp knife. Scoop out the flesh and eat straight away with a spoon, or place in a bowl and drizzle with a little honey, maple syrup or even raw sugar.
Roasted Tamarillos with spices – Mix ground spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, or nutmeg into golden caster sugar. Sprinkle over the top and roast in a hot oven for about 20 minutes. Serve warm or cold with yogurt and and a drizzle of golden syrup, or serve on bruschetta with goats cheese and freshly ground black pepper.
Tamarillo compote – scoop out the flesh from halved tamarillos. Combine with sugar, spices and vanilla pods until the flesh just starts to break down. Serve warm or cold with granola or quinoa porridge.
Tamarillo chutney – Peel the tamarillos leaving the pulp, and discard any tough cores. In a preserving pot, combine with sugar, vinegar and spices such as cinnamon, chilli, cardamom, mac, nutmeg or even coriander. Boil until well combined and the flesh has broken down. Best served with cold meats, cheeses and pickles on a ploughmans platter.
