Fried Tomatillos With Apple and Ham
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup good-quality ham, finely chopped
- 1/2 Gala apple, cut into matchsticks
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon shallot, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon parsley, fresh, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon chives, fresh, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon rosemary, fresh, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon thyme, fresh, finely chopped
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 4 medium tomatillos, husked, rinsed and cut into wedges
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup fine yellow cornmeal
- 1 tablespoon parsley, fresh, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons mustard powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric, ground
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- Jalapeno-Cilantro Aioli, for serving (see below)
Directions
Make the topping: Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat.Add the ham and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, 3 to 4 minutes; remove from the heat.
Add the apple, vinegar, honey, shallot, parsley, chives, rosemary, thyme, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper to the skillet and toss; set aside.
Prepare the tomatillos: Soak the tomatillos in the buttermilk in a medium bowl; set aside.
Whisk the flour, cornmeal, parsley, mustard powder, onion powder, garlic powder, turmeric, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl.
Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 375 degrees F.
Working in batches, remove the tomatillos from the buttermilk, letting the excess drip off; dredge in the flour mixture to fully coat, then fry until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes.
Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels; sprinkle with salt.
Serve topped with the apple-ham mixture and the aioli.
Jalapeno-Cilantro Aioli Combine 1 cup roughly chopped cilantro, 1 chopped seeded jalapeno pepper, 1 large pasteurized egg yolk, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 2 teaspoons dijon mustard, 1 garlic clove, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and a few grinds of pepper in a food processor; blend until smooth.
With the motor running, slowly drizzle in 1/2 cup olive oil and process until thick.
Photograph by Jason Varney