Fried Green Tomatillos with Chipotle Crema Sauce

Tomatillos make a near-perfect stand-in for green tomatoes, which can be harder to find in San Antonio-area grocery stores.

1⁄2 cup Mexican crema

1⁄2 cup Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro Juice of 1 lime

1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, finely minced, plus 1 tablespoon adobo sauce

Oil, for frying

1 cup flour

1 tablespoon salt

1⁄2 teaspoon ground cayenne

2 eggs

1⁄2 cup buttermilk

1 cup cornmeal

1 pound tomatillos, husks removed

and sliced about a ½-inch think

Instructions: Add the crema, yogurt, cilantro, lime juice, chipotle chile and adobo sauce to a mixing bowl and stir until the ingredients are blended into a smooth sauce. Set the sauce aside and prepare the tomatillos.

Fill a wide skillet with oil to a depth of a inch and heat over medium until shimmering or about 350 degrees.

Set three wide bowls out on the counter. In the first, combine the flour, salt and cayenne pepper. In the second, whisk together the egg and buttermilk. Place the cornmeal in the third.

Dredge the tomatillo slices first in the flour, then the egg mixture and lastly coat in the cornmeal. Working in batches, fry the slices in the skillet until browned on both sides, about 3-5 minutes per side. Drain the slices on a paper towel and serve hot with the chipotle crema sauce.

Makes 4 servings

Per serving: 386 calories, 13 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 89 mg cholesterol, 692 mg sodium, 51 g carbohydrates, 6 g dietary fiber, 7 g sugar, 19 g protein