Tamarillo, also known as the tree tomato, is native to Peru, Chile, Ecuador, and Bolivia and is widely grown in New Zealand as a commercial crop. But it’s not easy to buy the fruit in Chicago, says Gabino “Bino” Ottoman of the Ruin Daily, who was challenged by Carlos Cruz (Saint Lou’s Assembly) to create a dish with it. Ottoman did find one store in Humboldt Park that sells pureed tamarillo, and Cruz was able to supply him with frozen whole fruit. “[Carlos] thought he was getting me because no one’s really heard of tamarillo, but I worked at Le Bernadin [in New York], and there’s way more Ecuadorians there than there are in Chicago,” Ottoman says. “Every summer they would get sent Ecuadorian tree tomatoes from their families and make tamarillo agua fresca for the whole restaurant. I stole that idea for this.”
Tamarillo jerky 5 lb beef coulotte (top sirloin) 3 qt soy sauce 1qt Worcestershire sauce 1 pt maple syrup 1 pt tamarillo juice 4 tbs freshly ground black pepper
