Flame-Roasted Tomatoes

Some of the recipes in this book call for peeled and seeded tomato. Why bother doing either? Tomato skin, especially when cooked, can turn into red filaments that get caught in your teeth. Tomato seeds come in a watery pulp that can dilute the flavor of the dish.

Mexicans have devised an ingenious method for peeling tomatoes. They char the tomatoes on the grill (or on a comal, or griddle). The charred skins impart a great smoky flavor and slip off easily.