Peeling, Deseeding and Chopping Tomatoes

Although often eaten raw or baked in their skins, recipes for sauces, soups and stews often call for tomatoes to be peeled, deseeded and chopped - as in the French concassée of tomatoes. Core and score a cross in the bottoms before blanching. The bitter seeds are best removed.

1. Score cored tomatoes and blanch in boiling water for 10 seconds. Drain, then immerse in iced water.

   

2. Remove tomatoes from the water and peel off the loosened skins, using the tip of a small knife.

   

3. Cut tomato in half. Taking each half in turn, squeeze out the seeds over a bowl. Remove any core.

   

4. Put each tomato half cut-side down and cut into strips, then cut across the strips to dice the flesh.