Tomatoes

Appears in

Published 2025

Identification: One of the most widely used vegetables, the fruit of a plant in the nightshade family, related to eggplant, potatoes, and peppers.
Related Varieties: In addition to the common red slicing tomato and the small cherry tomato, dozens of varieties of heirloom tomatoes are grown and marketed. These come in all shades of red, pink, yellow, and green, all with somewhat different flavors.
Evaluation: Firm but not hard, with little or no green core. Smooth, without bruises, blemishes, cracks, or discoloration. If underripe, let stand 2 to 3 days at room temperature. Do not refrigerate.
Preparation: For use with skin on: Wash, remove core. To peel: Plunge into boiling water 10 to 20 seconds (riper tomatoes take less time). Cool immediately in ice water. Slip skins off and remove core. (Note: Many chefs core the tomatoes and cut a shallow X in the skin at the bottom before blanching in boiling water. Other chefs, wishing to avoid even the slightest loss of flavor and nutrients from the exposed flesh into the water, first blanch the tomatoes and then core them and pull off the skins, which slip off just as easily.) See Figure 11.6 for further techniques.
Percentage Yield: 90% (peeled)