By the end of the summer, you can find great deals on tomatoes (if you don’t have a garden full of them). This is a great time to stock up and make tomato sauces, soups and chopped tomatoes to freeze or can if you have the equipment and time. We often take the lazy way out and simply chop up our tomatoes, peel, seeds and all, which works well for chunky sauces or quick soups. However, if you want a smoother sauce or soup, the trick is to remove the peel and seeds from the tomatoes. It’s actually quite easy to do. You’ll need to blanch the tomatoes first.
Fill your large saucepan with unsalted water, leaving about 2 inches on top. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.
While waiting for the water to boil, take the tip of a knife and cut a tiny “x” on the bottom of the tomato where’s there a little point or brown dot.
Each side of the “x” should be about 1/4- to 1/2-inch long.
Set up a large bowl of ice water to use shortly.
Lower the tomatoes into the boiling water and cook about 15 seconds, or until you see the peel curl up at the “x.”
Remove the tomatoes from the boiling water and immediately plunge them into the ice water for about 15 seconds.
Remove from water and easily peel off the skin.
If you have a dull knife, you can hold the tomatoes in your hand and cut in half or quarters over a bowl with a colander in it. Gently scoop out the remaining seeds with your thumb and let them fall into the colander. (Alternatively, cut them on a cutting board then hold them over the colander/bowl.)
Chop the tomatoes.
Use the juice that has drained into the bowl and add that to soup or sauces.
Discard pulp and seeds caught in the colander.
By preparing your own tomato products, you are saving on cost and choosing a healthier option!
Bobbi, a very cultured Italian woman once told me years ago that Italians never eat the seeds of a tomato or the skin. That is – for fine dining and in a restaurant, etc. I never really knew what to think of that because often throughout the years I have asked other Italians about that and they didn’t seem to think that that was true. However, now that I have read your article I see that perhaps it is indeed true and I shall try this!
That’s interesting. I’ve never asked any of my Italian friends. For me, it’s simply a matter of how much time and effort I want to put into my dish. We’re glad you found the article to be helpful. Thanks for your comment!