How do tomatillos differ in taste from under-ripe tomatoes?

Question

I can't get access to tomatillos, but I would like to know what they taste like.

This helped me a bit, but it's not entirely clear to me what would be different between tomatillos and under-ripe tomatoes.

Or are tomatillos closer to something else?

Asked by Mien

Answer

Under-ripe tomatoes definitely seem to me like they weren't exactly meant to be eaten like that. There are certainly still things one can do with them, but the flavor isn't always what you'd like (see tastefive's comment); they were selected for their characteristics when ripe. Tomatillos, on the other hand, have always been used like this. They're supposed to be tart and bright green (unless they're a differently-colored variety). I think tastefive was pretty on-target with the mention of lemon juice; they have a nice bright tartness to them but definitely no bitterness. They're quite pleasant to eat fresh, if you're the kind of person who likes tomatoes and fruit. (I just ate one to make sure I wasn't lying to you.)

A much bigger difference, though, isn't taste: tomatillos aren't really juicy. You can slice and dice all you want and your cutting board will still be dry. This is pretty clear from pictures - here's one I found with Google image search:

This makes them very well-suited for the kinds of Mexican sauces they're traditionally used in, more so than a green tomato would be.

Answered by Jefromi

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Will tomatoes keep for longer if you keep the stalk in?

Question

I know that avocados are supposed to keep longer with the stalks; I would like to know if it is also true for tomatoes?

Asked by 130490868091234

Answer

Removing the stem from a tomato opens up a hole where air, moisture, and bacteria can pass through. Keeping the stem in, or somehow sealing the "scar" from the stem, will prolong shelf life.

(Published in Cook's Illustrated - requires subscription - http://www.cooksillustrated.com/howto/detail.asp?docid=1173)

Answered by Bob

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How do I make homemade Salsa thicker?

Question

I have been playing with homemade salsa for a few weeks now and I can't seem to figure out how to get that thicker tomato texture that a lot of southern Mexican restaurants have.

Right now I play with these ingredients:

1. Tomatoes
2. Onion
3. Jalapeño
4. Cilantro
5. Lime Juice
6. Garlic Salt/Cumin

This seems pretty basic stuff for salsa, but it has a pretty water'd down feel no matter how I swing it. How do I get the tomato base that some of the classic salsa's have in order for everything to hold on the chip a little better?

Update

I really wanted to accept two answers because I like both depending on what I am doing. For a fresh salsa(pico de gallo) straining the juice from the tomatoes seems to work really well. But for the thickness I was going for the key was experimenting with Tomato Paste/Cooking the salsa. I am able to get a much thicker salsa that I enjoy much more. I did learn how to create killer pico de gallo from this though.

Asked by jsmith

Answer

There's a few types of salsa -- salsa fresca (aka pico de gallo, aka salsa cruda), which is "fresh salsa" and uncooked, and if made fresh, it shouldn't be too watery (unless you add to much liquid, eg, lime juice), but letting the vegetables sit after salting will start to draw out extra liquid and could become watery.

For truly thick salsa, you have to treat it like a jam, and cook it to release the pectin in the tomato. (or I guess you could use some other thickeners ... I've never tried. tomato paste, maybe?) You don't necessarily have to cook the other ingredients, too, but I personally like roasting the peppers and onions to sweeten then up and remove some of the extra liquid. (halve the peppers and seed them, lay them on a tray cut side up with the onion cut into wedges, roast 'til they're softened, then dump into a food processor and either pulse or liquify it, depending on how chunky you like it. And the skin falls off the peppers, so I leave 'em out).

You can do the same roasting with the tomatoes, and it'll be thicker from the food processor, but you won't get the same cling without letting them cook slowly in liquid to develop the pectin. If you roast the tomatoes, I like to use plum tomatoes, as they have more "meat" to the gel around the seeds, and take out the gel and seeds.

Answered by Joe

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Why do tomatoes get so hot?

Question

Ever noticed how certain foods seem to get a lot hotter than others? I almost never burn my tongue or mouth... except on tomatoes. Pizza sauce, tomatoes in panini sandwiches, spaghetti sauce. Tomatoes always seem to get hotter and retain their heat longer than almost any other food I've encountered. And they are nearly always the culprit when I succeed in burning my mouth. Why would that be? Is there something about their chemistry that causes them to have a higher heat capacity? Do they hold their heat longer? Or is it simply a figment of my imagination and bad luck with hot tomatoes?

Asked by Daniel Bingham

Answer

Another physics digression.

All cooked food gets hot, and everything in any given dish will have the same temperature {*}. The tomatoes don't get hotter than the other ingredients. But they do have a tendency to burn more than certain other substances, so the question is "Why?".

You get burned when a portion of your flesh reaches a high enough temperature{+}. The food warms your tongue, lips, etc. by heat conduction until either you move the food or your mouth parts and the food reach the same temperature (a condition known as thermal equilibrium). What that common temperature is depends on the amount of heat (i.e. thermal energy) in the system. Some of the factors that come into play are:

• How much (mass of) food there is.
• How much (mass of) your mouth is involved (see below).
• The initial temperature of the food.
• The "heat capacity" of both the food and your mouth parts, which is a property of each substance that appears as a coefficient in the thermal equilibrium equation. (Don't worry, I'm not going to make you read any math.) Water has a (very!) high heat capacity, so watery foods tend to drive high final temperature and thus to burn you more easily. There is an added complication for the extra heat needed to establish a phase change (i.e. melt solids or vaporize liquids) called the heat of fusion or heat of vaporization. Again water has a high value for both of these numbers.

How fast the common temperature is reached depends on

• The area of contact between the food and the mouth.
• Another coefficient called the thermal conductivity. This one is complicated, but liquids tend to have a high thermal conductivity and solids less so. This is where soups, sauces, and melted cheese really get you. Note that your mouth parts has a pretty low thermal conductivity, so you only get to count the surface layers in finding the equilibrium temperature. Sorry.

Some consequences of all this:

• This is why you can peel the aluminum foil off of a pan that has just come out of a 400 degree (F) oven without trouble, but if you get your hand stuck in the steam plume (which is only around 212 degrees F) you get scalded: Aluminum has a low heat capacity, and steam has a (very, very!) high one.
• Small bites help in two ways: less total heat means a lower common temperature, and may allow you to move the food around in your mouth, reducing the temperature of any one part.
• Some foods are just dangerous this way. You know what they are from experience: steam, hot soups and sauces, melted cheese, etc.

{*} Well, sort of. But take that as true for any particular region of any particular dish.
{+} What temperature is that? Good question. Maybe there is a medical professional around, 'cause I don't know. I'd guess around 140--150 degrees F (call it 60--65 degrees C), but don't quote me.

Answered by dmckee

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How Long Does Tomato Juice Last?

Question

We've been buying tomato juice in smaller containers and now decided to buy bigger ones. But, when we went to the store the tomato juice says that it only lasts two weeks in the fridge. Expiration dates always err on the side of caution. How long can we expect to keep it after we have opened it?

Asked by Joe Johnson 126

Answer

According to this website, 5 to 7 days in the fridge.

Answered by Mien

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How can I make Shepherd's Pie without tomatoes?

Question

Shepherd's pie recipes usually involve cooking the lamb mince with tomato paste or chopped tomatoes from a can, for example in this BBC recipe, or this Good Food recipe.

How can I best approximate the usual taste and texture without any tomato ingredients?

Answer

The tomato in shepards pie provides acid and is the main coloring agent of the meat portion of the dish. Any other acid will work in place of it, although which you use will entirely depend on how much you want the flavor profile to stay the same. Adding lemon juice will give your pie a Mediterranean taste, adding others will result in other flavors coming to mind. You could just leave the tomatoes out and use a roux instead of the flour, that should give you about the same mouth feel just tasting onions and lamb.

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What is the difference between grape and cherry tomatoes?

Question

What is the flavor difference between grape and cherry tomatoes? The store had both and they looked rather similar.

Answer

The difference in their name is - not surprisingly - because of their form. Cherry tomatoes are round, while grape tomatoes are more oblong. Wikipedia mentions that grape tomatoes are 'sweet as cherry tomatoes', so not much difference in flavour according to this. Perhaps grape tomatoes are more similar to small plum tomatoes.

This site claims grape tomatoes to be sweeter, having a thicker skin and a lower water content than cherry tomatoes. Interestingly, it also says that grape tomatoes are a cross between cherry tomatoes and other tomatoes.

The claims of the second site are in agreement with this site ("grape tomatoes have thicker skin, lower water content and intense sweetness"). It also states "a grape tomato is half the size of a cherry tomato", so perhaps they are smaller. Due to the lower water content, grape tomatoes have less chance of 'squirting' when being bit in.

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Looks curdled, but it wasn't - my bad alfredo

Question

I made some alfredo sauce (evoo, heavy cream, homemade pesto, Parmesan cheese) and decided to throw in some chopped tomato. Instantly, it separated. Was it the acidity of the tomato or the extra water coming in from the tomato? How can I get tomato in my alfredo, is it at all possible?

Answer

Emulsions aren't necessarily all about oil vs. water. Alfredo sauce is actually an emulsion of cream and butter, both of which contain varying amounts of both water and fat, and in many cases, if you bought them from a supermarket rather than a farm, also a fair amount of emulsifiers.

Any emulsion is going to be temperamental and not respond well to sudden changes in dispersion. The most important thing to do with one is incorporate new ingredients slowly! If you just dump in a bunch of watery tomatoes, or anything else with enough liquid (water or fat), it's almost certainly going to separate.

Even if you incorporate very slowly and thoroughly, if you upset the balance too much, it might still break. There's no way to know the exact amount you can add without experimenting, unless somebody else has already documented it (not likely).

Sometimes, if your emulsion just creams (see my related answer about mayonnaise), you can restore it to its former glory with sufficient agitation. If it's actually broken then you're in trouble.

Anyway, my advice to you would be - if you want a rosé sauce, then make a rosé sauce, don't waste a lot of time and perfectly good Reggiano cheese trying to start from an Alfredo recipe. I've made a great many tomato and/or pesto cream sauces and the general rule with these (including Alfredo) is that you always start with any oil and vegetables (garlic, tomatoes/paste, etc.), then add your seasonings, then add the cream and slowly reduce it. You don't need or want butter at this point, its flavour will be completely overwhelmed by the other ingredients and it therefore just adds instability.

You might also want to consider using sun-dried tomatoes for a stabler and probably tastier result; they essentially classify as a solid as far as emulsions are concerned, so it's not much different from incorporating pepper or dried herbs. You could just make a regular pesto cream sauce and whisk in some sun-dried tomatoes near the end.

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Why did my tomato soup turn thick and brownish?

Question

I tried to improvise a tomato soup following these steps:

• Slice tomatoes, briefly stir-fry for aroma, together with some onions, garlic pepper, salt, and a bit of sugar.
• While still hot, purée all together into the blender.

The result was quite bad: the soup thickened (a bit like jelly) and turned red-brown, rather than fresh red.

Questions:

• Do tomatoes have to be skinned for a reason? Does the skin contain all the starch/jelly-ish stuff?
• What went wrong with the color? Do you have any advice to keep it truly fresh red?
• The above combination with garlic, onions, spices can't be all wrong, can it?

Answer

One of the first things I learned in Indian cooking is that the combination of tomatoes, onions and ginger is self-thickening. As time went by, I realised that the thickening effect is far more noticable with old varieties of tomatoes - "beef" tomatoes and a lot of the modern varieties are difficult to thicken unless partially fried first.

Despite the absence of ginger, I suspect that the thickening is purely a natural action between the tomatoes and the onion, and that the tomatoes used were some particularly nice old variety.

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Fruit salad with tomatoes

Question

In a recent trip to my local supermarket with the intention of purchasing items for a fruit salad, I picked up some oranges, bananas, lemons, grapefruit, and a few other select fruits. This got me thinking, what's stopping me from including tomatoes, since they are in fact a fruit? Are they just considered in practice to also be a vegetable, similar to wave-particle duality in that a photon exhibits properties of a wave and a particle?

If I were to make a fruit salad including tomatoes, what considerations should I use when determining how to go about it? Would it make sense to use the fruit ingredients I listed, and if so why or why not? Are there other fruits that particularly complement the flavors of tomatoes or are complimented by them?

Answer

I have eaten a salad that included watermelon, tomatoes, feta and black olives. I thought it was... ok, not earth shattering. Also I made this Cherry/Tomato bite, which is in that genre, and certainly was interesting from a taste perspective. There are no rules, you can do whatever you like, you just have to determine if it will taste good. Personally I don't think I'd like tomatoes in a "standard" fruit salad.

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Making Tomato Sauce from Tomato Paste

Question

I've been trying, on-and-off when I have time, to make tomato sauce from a 5 1/2 oz can of tomato paste, but haven't figured out the right proportions of ingredients.

I've been combining a can of tomato paste with about 16 oz of water and some sugar to cut the acidity, and reducing it a little, but all I end up with is watery tomato paste.

It's more likely that I am missing a key ingredient (like a can of diced tomatoes) than a critical preparation step, but I'm curious about other people's experience.

Edit

By "tomato sauce", I mean something functionally equivalent to a store-bought jar of pasta sauce.

Why would anyone want to do this? I honestly have no good reason. It is mere curiosity on my part. Is it possible to get edible results? Or is it guaranteed to be a complete waste of time, not worth even experimenting with?

Answer

I can give you the Italian answer - first of all, normally we don't use tomato paste to make sauce, but rather to add a tomato "kick" to recipes. Tomato paste is simply tomato puree that has been cooked down to a high degree of concentration.

A basic tomato sauce is made by .1 making a soffritto with onion, carrot and celery (plus other flavors) .2 adding tomato puree, or "pelati", more rarely fresh tomato .3 cooking the sauce down until the taste and thickness is what you want

If you want to use paste instead of puree, the third step has to be omitted or greatly reduced in duration. Keep in mind that tomato paste has its own taste, and that taste will remain in the final sauce.

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Looking to add some texture to my tomato soup recipe

Question

I have been working on perfecting a tomato soup recipe for the past month or so and I've reached the point where the soup itself is to my liking.

I am now trying to figure out the garnish and so far I've decided on a dollop of creme fraiche and a few drops of basil infused oil.

Presentation wise, the red, white and green looks fantastic, but the one element I'm missing is texture. You see, the soup is very smooth as are the creme fraiche and oil, so I'm looking to add some contrasting texture. I am at a loss of what would pair well with tomatoes. Does anyone have any suggestions to add some "crunch" to my soup?

Answer

Croutons. They are a cinch to make at home, and just top with lemon and garlic. Or, if you are pressed for time, get some at the store.

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Did tomato paste come in only one size of can in the 1950s?

Question

I found an old cookery book while on holiday at the german coast, it was published by Peter Pauper press, Mt. Vernon, New York in 1959.

All recipes that use tomato paste just say "1/2 can tomato paste (italian style)" without giving any weights or other measurements.

So, did tomato paste only come in one size in the 1950s? If so, which size was it? And would "italian style" denote anything special like it containing herbs or anything like it?

(I'd like to try some of the recipes at some point, but currently I've got no idea how much to use and if it should be anything other than plain tomato paste...)

Answer

From: http://www.ellenskitchen.com/pantry/cansize.html

Can sizes change over time, important if you are adapting an older recipe. Prior to 1980's), #303 was the popular size for most fruits and vegetables.;

No. 303 = 16-17 oz.(1 lb.-1 lb.-1 oz.) = 2 cups = 4 servings;

Principal size for fruits and vegetables. Also some meat products, ready-to-serve soups, specialties.

Tomato paste has, as far as I know, always come in size 1/2 (6 ounce) cans, at least since I began using it, starting in the mid 1960s.

Think this is what you are looking for.

There are lots of information bits on line, search; 'can sizes'.

cheers

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What vegetable for sauteed zucchini could I use instead of tomatoes?

Question

I like to fry or sautee onions, garlic, chilis, spices (for flavor) and zucchini (the main ingredient); then stir them in a can of chopped tomatoes and simmer for a few minutes. The tomatoes are a way to add a sauce with some thickness that brings all the ingredients together. I want to get close to the texture and consistency, but I'm looking for something else so the dish does not always taste the same.

Is there another vegetable or fruit I could use instead of the tomatoes?

Answer

Cottage cheese will keep it consistent and match very well with the zucchini & spices.

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What is the "standard" salsa tomato?

Question

I make a lot of fresh salsa (pico de gallo style) in the summer, but I don't usually think much about the type of tomatoes I'm usuing. Usually I just buy whatever looks best (fresh & ripe) at the farmer's market, so I've used everything from beefsteak and heirloom to cherry and grape. I've been quite happy with the results, but I'm still wondering: is there a "standard" tomato variety for salsa?

I've read this question and this question about homemade salsa, but neither of them really mention tomato varieties; the focus seems to be on other ingredients or preparation techniques.

Answer

A standard tomato implies that there is a standard salsa, which there isn't - but let's stick with your specific case of pico de gallo AKA salsa cruda.

The distinguishing characteristic of salsa cruda is that it uses raw tomatoes - the cruda literally means raw. Since you aren't going to be cooking them, and since water is going to be your primary binding agent, you'll want to use plump, juicy tomatoes that have potent flavour when raw, and that just so happens to be those bog-standard globe tomatoes you see in the supermarket aisles. Of course, if you can get garden-fresh tomatoes, so much the better.

Cherry tomatoes are also a great choice - they're very juicy and a little sweeter than globes - the only downside is that for a chopped salsa (as in pico de gallo), they tend to make preparation much more difficult and messy. If you've got the time and patience, give it a try; cherry tomato salsas taste much "fresher" than those made from globes.

The other common types of tomatoes, most notably roma and pear tomatoes, are really meant more for cooking. That's not to say you can't eat them raw, but they don't have a lot of juice or raw flavour, so they don't make a good base for cruda. Roasted roma or heirloom tomatoes (especially fire-roasted) make a great addition to salsa, but of course, it's not really "cruda" anymore if you cook any of the ingredients.

Do yourself a favour and don't use the plum tomatoes in a can; they're plenty juicy but have almost no seeds and no flavour.

So, all in all, for pico de gallo I believe that regular globe tomatoes are the most appropriate, but any tomatoes with strong flavour and plenty of juice will do.

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Tomato skin in roasted tomato soup?

Question

In preparing roasted tomato soup, which includes tomatoes that I roast in the oven at 200 °C (392 °F) for 30 minutes, and then simmer for a long time, I am having an issue with tomato skins. I find these skins largely inedible: They separate from the pulp and become very tough. Since these skins might contain some flavour, I simmer them with the rest of the tomatoes, and only then throw them away. This is a bit fidgety and takes a while.

I noticed that some tomato varieties, namely the ones that are sold on vines, have much softer skins that do not separate from the pulp and remain edible.

Do tomato skins have, in fact, any flavour that I would want to keep? What is the correct way to handle tomato skins?

Answer

I wouldn't bother keeping the skins, if they're hurting the texture. Many recipes using tomatoes end up removing skins for this reason. My exec chef showed me an easy way to remove the skin from tomatoes (we were doing tomato concasse):

1. Wash tomatoes thoroughly, and slice a shallow cross in the bottom.
2. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil, and also prepare an ice water bath nearby.
3. Drop tomatoes into the boiling water for 30 seconds to a minute, until the skin starts to crack.
4. Using a slotted spoon, transfer tomatoes to ice water to cool for a minute or two
5. Peel -- the skin should already be peeling back around the X-mark.

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Freezing Tomatoes for Winter?

Question

Local farmers are currently dumping tomatoes with about 0.5EUR per kg. It is a very low price. I know how to branch small things but tomatoes are large. The video here mentioned to use C-vitamin against the enzymes and sugar against crystallization. It also instructed to cut larger fruits into pieces to increase the area. Does it work with tomatoes with so much juice?

Is it possible to freeze them for winter and how?

Answer

When I freeze tomatoes, the main thing I worry about is getting the skin off. To do this, score the bottom with an X, then blanch. After cooling in ice water, pull the skin off. I haven't ever worried about the details you mention, or about cutting them up, and I have had great success.

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In a tomato sauce recipe, how can I cut the acidity?

Question

It seems that every time I make a tomato sauce for pasta, the sauce is a little bit too acid for my taste. I've tried using sugar or sodium bicarbonate, but I'm not satisfied with the results.

Answer

My secret weapon is onion, caramelize the onions first. This creates a natural sweetness. Always use ripe tomatoes, if you can not then use canned. The canned are made from ripe tomatoes and tend to be a very good substitute. Also, the celery and carrot suggestions are very much a good addition - you are making a classic tomato sauce when you include the celery and carrots, 1 part each celery and carrot to 2 parts onion. Add the onions first to get the caramelization. I don't get to fancy with herbs, usually one good fresh herb does it for me, basil or sage are two favorites of mine. There is a suggestion to add cream, why not use the Parmesan end you may have in your fridge, it is dairy and allowed to slowly simmer in the sauce will lend a very nice flavor note. Acidic sauces are usually reserved for nights when I make a Putenesca sauce - it goes with the capers and calamata olives I add to it. Don't forget to season with salt and pepper.

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What causes a tomato sauce to have a bitterness and getting rid of it?

Question

My tomato sauce is coming out great, lots of flavor, especially after I was able to reduce it following the tips here

However, it is still slightly bitter. What causes a tomato sauce to have a (in my case, slight) bitterness and how do you get rid of it?

Is there an anti-bitter technique that is commonly used.

Answer

A few things can cause tomato sauces to become bitter:

• Overcooked spices. Both basil and oregano can become bitter with long simmers. Add them near the end of the process.
• Under-ripe tomatos. Store bought tomatoes are often picked green and ripened in the store. These tomatoes make less sweet sauces (which may be contributing).
• Cooking in an aluminium pan. Aluminium reacts with the acid in the tomatoes and adds an off-putting flavour.
• Seeds/skin in the sauce. Both seeds and skins can be bitter.

You can improve a bitter sauce by adding a small amount of baking soda (or salt), and something sweet (but not too much).

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My tomato sauce is very watery

Question

It has flavor, but its consistency is too thin. Will letting sit over medium low heat evaporate enough to increase its density or is this useless? Would bringing it to a boil help more. I don't want to ruin its flavor and am afraid bringing it to a boil with high heat will do just that.

Answer

Yes, cooking it more to evaporate off some of the liquid will definitely help. This is called reducing a sauce. A moderate simmer would be the appropriate temperature. You want to see occasional bubbles but definitely not a rolling boil. Stir it occasionally, making sure to get the bottom of the pot to avoid any scorching. It is possible to have it be quite liquid on top and rather dense in pockets on the bottom, which can then get well above 212 F and reaching the point of burning.

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