| Chef Tracy Griffith's Tips on Tomatoes |
From "DIY Cooking"
episode COK-123F |
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The tomato is America's most popular fruit. That's right, fruit! The tomato is actually classified as a fruit because it carries the seeds of the plant it comes from. Chef Tracy Griffith shares her tips about tomatoes. - There are a variety of tomatoes. Among fresh tomaotes are yellow or orange tomatoes. A fresh tomato needs to be firm, fleshy, shiny, without wrinkles or cracks, and uniform in color. The beefsteak tomato is large and has been called "the king of the bun." The roma tomato is great for making sauce. The tiny grape tomato (figure A) is tart and sharp and good in salads and sauces. Also, the cherry tomato is excellent in salads and sauces. Then there is the homegrown variety of tomatoes -- they're expensive, but well worth it.
- The sun-dried tomato offers concentrated flavor (figure B) and is excellent in sauces.
- If you don't use fresh tomatoes, you can use canned tomatoes. Tomato paste is a good thickener for sauce. Tomato puree is a little thicker than the regular tomato sauce. Crushed tomatoes are sauce with small pieces of tomato. Diced tomatoes are bigger chunks of tomato. Or you can buy whole canned tomatoes (figure C).
- If you purchase green tomatoes, they will ripen faster in a warm place. Keep them out of the refrigerator because that will help them retain their flavor.
- Chef Tracy shares ingredients for a quick dish called Pico de Gallo: raw tomatoes, hot chili peppers, cilantro, garlic, salt, red chili pepper and onions. Just chop all ingredients and stir together (figure D). This is excellent on tortillas, etc.
- Tomatoes are mostly water, and by cooking off the water -- a technique called reducing (figure E) -- you are leaving a concentrated tomato flavor. You can add seasonings and then strain the tomatoes for a smooth, concentrated sauce.
- You can get creative with tomato purees by adding cream for a delicious bowl of tomato soup. Just add a dollop of sour cream (figure F) for a smooth and tangy taste.
- Chef Tracy shares her super salsa recipe. Dice some tomatoes and add corn, chopped green peppers, chopped garlic, chopped onions, red and green chilies, salt and a little cilantro. Just stir together (figure G).
Special thanks to Pier 1 Imports -- see Resources, below, for more information. Website resources for Tomatoes: Good Eats Meat Loaf from Food TV.com New-Wave Meat Loaf from Food TV.com Mango/Green Onion Salsa Cruda Chicken Tostadas with Salsa Cruda from Food TV.com Roasted Plum Tomato Sauce from Food TV.com Spicy Raw Tomato Sauce with Mixed Herbs and Garlic from Food TV.com Fresh and Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce from Food TV.com We at DIY believe all of the recipes from DIY Cooking are accurate and reliable, but since we have not tested them personally, we can claim no responsibility if the desired results are not achieved.
RESOURCES :
Tomato: The Indispensable Guide To Tomatoes
Model: 0754807819
Author: Christine France
(2001)
Lorenz Books / Anness Publishing Inc.
Website: www.lorenzbooks.com
You Say Tomato: Peel, Chop, Roast, Dry, Freeze, Preserve And Enjoy
Model: 0767901355
Author: Joanne Weir
(1998)
Broadway Books/Random House, Inc.
Website: www.randomhouse.com
Cooking for Dummies, 2nd Edition
Model: 0764552503
Author: Bryan Miller and Marie Rama
(2000)
Web site for the Dummies books: www.dummies.com
IDG Books Worldwide, Inc. (An International Data Group Company)
Foster City, CA 94404
Food Lover's Companion
Model: 0812015207
Author: Sharon Tyler Herbst
(1995, 2nd Edition)
Barron's best-selling A-to-Z guide is back and better than ever with 900 new listings and the most up-to-date information on culinary terms.
Barron's Educational Series, Inc.
Hauppauge, NY 11788
The Food Lover's Tiptionary
Model: 0688121462
Author: Sharon Tyler Herbst
(1994)
William Morrow Books / Hearst Books
Website: www.harpercollins.com
Great Tomato Book
Model: 1580080480
Author: Gary Ibsen with Joan Nielson
(1999)
Ten Speed Press
Website: www.tenspeed.com
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