Tomatoes: Putting the "Tax" in Taxonomy

The 20th century saw the tomato become firmly entrenched in American gastronomy.
Today, the tomato is one of the most popular, ahem, "vegetables" in the world.

It is an indispensable ingredient in countless preparations from a variety of cuisines. There are dozens of varieties but the most popular remain the beefsteak, a large multi-purpose tomato, the Italian or Plum tomato, the first choice for tomato sauce, and cherry tomatoes, popular in salads, kebabs, and vegetable platters.

Sun-dried tomatoes have actually been dried in the sun or by some artificial means. Either way, the process intensifies the flavor and sweetness of the tomato. They add a poignant dimension to salads, sauces, sandwiches, etc.

Choose tomatoes that are heavy for their size and free of any blemishes. Store them at room temperature. Never place tomatoes in the fridge since the cold will reduce their flavor.

Tomatoes will continue to ripen after being picked so try to plan your dishes ahead of time to ensure riper specimens. Those that have ripened on the vine taste best.

Tomatoes are high in Vitamin C but also contain A and B vitamins, fiber, potassium, iron, and phosphorous.
Tomatoes are one of the few foods that can be canned and actually remain tasty and similar to their fresh counterparts.

There's no reason not to employ them for most tomato based sauces. Canned tomato puree is tomatoes that have been cooked and strained. Tomato paste is made from tomatoes that have undergone extended cooking, thus intensifying their concentration.

Some recipes call for peeled fresh tomatoes. To peel tomatoes make a little X with a knife on their south pole. Then plunge them into boiling water for 30 seconds. The peels should come right off.

SUN-DRIED TOMATO VINAIGRETTE

STUFFED TOMATOES

• page 2 of 2
• previous page