How to prepare tomatoes
Yes, I know you will say to me: why peel tomatoes? The answer is very simple: it's much better, gives a better texture, softer in the mouth.
The skin is tough, adds nothing to the taste (and you will have noticed that commercial tomatoes have practically no taste), and finally it's there (on/under the skin) that the awful chemical products that the fruit receive during growth, are concentrated (treatments, pesticides, etc...).
The skin is tough, adds nothing to the taste (and you will have noticed that commercial tomatoes have practically no taste), and finally it's there (on/under the skin) that the awful chemical products that the fruit receive during growth, are concentrated (treatments, pesticides, etc...).
40 min.
Easy
8 tomatoes
1 IngredientLast modified on: June 6th 2012
For 8 tomatoes, you will need:
8 
Times for this recipe
Preparation: 40 min.
Cooking: 1 min.
All in all: 40 min.
If you start now, at , you will finish around : ?.Change start time
To finish around 7pm, you'll need to have started before: .Change end time
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - 10 min.
Boil a large pan of water, and prepare a large bowl of cold water (the kitchen sink, half filled, is fine).
Stage 2 - 5 min.
Remove the small green stalk from each tomato (if there is one).
Stage 3 - 3 min.
Then with a good knife cut a cross in the top of each tomato.
Stage 4 - 1 min.
When water is boiling, put two or three tomatos in the pan. Leave them in for 20 seconds.
Note: If you leave tomatoes too long in boiling water, they will start to cook, and that's not the goal.
Note: If you leave tomatoes too long in boiling water, they will start to cook, and that's not the goal.
Stage 5
The skin will split, starting from the top incision.
Stage 6 - 1 min.
Remove them with a skimmer or a fork, and plunge immediately into cold water. Continue with all tomatoes.
Stage 7
Other way:
Joel Robuchon advised in one of his recipes to avoid plunging tomatoes in water (because it removes some of the taste), but instead to stick the fruit on a fork and turn it above a gas flame. It works well.
Joel Robuchon advised in one of his recipes to avoid plunging tomatoes in water (because it removes some of the taste), but instead to stick the fruit on a fork and turn it above a gas flame. It works well.
Stage 8 - 3 min.
Remove tomatoes from cold water, peel off the skin with a knife discard it.
Stage 9 - 5 min.
With a knife remove the green and hard core of the tomatos ("the bone"), and discard it. The tomatoes are ready to be used, in a tomato tart for example.
Stage 10 - 2 min.
If you want only tomato flesh: cut them in four.
Stage 11 - 5 min.
Then cut each quarter, from top to bottom, exactly as if you were tracing a "C" with the knife blade.
Stage 12 - 5 min.
Discard the intside of the quarter, and remove any remaining seeds.
Stage 13
You should have made tomato petals, ready to be used just as they are or cut smaller, in a salad with garden herbs for example, or cooked in another recipe like the tomato preserve.
Remarks
The tomato is a very delicate fruit that fears the cold. If you put it at the refrigerator, it will very quickly lose the little taste that it has (if it's a commercial tomato, which cannot compete with a home-grown tomato). So it's best simply to store them at room temperature.
According to the variety of tomatoes, and the thickness of skin, (home-grown tomatoes have thicker skins), it might be necessary to leave them in boiling water for a few seconds longer. In any case, never exceed 30 seconds, otherwise the tomatoes start to cook.
Some recipes suggest removing the core of the tomato before putting it into boiling water. I think this is a bad idea, because the water gets inside the tomato and reduces the flavour even more.
According to the variety of tomatoes, and the thickness of skin, (home-grown tomatoes have thicker skins), it might be necessary to leave them in boiling water for a few seconds longer. In any case, never exceed 30 seconds, otherwise the tomatoes start to cook.
Some recipes suggest removing the core of the tomato before putting it into boiling water. I think this is a bad idea, because the water gets inside the tomato and reduces the flavour even more.
Keeping: 1 or 2 days in the fridge, protected by a plastic film.
Source: Home made.
Nutritional information
| Proteins (gr) | Carbohydrates (gr) | Fats (gr) | Energy value (in k-calories) | Energy value (in k-joules) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole recipe | 8 RDI=3 % | 30 RDI=3 % | 0 | 160 RDI=8 % | 670 RDI: 8 % |
| Per 100 g | 1 RDI=0 % | 4 RDI=0 % | 0 | 20 RDI=1 % | 80 RDI: 1 % |
| Per tomatoes | 1 RDI=0 % | 4 RDI=0 % | 0 | 20 RDI=1 % | 80 RDI: 1 % |
How much will it cost?
- For 8 tomatoes : 3.20 €
- Per tomatoes : 0.40 €
Change currency: 
Note: Be careful, these prices are only an estimate, you can consult the table of prices by ingredients used for this estimate.
This recipe uses (among others)
Tomato
Like these other recipes: Ratatouille confite, Shiro-goma salad, Guacamole, Breton Sandwich, Eggs with tomatoes and courgettes, ... See them all 74
Other recipes you may also like
Chestnut cake
This delightful cake is doubly chestnutty: it contains chestnut flour, and sweet chestnut purée.May 8th 2020339 K5 1 hour 15 min.
Fruit crumble
A fruit pudding: very easy to do and delicious: just a layer of fruit with a golden crunchy topping.February 21th 2011360 K4.0 1 hour 15 min.
Epiphany galette
Here is the recipe for the very classic but delicious "galette des rois" (Epiphany galette) in puff or flaky pastry (pâte feuilletée) with almond cream or frangipane . You will also see some professional tips to easily handle the dough, and obtain a nice and regular galette.January 1st 2025295 K 24.5 3 hours 8 min.
Caramelised apple pie
Apple pie made with caramelised apples.September 11th 2018261 K4.3 1 hour 55 min.
Toasted almond cake
A layer cake, with toasted almonds in the chocolate part.July 5th 2016244 K4.4 2 hours 2 min.
News list of cooking-ez.com
Sign up to receive the latest recipes (next batch due to be sent on 2025-06-08)
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Follow this recipe
If you are interested in this recipe, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the recipe is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.
The 2 comments already posted on this recipe
The only moment where skin is "needed", is for picnic, with well washed tomatoes, but that's all I think.