The Basics

How to Peel Tomatoes and Make Fresh Tomato Salsa

Salsa Verde (recipe forthcoming) and Fresh tomato salsa

This is the first in a series of posts titled “The Basics” dedicated to teaching basic cooking techniques.

It’s tomato season! Real tomatoes are available at a farmer’s market near you, so do not purchase those flavorless, mushy tomatoes at the grocery store. Just don’t do it. The ones sold in the store are picked when they are green and then forced to ripen while in transit to the nearest food distribution center. Ew. Gross.

If you want a tomato that actually tastes like a tomato, you have to grow it yourself or buy from a farmer/grower. Or steal the ones from your neighbor’s garden. Don’t worry, I won’t tell. Use only the freshest, ripest tomatoes for this recipe. Any tomato variety will work, although I love using heirloom varieties the most (very meaty and full of flavor). Roma tomatoes can be very juicy, so I like to reserve these for tomato sauce. But any garden variety of tomato (beef steak, etc) will work for salsa.

To start off, you need to learn to peel the potatoes. Don’t worry, it’s easy. You can use this same method for peeling peaches (a delicious peach pie recipe is coming to this blog very soon).

How to Peel Tomatoes:

1. Place a pot of water on the stove over medium high heat. Bring to an almost boil (180-200ºF or so).
   
2. Place a bowl of ice water next to the stove.
   
3. Core the tomatoes and mark the bottom with an “X”
   
4. Carefully drop the tomatoes in to the hot water. Blanch the tomatoes for 30 seconds. Remove with slotted spoon and place in the ice water. 
   
5. The riper the tomato, the easier the skin will peel off. If the tomato is not as ripe, you may need to blanch it for 45-60 seconds. 
   
6. Peel the skin off the tomato. 
   
7. Cut tomato in half and squeeze out the seeds and pulp. 
   
8. Now you are left with the flesh of the tomato

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How to make Fresh Tomato Salsa:

I like to use a blender for this, but you can chop everything up by hand for a chunkier salsa or use a food processor. The quantities listed in the recipe are estimates and can be adjusted for your own tastes. 

• ½ red onion, roughly chopped (finely chopped if not using a blender)
  
• 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped (minced if not using a blender)
  
• 1 jalapeno, chopped (minced if not using a blender) – or chili pepper of choice depending on how hot you want it
  
• ¼ cup loosely packed cilantro leaves (finely chopped if not using a blender)
  
• 6 tomatoes, that have been peeled, seeds removed, and roughly chopped
  
• Juice of 1-2 limes
  
• Salt and pepper to taste
  

In a blender, add the onions, garlic, jalapenos, cilantro, and half of the tomatoes. Blend for about 20 seconds or until the vegetables are finely chopped. Pour into a bowl. Blend the rest of tomatoes if desired or roughly chop them up if you want a chunkier consistency. Stir in the lime juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for about 1 hour before serving to allow the flavors to develop.