By Thomas Cenci

Here is a quick tip on how to remove the skin of a tomato.

It’s called blanching and can also be used on other fruits such as peaches or plums.

It’s great when using for garnishes or sauces when you don’t want bits of the skin left in, or can be used for half cooking vegetables to be reheated later.

Method:
1. Take a tomato and cut out the green stem.
2. Then make a small incision on the other end of the tomato.
3. Place into boiling salted water for no more than 10 seconds (longer for half cooking other vegetables).
4. Take out and place straight into iced cold water.
5. Drain from the iced water and peel the skin straight off.

By Michelle Fabio

Maybe you’ve just squeezed some tomato juice or made some skinless sauce and you’re wondering what you can do with all those skins.

Here are some ideas:

• Keep them in the freezer until you’re ready to make a broth, which is also an excellent way to reuse peelings and other remains of potatoes, zucchini, onions, garlic, parsley, etc. Put them in a pot over medium heat, add some olive oil and salt, and once everything is softened a bit, cover them with water, bring the pot to a boil, and then let simmer for about a half hour. Strain well, and you have a great base for many stews and soups.
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