BHC Schooled: “Concasse”

I learned a new word this weekend.

As a writer, I love learning new words, but I confess to a certain level of miff when it’s a word I’ve never seen or heard before, despite being a fairly literate word pro (as well as one who reads all the foodie content I can get my hands on.)

Concasse. Say it with me. “Con-KA-Say.”

This is when you peel tomatoes, remove the seeds, and dice them up for use later. Like canned tomatoes, but FRESH!

Toms to conk

I had never even seen this word in print before the Chef brought it up in casual conversation and I could only blink in abject ignorance.

Sure this might be elementary for culinary school types. But I ain’t never gone to culinary school. And those people aren’t reading a blog called Bad Home Cooking either, most likely.

My fellow kitchen tyros – this is for you. Pour a glass of wine and listen up. Here’s what you do to concasse tomatoes…

1) Wash tomatoes. With a paring knife, score the bottom with an “X” cut..approx 1/8 to 1/4 inch deep

2) Blanch in boiling, salted water until skin at “X” cut begins to curl back…usually just a few seconds…

Chill out

4) Peel off skins. Cut out core with paring knife.

5) Cut tomatoes in half and squeeze out seeds OR (if seeds don’t cooperate), quarter, and use knife to cut away seed sections. Basically just get rid of the seeds any way you can. Use your fingers if you have to. I won’t tell anyone…

6) Cut to desired size (usually a small dice … but go ahead and rough chop if you’re me.)

 

So now you have skinless, seedless toms. What do you do with them?

that’s your problem. Let me know what you come up with.

Tagged as: blanching, concasse, techniques, tomatoes, vegetables