All About: Tomatoes

Handling Tomatoes Tips Yield Substitution Nutrition

Tomatoes are a fruit in the scientific world, but legally, they are a vegetable. This is because a produce importer in the 1890s claimed they were a vegetable to avoid the 10 percent tax on imported fruit. The case went to the Supreme Court, which mandated, "the tomato is a vegetable in the common language of the people." So even today this fruit is classified a vegetable.

There are hundreds of tomato varieties in all different shapes, sizes, and colors. Choose tomatoes that are heavy for their size, with no dents, cuts, or blemishes. They should be firm and yield slightly to light pressure.

Handling Tomatoes

Place tomatoes stem side down at room temperature, out of direct sunlight. Do not store in the refrigerator; they will become mushy in texture and lose flavor. If they need to ripen, pierce a few holes in a paper bag and place the tomatoes and 1 apple in the bag. Fold the top closed and leave at room temperature for 1-3 days to ripen. Wash just before using.

To peel before cooking, use a knife to make an X on the bottom of each tomato and drop into boiling water for about 5-10 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon or tongs, and place on a platter or plate to cool. When cool enough to handle, peel and remove the core. If you want to seed them, cut them in half, and holding the cut side down over a strainer that is set over a bowl, gently squeeze the seeds out. Discard the seeds and use the juice in the bowl for cooking.

Never cook tomatoes in an aluminum pot or pan. It will cause a reaction that will give the tomatoes a bitter taste and an off color.

To grill: Cut tomato slices about 1/2-inch thick, brush with Crisco Pure Canola Oil or Crisco Vegetable Oil, season with salt and pepper, and grill about 2 minutes on each side.

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Tips

• A tomato knife is a good investment. Its serrated blade makes getting a perfect slice easy.
• A light sprinkle of sugar and salt will bring out the flavor of raw or cooked tomatoes that lack natural sweetness.
• To keep tomatoes and tomato-based foods and sauces from staining plastic storage containers, spray the inside of the container with Crisco No-Stick Cooking Spray before filling.

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Yield

Size	Weight	Chopped
Cherry tomato	About 1oz.	About 1 tablespoon
Plum tomato	2 to 3 ozs.	about 1/3 cup
Small tomato	3 to 5 ozs.	about 2/3 cup
Medium tomato	6 to 8 ozs.	about 3/4 cup
Large tomato	9 to 12 ozs.	about 1-1/4 cups
Extra large tomato	13 to 16 ozs.	about 2 cups
1 can tomatoes, drained	15 ozs.	about 1-1/2 cups
1 can tomatoes, drained	28 ozs.	Chopped

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Substitution

If good ripe tomatoes are not available for cooking, use good quality canned and sun-dried tomatoes for salads.

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Nutrition

A medium tomato has about 34 calories, .2 grams of fat, 1,100 International Units of vitamin A, 28 of vitamin C, some B vitamins, iron, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium. Tomatoes also have lycopene, flavonoids, and other phytochemicals.

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Fruits

ApplesApricotsBananasBlueberriesCherriesCranberriesGrapesMangoesPapayaPeachesPearsPersimmonsPineapplesPomegranatesPumpkinsStrawberriesTomatoesWatermelon