Here's a great gadget question from Tiffany.
Dear Kitchn, I am dying to try this Williams-Sonoma recipe for Roasted Tomato Soup. It calls for a tomato press, though. What is that? Do I need one? (Please say no!) How can I achieve the same effect with basic kitchen utensils and a blender? Thanks!
Here's the recipe that Tiffany is referring to:
Basically, this recipe calls for roasting the tomatoes, then passing them through a mill to get rid of the seeds and pulp. What's left is a seedless, skinless chunky puree of tomato flesh and juice. You can see the mill they're referring to here:
This is a useful tool if you are going to use it a lot to puree and process tomatoes — if, for instance, you've planted 48 square feet of tomato vines in your back yard and you are planning on canning tomato sauce all summer.
But most of us just aren't going to process tomatoes in that kind of bulk, and a specialty tool like this is unnecessary. You can get a similar effect by mashing the roasted tomatoes through a colander, to remove the skins, and then again through a smaller sieve to remove the seeds. Or you can use a food processor or blender to just blend the whole thing into a smoother puree. This may leave some gritty seeds in the mix, however. One other option is a more all-purpose food mill, which will create smooth purees of tomatoes, potatoes, and other vegetables. It's great for sauces.
Readers, any other good ideas for processing tomatoes for soup?
Related: Food Mill for Sauce Season
(Images: Williams-Sonoma)
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You could also skin and seed the tomatoes prior to roasting which is what I do when I make gazpacho.
Seeding is super easy -- just cut in half and squeeze gently, all the seeds and goop comes out.
To skin you take your whole tomatoes, slash a shallow X in the bottom, then dip in boiling water for 5 seconds or so. The skin will curl back where you made the X and you'll be able to peel the whole thing like a banana.
After you're done with both skinning and seeding you should be able to blend your tomatoes in a food processor until it's nice and smooth.
The whole process of skinning then seeding a tomato should only take about 30 seconds. I wouldn't buy a whole new appliance for just one recipe.
view mlleErica's profile
What mlleErica said.
view Tiamat_the_Red's profile
I would not use a blender or food processor, because the crushed seeds will make the puree bitter. A chinoise strainer or similar device would be a better option. Lacking that, the suggestion to use a colander and sieve should do in a pinch.
view ShellyIN's profile
If you're a lazy cook like me, you could do nothing-who's afraid of a few tomato seeds in your soup? Sometimes though, I might put it through a sieve. Otherwise, follow what Mlleerica says (I've also done this-it's easy). I wouldn't buy a tomato press though-I adore cooking and I've never heard of one before!
view Sian's profile
Tomato seeds are bitter, so taking them out is important. I use a food mill with the smallest insert for the purpose.
Roast tomatoes, add a dash of vegetable stock, blend. Pour the result into the food mill, process. Carry on as per recipe.
Btw, a spoon of peanut butter in tomato soup is a great addition. Really. Learned that trick from a cook from New Zealand.
view andreasduess's profile
How is the tomato press different (...and better) than a food mill? I could see buying a food mill, because they're useful for a whole bunch of things, but the tomato press? Not so much.
view marisab's profile
I bought this and used it maybe 3 times then gave it away. It's a one trick pony, was messy and didn't even work that well. I wished I had gotten a food mill since that would've performed better and been useful for other things too.
view bali2's profile
I make a roasted tomato soup (from Cook's Illustrated or America's Test kitchen or something...), and I just seed the tomatoes before I roast them. I save the juice for the soup, though. Just break the tomatoes open over a strainer set over a bowl, and roast the seeded tomatoes. I puree with a stick blender and rarely bother to strain the finished soup.
Actually, this recipe from Smitten Kitchen is pretty similar to mine, and she spells the steps out much better than I am doing here...
http://smittenkitchen.com/2006/11/come-on-thunder/
view annaholl's profile
I have had this for years and LOVE it. It is very easy to use. Although I guess I fall into the "bulk" producer category. I grow 6 - 10 tomato plants every year in my garden. When all those tomatoes get ripe at once this is a life saver for canning and fresh tomato sauces. I freeze the seperated seeds, pulp and skin and throw them in with chili or pot beans come winter.
view mich208's profile