Tomato Concassé

Removing seeds and skin is an act of deliberate flavour concentration. The seeds' surrounding gel contains the highest citric acid concentration in the fruit (bitterness and wateriness); the skin contributes a slight bitterness and a chewy texture that detracts from refined preparations. Removing both produces flesh that is sweeter, denser, and more clearly flavoured. As Segnit notes, tomato's glutamate content — making it a natural umami source — is highest in the flesh closest to the seed cavity; this is why seeding must be done precisely and not wastefully, preserving the inner wall of flesh that carries the most glutamate-rich material. Tomato concassé with basil and olive oil works through multiple mechanisms simultaneously: the basil's linalool and eugenol compounds are fat-soluble and bond with olive oil; the tomato's water-soluble acids provide counterpoint; and the combination produces a flavour larger than its components because fat carries and extends the aromatic compounds across the full tasting experience.

— **Overblanched — soft, mushy flesh:** The tomato was in the boiling water too long, or was not ice-shocked quickly enough. The outer flesh has cooked. The concassé will fall apart rather than hold its cube shape. — **Seed gel remaining:** The seeding was incomplete or rushed — the gel was pushed aside rather than removed. This gel releases bitterness and excessive water into any preparation it contacts. — **Watery concassé pooling on the plate:** Normal if just cut — allow to drain on a cloth for 5 minutes before service. For sauce applications, this liquid is not waste — press it through a sieve and use it as tomato water in the sauce. — **Uneven dice:** Inconsistent knife technique. In sauce applications this matters less; in composed salads and refined garnish work it signals a lack of care that reads on the plate.