For most recipes, washing, coring, then slicing or cutting the tomatoes into chunks is all the preparation needed. Peeling is not always needed if you are using tomatoes in salads or salsas.
In cooking recipes that call for tomatoes to be finely chopped, the skins are not noticeable. If the tomatoes go into a pot as big chunks, the skins will shrivel and toughen, sometimes adding an undesirable texture to the dish.
You can peel tomatoes before cooking, or you can run the cooked tomatoes through a food mill to get rid of the skins.
PEELING FRESH TOMATOES
To peel tomatoes, drop them into a pot of boiling water for 5 to 10 seconds. Use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a bowl of ice water and let cool for about 1 minutes. Then remove the skin with a paring knife.
SEEDING FRESH TOMATOES
To seed a tomato, cut it in half horizontally. Then gently squeeze each half to release the seeds. Don't sweat it if a few seeds remain.
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