Concasse

Concasse, from the French concasser, meaning "to crush or grind", is a cooking term that refers to the preparation of ingredients (typically tomatoes) by peeling, seeding, and chopping them to a specified size. The technique is commonly used in culinary practices to prepare tomatoes for sauces, salsas, and garnishes, ensuring a uniform texture and removing the skin and seeds that can contribute to an undesirable texture in finished dishes.

Preparation

The process of making a concasse involves several steps. First, the tomatoes are scored with a small 'X' at the bottom and then briefly blanched in boiling water. This loosens the skin, making it easier to peel. After peeling, the tomatoes are then cut into quarters, and the seeds are removed. Finally, the flesh is finely chopped to the desired size. While tomatoes are the most common ingredient treated this way, the concasse technique can be applied to other fruits and vegetables that benefit from being served without skins and seeds.

Culinary Uses

Concasse is widely used in French cuisine and has been adopted by various culinary traditions around the world. It is a fundamental technique in professional kitchens due to its ability to enhance the texture and appearance of dishes. Tomato concasse, for example, is a key ingredient in recipes like bruschetta, salsa fresca, and certain types of pasta sauces. Beyond tomatoes, the concasse method can be applied to ingredients like olives and grapes, providing a refined texture in dishes where the presence of skin or seeds is undesirable.

Variations

While the traditional concasse method focuses on tomatoes, modern culinary practices have expanded the technique to include a variety of ingredients. Chefs may use the term to describe the preparation of other fruits and vegetables when they are finely chopped after having their skins and seeds removed, even if the blanching step is omitted. This broader application of the term reflects the evolving nature of culinary techniques and the adaptation of classic methods to contemporary kitchen practices.

See Also

• Culinary arts
• Food preparation
• Tomato sauce
• Garnish