Anyone ever heard of or made tomato water?

[Laura PourMeADrink]

Like the water ( not sauce) that accumulates in a bowl when you cut up fresh tomatoes and salt them? To me this juice is like a gift from the gods

A chef from Naples that has a restaurant near us makes a simple dressing which includes tomato water, and I am guessing vinegar and olive oil. I should call him to see if he'll tell me what else is in it.

[napi21]

1. tomato water is a real thing. It's made by blending spices & fresh tomatoes in a food processor,

then straining it overnight (12 hrs) without pressing on the solids or the water will become cloudy.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

3. Thanks !!!!!

[2naSalit]

2. I have to try that!

It sounds heavenly.

[eppur_se_muova]

4. You should try horiatiki salata -- uses tomato water as the dressing !

Here's how I make it: cut up or crumble about 4 oz of fresh feta into the bottom of a bowl. Chop 4 or 5 fresh, medium-size tomatoes into eighths, or other bite-size pieces, and place on top of the feta. Cut a cucumber (skinned if you like) into similar size bites. Do the same with half a red onion. Now sprinkle with about 1-1+1/2 t of salt, and 1-1+1/2 t of oregano mix gently, and leave to stand for at least half an hour -- even a couple of hours. The salt draws out the moisture, which combines with the feta to make a creamy white "dressing". Add kalamata olives if you like, stir, and serve.

Not all tomatoes work equally well. I found Romas didn't have enough juice.

PAYWALL -- https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/salmon-in-tomato-water/13524/

This may be the recipe I saw a celebrity chef prepare on late night TV years ago -- it involved a salmon steak with sesame seeds on one side, sauteed in almond oil, and served in tomato water. Don't know how close this recipe is to that.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

7. Thanks that sounds super interesting. I need to break down

And pay WaPo whatever the fee is. Honestly it's more about the hassle of signing up. LOL

The feta kind of throws me but love all the other flavors

[elleng]

5. To make tomato water,

line a large colander with cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Chop super-ripe tomatoes, toss them with a little salt, then set them in the cloth-lined colander.

Never made it, just read it.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

6. Thanks for the recipe. I wish I could find like a bushel

of ripe tomatoes and spend the whole day making sauce tomato water and salsa. Of course if you open my freezer it's like a avalanche it's so stuffed LOL

[trof]

8. No and no, but I'm willing to try it.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

9. Ok Timmy

[Hortensis]

10. "Gift from the gods" is a good description for the liquid

salted and/or otherwise flavored tomatoes give off. I've read but not tried an easy method that involves freezing ripe tomatoes first; as they defrost in a strainer the liquid is supposed to run out pretty clear without a lot of fuss.

My favorite use from any chopped tomato is cook's treat , and I also often use it in a dressing for our salad. Splash of lemon or some kind of vinegar and oil. It's not what your chef does, but I've been known to sprinkle in a flavoring we like, like a steak spice mix.

But for the most part the closest I get to making more tomato water for a dish is from what I pour off from something like pico de gallo in the summer; 2 or 3 chopped ripe tomatoes' worth puts off enough wonderful, spicy liquid to serve as cool puddles of broth for seafood or seafood, and maybe some lightly steamed veggies, for the two of us.