Anyone who has tried to peel a ripe tomato with a paring knife knows how it usually ends, with more fruit lost than peel removed. Peaches have the same problem, their fuzzy exterior clinging just as stubbornly to what's underneath. The fix for both is a quick trip through boiling water, a technique called blanching, which loosens the peel without cooking the fruit itself. While the method is nearly identical for each, timing is important.
1. Score the Fruit
Use a paring knife to cut a shallow X into the blossom end (the side opposite the stem). This step matters for tomatoes, since the cut marks where the peel will pull back and speeds up peeling later. Peaches will usually peel without it, though a light score never hurts.
2. Bring a Pot of Water to a Rolling Boil
Make sure you use a pot deep enough to fully submerge the tomatoes or peaches. When the water is boiling, set a large bowl of ice water beside the stove before adding anything to the pot, so it's ready the moment it's needed.
3. Blanch in Batches
Lower a few tomatoes or peaches into the boiling water at a time, so the temperature doesn't drop too much. Tomatoes generally need 30 to 60 seconds, until the peel visibly splits at the score. Peaches typically need the same amount of time, though very ripe ones can be ready in as little as 15 seconds.
4. Add to the Ice Bath
After you remove the the tomatoes or peaches from the pot, add them straight into the ice water with a slotted spoon and let them sit for about a minute. This stops the cooking before the fruit underneath has a chance to soften.
5. Peel the Fruit
Starting at the X scored in to the fruit, the peel should slide off the tomato or peach with a light tug from the fingers or the flat side of a pairing knife. If it resists, a few more seconds in the boiling water usually finishes the job.
The one thing to keep in mind is the ripeness of the fruit you're using. A fully ripe tomato or peach needs only a short dip, while a firmer one may sit in the boiling water a few seconds longer before the peel lets go. Leave either in too long and the fruit underneath starts to cook, turning soft in a way that's hard to undo.
Peeled tomatoes disappear seamlessly into a pot of simmering marinara or a bowl of chilled gazpacho, with none of the papery bits that would otherwise cling to a spoon. Peaches, once peeled, slip easily into a galette or a pot of jam, their edges softening evenly instead of curling away from the crust. A few minutes at the stove buys a smoother sauce and a cleaner bite.
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