Peeled fresh tomatoes are called for in some recipes, but the soft skin of the fruit can make them a bit of a pain to peel. Here is a simple and easy way to peel tomatoes, a technique that is especially useful if you need to peel more than one! (Otherwise, a good swivel-blade peeler would probably suffice.)

You’ll need:

Fresh tomatoes
A pairing knife
A pot that can accommodate all of your tomatoes
A bowl that can accommodate all of your tomatoes
Ice
Water

Procedure:

1. Using the tip of your paring knife, cut out the stem of the tomato:

2. Cut a shallow “X” on the opposite end (non-stem end) of the tomato.

3. Bring a pot of water to boil. Also have ready a large bowl of ice water. (This is critical – don’t skip this step or you risk your tomatoes overcooking and getting pulpy.) Drop the tomatoes into the boiling water. Let boil for 10-15 seconds. (Yes, just seconds – you don’t want to actually cook the tomatoes, just loosen their skin a bit.)

4. Remove the tomatoes from the boiling water and immediately plunge into your bowl of ice water.

5. The skins should now easily come off with just the barest bit of work with your paring knife.

6. You’re left with beautiful, peeled tomatoes and a bit of skin (save for vegetable stock!):