# How to use tomatoes in salad?



## jasonr (Mar 24, 2007)

I was wondering, what do people recommend in terms of seeds in tomatoes for salad? I find that if I leave the seeds in, the tomatoes leak into the salad bowl and create far too much liquid; I don't like it when I get to the bottom of the bowl and there is a lake of liquid. On the other hand, if I remove the seeds, it makes the tomato slices look disfigured.

How do people deal with tomatoes for salads? I'm talking about a vinaigrette here. Lettuce, hardboiled egg, tomato and avocado. What do people recommend? Should I quarter the tomatoes, or do a whole cut? Should I peel them and seed them, or is that only for stews and sauces, and not for salads?


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## GB (Mar 24, 2007)

Have you considered using cherry tomatoes and leaving them whole?


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## Lynan (Mar 25, 2007)

Use firm but ripe tomatoes cut into thickish wedges. As you will be using a vinaigrette, I am assuming it is added last minute and the tomatoes should not ' leak'. Actually, I love all the juices at the bottom of a salad bowl, mopped up with bread!   I would never peel and seed toms for a salad, especially a tossed one.


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## auntdot (Mar 25, 2007)

For salads, I generally either slice them or cut them in wedges and I, like you, don't particularly like the looks of the seeded ones.  But I will do the deed if I am forced to make the salad in advance.  Or, as GB said, use smaller tomatoes.  Find the teeny guys hold up well even if halved.  The Romas (we used to call them egg tomatoes. I guess the term Roma has more pizzazz) also seem to hold up better than the lovely, adorable, wonderful beefsteaks.

So I guess my guidelines (golly y'all make me think about what I do) is just use the darned things, seeds and all. but if you are going to make a salad afore, use the smaller varieties.  

That sounds pretty good, I think, with a little more help from GB and the rest of you folks I may become a half decent short order cook.  

Now all I have to learn is how to put those pithy sayings inserted at the end of the post.

Tomatoes I think I can sorta handle, computtters are simply beyond my ken.

---------------------------

Before criticizing a person, walk a mile in his shoes - then you are a mile away and you have his shoes.

I did this manually, rats, there has got to be a better way.

God bless.


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## csalt (Mar 25, 2007)

DH likes it when I do this with them

Slice the tomatoes, as many as you want. Thinly slice some onions , red ones look nice and they are sweet too.

Mix some raspberry vinegar or wine vinegar with some sugar and hot water ( to melt the sugar) to the sharpness of your taste and pour over the tomatoes then chill for a while.
I usually make enough for a couple of days.


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## Essiebunny (Mar 31, 2007)

I usually cut up and put them in a strainer with a little salt for about 15 minutes. A lot of the water drains out.


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## amber (Mar 31, 2007)

Since you dont like the liquid from your tomatoes, I would suggest along the lines of what GB has mentioned using cherry tomatoes, or you can use grape tomatoes (smaller than a cherry tomatoe).


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## Claire (Apr 4, 2007)

I simply add the tomatoes just before serving the salad.  I halve cherries and grapes because of the squirt factor (yes, I've bitten into one and squirted a guest).  When it is late summer and the garden is going great guns, then thick slices of tomato, with just S&P, maybe a splash of vinegar, and nothing else.  But when doing a simple tossed salad, just add the tomatoes last to avoid watery-ness.


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## BreezyCooking (Apr 4, 2007)

I agree with Claire.  While I'll frequently fix the greens, herbs, & non-watery veggies for the salad ahead of time & chill them, I always add the dressing & the tomatoes, cucumbers, etc., right before serving.


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## PytnPlace (Apr 4, 2007)

I like to use cherry/grape tomatoes in salads.  I too cut them in half to avoid the squirt factor.  I sometimes use roma in salads as they have more meat and less juice.  I save the large tomatoes for slicing and eating as is with maybe some salt and to use in sandwiches.


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## letevic (Apr 8, 2007)

For my salads I always chose firm tomatos.  I like the liquid inside, but usually remove about half of it, otherwise the salad will be too watery.  

First I cut the tomatoes in half and remove some seeds/liquid and then I either slice them very thinly (if I'm making a Greek type of salad of sliced tomatoes, sliced onions, feta cheese and some oregano), or cut them into wedges for a tossed salad.

Also, I try to cut down on the amount of vinegar or lemon depending on how much liquid I added from the tomatoes.

If you are making "pico de gallo" it's good to completely remove the seeds/water before chopping the tomatoes


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