Peak Season Tomatoes

They're back!  Tomatoes are innocent and good for you!

It's the peak of tomato season almost everywhere.  Here's some tomato tip from the Bay Area's chef Paul Canales:

Mr. Canales does something surprising when he makes sauce: He sprinkles the leaves attached to the tomatoes into the pot. Several years ago, after discovering that tomato leaves and stems make a tasty flavoring, but concerned about the safety of using them, Mr. Canales consulted food-science writer Harold McGee, who claims that the leaves and stems are safe and even healthy to use in cooking. However, this is an iconoclastic view in the tomato world -- other experts express doubts about the practice because they say the leaves and stems contain toxic compounds.

Another rebellious act in Mr. Canales's kitchen: a refusal to discard the gel-sack within a tomato. Classic French technique often requires that tomatoes be cored, skinned and seeded before being chopped. That's foolhardy, Mr. Canales says -- the gel is "the money" in the tomato, full of amino acids that create a rich, satisfying taste.

Follow on here to get some tips on making a great "tomato confit", and watch the video on selecting the right tomatoes.