Concassé, Concept and Definition

Definition

The term "concassé" (pronounced kon-ka-SEY) is a French word that is part of the professional culinary lexicon. It comes from the French verb "concasser," which means to crush, pound, chop, or grind coarsely. In haute cuisine, it specifically refers to a preparation method that involves cutting ingredients, primarily vegetables, into small, irregular pieces after peeling and, in some cases, deseeding them.

Etymology

The word derives from the Old French "quasser" (to break, to strike), in turn from the Latin "quassare" (to shake violently), a frequentative of "quatere" (to shake). In French culinary terminology, it has become established as a specific technical term to describe a particular texture obtained by cutting or partially grinding.

Cooperation

Concassé involves a meticulous preparation process that generally includes the following steps:

1. ScaldingIn the case of tomatoes, which are the most common ingredients used in this technique, they are briefly blanched in boiling water.
2. Bare: The skin of the ingredient is removed.
3. Deseeding: : Seeds and unwanted parts are removed.
4. Cutting: Proceed to cut into small, irregular cubes, approximately 0,5 to 1 cm.

Main Applications

Concassé Tomato

The most iconic application is the "concassé tomato," a fundamental ingredient in numerous classic French and Mediterranean recipes. To prepare it:

• Blanch the tomatoes in boiling water for 10-15 seconds.
• They are immediately immersed in ice water to stop the cooking.
• They are peeled, taking advantage of the fact that the skin comes off easily.
• They are cut in half and the seeds and juice are extracted.
• The pulp is chopped into small, irregular cubes.

The concassé tomato is used in sauces, soups, garnishes, fillings, and as a base for numerous preparations, providing flavor and texture without the excess liquid and seeds found in whole tomatoes.

Other Ingredients

Although the term is primarily associated with tomatoes, the concassé technique is also applied to:

• Aromatic herbs: Especially concassé parsley.
• Shallots and onions: For preparations that require small pieces without reaching brunoise.
• Peppers: To obtain pulp cubes without skin or seeds.
• Garlic: When a coarse chop is required.

Importance in Professional Gastronomy

Concassé represents a precision technique that demonstrates mastery of the culinary fundamentals. Its importance lies in:

• Humidity control: Allows the elimination of aqueous parts that could dilute flavors or alter textures.
• Visual refinement: Provides a neat and professional presentation.
• Taste homogeneity: Ensures a balanced distribution of flavors.
• Versatility: Facilitates the incorporation of ingredients into various preparations.

Regional Variants

In different culinary traditions we find adaptations of concassé:

• In Spanish cuisine, particularly in Catalan cuisine, it is known as "sofregit" when referring to concassé tomatoes slowly cooked in olive oil.
• In Italy, a similar technique is called "concassato" and is essential for preparations such as "pomodoro concassato."
• In Mexican cuisine, the concassé tomato is essential for preparing pico de gallo and other fresh salsas.

Relevance in Contemporary Cuisine

Despite the evolution of modern culinary techniques, concassé remains relevant because:

• The trend towards fresh ingredients and artisanal techniques.
• The appreciation of methods that preserve the natural flavor of the ingredients.
• Its role in the texturization of dishes, a fundamental aspect of contemporary gastronomy.
• The growing importance of visual presentation in the age of social media.

Technical Considerations

To achieve a perfect concassé, kitchen professionals should consider:

• Use sharp knives to obtain clean cuts.
• Select ingredients at their optimum point of ripeness.
• Maintain a consistent cutting technique to obtain pieces of similar size.
• Adapt the size of the cut according to the purpose of the preparation.

This content has been developed using the Gastro Lexicum tool of the Suite AiChef.pro