minimizes the mixing of enzymes and targets,
so cells stay relatively intact, and relatively
little green aroma develops.
Then there’s the traditional Italian
preparation called estratto, which begins with
fresh tomatoes cooked down to some extent,
and then mixes them with some olive oil and
spreads the paste on boards to dry down
further in the sun. This is often described as a
relatively “gentle” process compared to
cooking, and it probably does spare some
damage to the pectin molecules. But in fact it
subjects a number of sensitive molecules —
including the antioxidant tomato pigment
lycopene and unsaturated fatty acids in the
olive oil — to powerful and damaging
ultraviolet light, which gives estratto a
distinctively strong, cooked flavor.
Nuts and Spices as Thickeners
Among seeds and other dry plant materials,