Tomato sorbet (Pacojet/Ninja)

Tomato can work in sorbet either as a fresh vegetal flavour or as part of a savoury course. This Pacojet and Ninja Creami version starts from an extract made with fully ripe tomatoes.

The aim is not to produce clear tomato water. During straining, some pulp and colour are deliberately retained so the flavour remains fuller and immediately recognisable. A small amount of lemon juice supports the natural acidity without turning the sorbet into a citrus preparation.

The mixture is then matured, frozen in the processing beaker and spun when required. This makes the recipe particularly flexible for service, as a creamy final texture can be produced from a base held at a very low temperature. Tomato variety and, even more importantly, ripeness therefore become major factors in the finished flavour: the cleaner and more concentrated the raw ingredient tastes, the less the recipe needs to rely on other elements to define its character.