Create a thick tomato puree with a food mill.
With the advent of food processors and blenders, food mills have become less prevalent in kitchens, but they are still the go-to item for many cooks when they make purees, soups and sauces. Food mills use hand-cranked blades to force solid food through a heavy-duty sieve or perforated disc, resulting in a dense puree without the added air that comes from other methods. Peels and seeds remain behind in the hopper for easy disposal.
Instructions
1. Compare prices and features of several food mills to get an idea of where you should set your budget and which features are important to you.
2. Look for a food mill with interchangeable discs. Mills with several discs usually offer choices from fine to coarse milling for greater flexibility in food preparation, and the discs come off for easy cleaning. Mills with one fixed disc are harder to clean and offer only one level of fineness, but they are often less expensive.
3. Check the capacity of each mill. Most mills come with a receptacle for the puree, but vary in how much food they can process and contain in one operation. If you have a big family or plan to make a lot of sauce for bottling, you may want a large-capacity mill. If you plan to use a mill only for single batches of baby food, a small mill may fit your needs.
4. Assemble each mill and test it for efficiency and ease of use. The crank should be easy to turn, and the blades should hug the inside of the hopper. The hopper should sit securely on the receptacle. Look for features that make the mill more comfortable to use, such as ergonomic handles and a spring-loaded release for the discs.
