Enjoy the taste of Huevo de Toro tomatoes all year round

Crushed and fried tomatoes, tomato jam, a condiment reminiscent of vinegar and a distinctive liquid essence are just some of the products now being made with Huevo de Toro, bringing its qualities to other formats without compromising its character.

The initiative began a few years ago, almost as a challenge. “We started with the Huevo de Toro tomato because we were asked to develop a product using this variety, and we had to learn how to work with a tomato that was very different from the usual ones,” explains Silvia González, manager of Natura Coin. The initial trials were not straightforward. “It would ferment because this tomato contains much more water than others.”

Far from seeing it as a drawback, this is precisely one of the qualities the company has learnt to make the most of. “Some people think that water is a problem, but in reality, that’s where much of the flavour comes from,” he says. In fact, he points out that “it’s a nutrient, and it’s one of the characteristics that make this tomato special”.

This distinctive feature is particularly evident in the crushed tomatoes, which are designed for use in stir-fries, sauces or even gazpacho. According to the company’s manager, the difference compared with many industrial products is clear from the intensity of flavour that is retained after the production process.

Of all the suggestions, the most surprising is probably tomato essence. It is made by gently heating crushed tomatoes and separating the water they naturally release. The result is a clear liquid, yet packed with flavour, which some chefs use to enhance gazpacho, whilst others have even incorporated it into pasta or pizza dough to give it a distinct tomato flavour.

The range also includes a condiment made with crushed tomatoes and wine vinegar, designed for dressing salads or serving with fresh cheese and burrata, as well as a jam made exclusively from ‘Huevo de Toro’ tomatoes, lemon and sugar, which pairs particularly well with mature cheeses, pâtés or tartares.

Behind these products lies a philosophy of making the most of produce. Natura Coin works with farmers in the Guadalhorce Valley and aims to process part of a harvest that is heavily concentrated over just a few weeks, to prevent high-quality tomatoes from going to waste because they cannot all be consumed fresh. “We don’t have the capacity to consume everything the countryside produces, but before it goes to waste, we try to process it so that we can enjoy it for much longer,” explains Silvia.

The manager emphasises that these products are not intended to replace freshly harvested ‘Huevo de Toro’ tomatoes, whose texture and flavour remain unrivalled, but rather to provide an outlet for part of the harvest whilst retaining much of their culinary character. In fact, the company is already working on new products such as a pasteurised gazpacho and a thicker tomato spread, made by using precisely some of the water that is separated during the production of the essence. The aim is to continue expanding the culinary possibilities of this variety without losing sight of its identity.

Although the Huevo de Toro tomato is now the star of the show, that same philosophy also applies to other produce from the Malaga vegetable plots. At their facilities, they produce artichokes preserved in extra virgin olive oil, blackberry jam, fruit vinegars, grape syrup and lemon and orange preparations, intended mainly for the hospitality industry.

Rather than replacing fresh produce, processing aims to ensure its continued availability once the growing season ends or when part of the harvest cannot be sold as it is. In short, it is a way of demonstrating that the value of a good tomato does not end at the plant and that a well-made preserve can also be a great way to continue enjoying the authentic flavour of the Huevo de Toro.