If a recipe calls for tomato paste...

[RPCookin]

To add to the pro uses for tomato paste... I made a shrimp bisque this week that called for 1 tablespoon of paste for the stock, which was then reduced by half, then another tablespoon when you were actually making the soup. The tomato paste didn't make it taste like tomato soup, it just gave it an overall richer flavor.

I've always used tomato paste in my chili con carne. It helps to make it richer and it makes for a thicker, more stew like main dish, rather than being thin like a soup.

 

[Rom]

Ok, so I made the dish.
The verdict from my BF was...it taste "restauranty" LOL, he claimed it was the flour around the chicken that made the sauce seem "restauranty", then I told him about the paste in it, which certainly does give the dish added flavours (I liked it) he looked surprised that i had used it, but still insisted the flour had something to do with it...it wasn't, it was the paste i know it LOL but it tasted good to me glad i gave it a try - thanks for everyones comments!

 

[Claire]

Tomato paste also acts as a thickening agent, in addition to adding sweetness. I add it to tomato sauces I want to thicken, be they Italian or Mexican.