Thread: Salsa/Sauces
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Old August 9, 2007   #35
nctomatoman
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7
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My favorite sauce - and it is approximate, and depends upon what is ripe - very imprecise for a recipe that I would cook (the scientist in me likes to measure, the cook in me doesn't!).

this works well for us -

2-3 tbsp good olive oil
1 large sweet onion, peeled and thinly sliced
3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
3-4 sweet bell or frying peppers, ripe color, not green, seeded and cut into bite sized chunks
at least 10-12 large ripe tomatoes- any color - cored and chopped into large chunks
salt and black pepper to taste, pinch of sugar
fresh oregano leaves, torn into small pieces
plenty of fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces

In a large heavy bottom pot, heat the olive oil over medium high, then add the onion, garlic and sweet peppers - saute until the onions and peppers are well softened, but not browned (watch the garlic, especially, for browning).
Add the tomatoes and oregano, stir well, bring to a boil, and let it vigorously cook over medium heat - stir often.
After 30 min or so it will start to reduce down - with the spoon, crush the tomatoes into smaller pieces - once it starts to resemble a sauce, taste for seasoning and add salt, pepper and the pinch of sugar - to taste. Continue to cook down until it is the thickness that you like.
Just before you turn off the heat, stir in the basil.

This will absorb a lot of tomatoes - we tend to use whatever we have - it will look like quite a lot as it starts, but as the excess liquid boils off, it will concentrate well and thicken nicely. The fresh tomato flavor is very intense!

You will also notice that the seeds and peels don't bother us - if you like, you can squeeze the seeds out of the tomatoes (and even peel the tomatoes by submerging in boiling water for a min, then plunging into ice water.

I am sure that this can then be hot packed into jars and water bath treated for 15 min to allow for canning the sauce. We prefer to freeze it!
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