The Tomato Sauces

The Tomato Sauces

The latest of the Mother Sauces, because tomatoes come from South America and Europeans long believed them to be poisonous.

            Basic Tomato Sauce

In a heavy saucepan in 3 tablespoons butter cook 1 small carrot and 1 small onion, coarsely diced, until the onion is soft but not brown. Add ¼ cup flour and cook it, stirring occasionally, until it starts to turn golden. Add 2 to 2- ½ cups cooked tomatoes or diced fresh tomatoes, 1- ½ cups brown stock or water, 2 garlic cloves, crushed, a bouquet garni, 1 teaspoon sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, and a pinch each of thyme and pepper. Bring the sauce to a boil and simmer it, stirring constantly, until it thickens. Simmer the sauce, stirring occasionally and removing the scum as it accumulates on the surface, for 1 to 1 ½ hours, or until the sauce is reduced to about 2 cups. Discard the bouquet garni. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve, rubbing the pulp through. Bring it again to a boil and simmer it for 4 to 5 minutes longer, stirring constantly.

            Store the sauce in a jar, covered, in the refrigerator. If it is not used within a week, reheat it, cool it and resieve it. Return the jar to the refrigerator. A little Sherry poured over the surface of the sauce will hold it longer than a week. The Sherry may be stirred into the sauce

Tomato Sauce No. 2

1 quart                 fresh or canned Roma tomatoes-                                          crushed or chopped

1                           onion, dice

8                           cloves, in bag

3 Tbsps                  fat

3 Tbsps.                flour

                             Salt pepper, as needed

1. Set the tomatoes, onion and cloves on the fire and cook for twenty minutes.

2. In another stock pot make and cook roux.

3. Remove cloves from tomatoes; then add tomatoes to roux season and cook. This makes a thin sauce, if a thicker sauce is preferred use more roux

Rich Tomato Sauce

In a saucepan in 3 tablespoons olive oil sauté 1 garlic clove and 1 large Bermuda Onion, both finely diced, and ½ large green pepper and ½ small carrot. Both diced, stirring constantly, until the onion begins o brown. Add 1 quart fresh diced tomatoes and 1 large bay leaf tied with 4 sprigs of green celery tops and 1 small sprigs of thyme. Season to taste with salt and pepper and cook the sauce slowly over low heat for 40 minutes, or until it becomes thick. Strain it through cheesecloth or a fine sieve. For meat, fish, poultry, or vegetables.

Tomato Sauce Diable

In a saucepan combine ½ cup tarragon vinegar, 1 teaspoon each dry mustard and paprika, 1 scant teaspoon salt, 2 small garlic cloves, 1 large bay leaf, a pinch of cayenne, and 12 peppercorns, gently bruised. Reduce the liquid over high heat by half and strain it through a fine sieve, pressing gently. Add 1 cup rich tomato sauce heated, bring the sauce to a boil, and simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes. Add ¼ cup boiling beef stock, 1 tablespoon sweet butter, and 1 scant teaspoon Worcestershire sauce. For broiled meat or fish.

Tomato Puree

Peel, seed and dice 4 ripe tomatoes and combine them in a heavy saucepan with 2 tablespoons butter. Cook the sauce, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes are reduced to a                                              smooth pulp and strain the pulp through a fine sieve. There will be less than a cup. (The amount will vary according to the liquid content of the tomatoes). Season the sauce with salt to taste

Tomato Sauce for Pasta

Peel, quarter, and seed 6 large ripe tomatoes. Put them in a saucepan with ½ teaspoon salt, a small onion stuck with 2 cloves, ½ cup chicken stock, and a few leaves of sweet basil. Cover and simmer for 35 to 40 minute, or until the tomatoes are very soft. Strain them through a fine sieve and stir in 1 tablespoon butter

.Mushroom Tomato Sauce

Saute 2 garlic cloves, crushed and diced, in ¼ cup olive oil until the garlic begins to colour. Add 1 pound mushrooms, sliced, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add 2-½ cups tomatoes, 2 leaves of sweet basil, a pinch of cayenne, and salt to taste. Cover and simmer for 1 hour over low heat, stirring occasionally

Tomato-Meat Sauce No.1

Saute 1 onion and 1 garlic clove, both diced. In 2 tablespoons olive oil, until the onion is golden. Add 1 can tomato paste, stir, and cook for 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste, 2- ½ cups warm water, ½ pound of ground lean beef or pork, and 1 bay leaf. Cover and simmer for 1-½ hours.

Tomato-Meat Sauce No.2

Brown 1 minced medium onion and 2 minced cloves garlic lightly in ¼ cup olive oil in large saucepan. Add 1 pound ground chuck, and brown lightly. Add 1 can (28 ounces) tomatoes, 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste, 2 teaspoons salt, 1/8 teaspoon cayenne, 1 teaspoon sugar, pinch basil, 1 bay leaf, and 2 cups water. Simmer, uncovered, about 1- ½ hours.