One thing I do miss about living in Texas is growing beautiful red/orange/yellow sun-kissed juicy tomatoes 4-6 months a year (or some years more!) that I could turn into tomato sauce or paste or, of course, eat fresh and tasty in season. That's it though, in season is the best. Where I live now the season is so short and very late in summer. Out of season, I could buy some that might look good that are grown halfway round the world, but I've always been disappointed.
So, after my fresh frozen tomatoes are used up, I do the most sensible thing for me....
I make my own! A 6 pound can of whole tomatoes costs $2.79 at my local Costco. I have thought about the pros and cons of buying a large can of off-the-shelf-tomatoes. I like that I can get what I need out of the can of fresh, picked at their peak and canned in the field or very near the field tomatoes. This brand, S & W, does not contain sugar but it does contain a little salt and preservative. I can live with that, you may not be able to. But I can get a lot out of that can!
Here it is: 5 pints tomato sauce and 3 cups tomato paste! For $2.79 + approx $1.50 for other ingredients. This equals about .33 a cup and I know exactly what is in it.
With kuddos to Chrislove's fine diary a few weeks ago, let's just call this "nekked tomato sauce or maybe virgin tomato sauce"?
This is the method I use:
Pour the can of tomatoes into a very large pot, like a 6 quart enameled dutch oven or a stainless steel spaghetti pot. Crush the tomatoes with your very clean hands, the back of a large wooden spoon or an immersion stick blender (be careful not to scratch the enamel inside your pan). I usually do a rough crush at first.
Then, reserve 3 cups for tomato paste (more later).
I can hear you asking the question, why not just start with a can of crushed tomatoes? Well, with a can of whole tomatoes, I can see just exactly that, it's just whole, peeled tomatoes.
The tomato sauce is based on a recipe by Marcella Hazan. It has 3 ingredients.
For every 4 cups crushed tomatoes add 2 1/2 Tablespoons unsalted butter and 1 baseball size white onion peeled and halved.
Bring to a simmer, cover and let cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Cool and package for the freezer. If you know exactly what you will use this for, you can always add in garlic, , olive oil, bay leaf, dried oregano, crushed red pepper flakes or ??? I usually make it plain and then when I'm heating it up, I add whatever seasonings I need. The "controversy" in this recipe is: remove the onion or blend it in? I've done both, using the onion for other things or just eating it fresh out of the pot. Blending it in adds another layer of flavor. Do what you like. Second, the butter rounds out the sauce like nothing I've ever used. It really enhances the flavor of the tomatoes. Used a really good unsalted butter.
I like more pasta than sauce, so packaging in 1-2 cup size is just right for the two of us. Adding the sauce to soups or making tomato soup is easy. Reducing the sauce when heating makes a great pizza sauce or reduce it more, add some very caramelized, soft red onions and use it for a topping for polenta, a sandwich spread, or toss a little with some slightly roasted fresh green beans for a great side dish.
For the tomato paste: Add the tomatoes to a medium or large wide flat bottom saucepan (you want most of the tomatoes to be touching the bottom of the pot). Bring to a gentle simmer and just let it cook with the lid off until it is reduced to paste, stirring occasionally. This usually takes 1-2 hours. Let cool and put in an ice tray to freeze, pop the cubes out, place 3-4 cubes in a small sandwich bag (using the small bags reduces frost), then all the little bags in a ziploc bag or glass jar and stick in the freezer. Now you won't waste any tomato paste from one of those 6 oz cans!
I am making doggy bone biscuits to send to our girls "children" - their dogs! The recipe is basically potato flour, oat flour, yellow cheese, egg, chopped parsley and a little water to hold it together. Two of them have cats too, so my question - what kind of homemade cat treats would not be too stinky or soft, travel well in the mail and that the cats would like? Any suggestions?
Oh, I found a recipe for "cat nips" from The Old Farmer's Almanac. It has egg, cheddar cheese, whole wheat bread, chopped or grated broccoli, string beans or carrots, brewer's yeast and a little catnip. I don't know, I think cats would like the stinky fish treats better, but this might be a better traveler through the mail. What do you think?
Lastly, next Saturday is ANZAC Day commemorating soldiers from the wars Australia and New Zealand has fought and died in. This recipe is based on the "biscuits" that were sent to the soldiers from home. They travel very well and are very tasty. While making these, I think of the young men that must have received them from their sweethearts or Mothers halfway round the world and remembered a small, sweet taste of home.
The recipe is from veggienumnum.com's Grandma.
ANZAC Biscuits
Makes 18-24 biscuits
Preheat oven to 350º
1 C all purpose flour
1 1/8 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp pure salt
1 C rolled oats
3/4 C brown sugar
4 oz unsalted butter
2 T Lyle's golden syrup (usually found at World Market - if you cannot find it use honey)
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 T hot water
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl, mix in the oats and brown sugar very well.
Melt the butter and golden syrup. Combine the hot water and baking soda and stir to dissolve. Add the two together and mix into the dry ingredients.
Roll into golf ball size balls, place on a parchment lined cookie sheet, flatten slightly and bake for 20-25 minutes until just starting to brown (keep a close eye on them). Let rest for 5 minutes and remove to a cookie rack to cool. Keel in an air tight tin and try to make them last for more than one day!
Last week for vacation we ate our way across northwest Washington state. First breakfast at the Space Needle in Seattle, lunch at Westport, Happy Hour at a new microbrewery in Olympia, lunch in Port Angeles and Sequim, dinner at a wonderful, delicious, surprising and very well put together small restaurant in Sequim, Alderwood Bistro. So this week has us eating lighter. Tonight are some roasted root vegetables bought at a blast from the 60's organic grocery in Dungeness and one of my favorite salads, curly kale with dried cranberries, diced Gala apple and toasted pecans with homemade poppyseed dressing.
What's for Dinner at your abode? Cheers!