Simply the Best: Tomato Sauce and more.

Tomato sauce

thin layer of olive oil
2 pounds roma tomatoes, peeled, cored and cut into 4’s
1 large onion, small dice
2 small carrots, peeled, small dice
2 small celery stalks, small dice
4-5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp minced oregano
2 tbsp minced basil or chiffonade
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 small can tomato paste
1 cup red wine
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste

– Heat the olive oil on medium/high heat
– Saute the onion, carrots and celery for 2-3 mins
– Add garlic and saute for 1 min
– Add 1/2 the herbs, tomato paste, brown sugar and bay leaves. Stir together for a minute.
– Deglaze with the red wine. Scrape the bottom of the pan, making sure nothing is sticking to it.
– Add the tomatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce begins to bubble. Reduce the heat to low
and allow to simmer for 45 mins.
– Season with salt and pepper after you add the tomatoes and add 1/2 the remaining herbs 20 mins into
the simmer.
– After 45 mins remove from heat, add the remaining herbs, taste and re-season if necessary
– You can take the sauce off the heat earlier or later, you can puree in a blender or leave it chunky and
you can add as much or as little seasoning as you prefer. Just remember to always taste, taste, taste.

Cream of Tomato Soup

– Puree 1 cup of tomato sauce. You can use a blender, food processor or an immersion blender.
– Cook on medium heat
– Add 1/3 cup of 35% cream
– Stir occasionally. watch that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
– Heat ’till bubbly and enjoy

Tomato vinagrette

1 garlic clove, minced
1 large shallot, minced
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup tomato sauce, pureed
salt and pepper

-Add all the ingredients except for the oil into a blender and blend until smooth.
– With the blender still going, slowly drizzle in the olive oil to for a uniform, thin sauce