Oven Roasted Tomato Sauce

[NewWestGardener]

Thank you very much for the bump. I made a batch last night and processed it this morning. We could not believe how good it is, the best one ever. I never cared for the taste of over cooked tomatoes, but roasting them is the game changer!

Originally Posted by Dak

This recipe is my go-to for roasted tomato sauce. I thought I'd bump this thread up for anyone that hasn't seen it yet. I don't believe a better sauce exists.

Sadly, the settfest website is history, but the waybackmachine captured several of it's incarnations: http://wayback.archive.org/web/20110...-tomato-sauce/

[Salsacharley]

This recipe is very similar to Craig L's recipe in Epic Tomatoes except he doesn't bother with a food mill. I will try this with a food mill to see if I can get rid of some of the seeds that tend to add a bit of bitterness from my experience.

[NewWestGardener]

Thank you very much for the posts and sharing this process, this is going to be my way of processing any sauce now, simplely the best!
I did not peel or remove seeds before roasting, then I processed it in a food processor, turns out to be the best sauce we've ever had!
Absolutely no need for sugar.


QUOTE=TheClaw;138340]So this recipe is from the SETTFest...

http://www.settfest.com/2009/06/oven...-tomato-sauce/

And I made two batches this weekend. And I learned an important lesson...

*NEVER ADD SUGAR* if you are cooking with heirloom tomatoes.

The first batch is a bit on the sweet side. The second batch is heavenly.

We added about a tablespoon of sugar to the first batch against six and a half pounds of peeled and cored tomatoes.

Then we went to Williams Sonoma and bought the 50 dollar OXO food mill.

The second batch had about 5 pounds of tomatoes but both batches yielded about two and a half pounds of sauce. And the manual food mill saved about an hour of prep.

Here are the before and after pix.

First batch before:





First batch midway:



Second batch before:



Second batch after:





Then through the food mill using the medium blade. No pix of that yet.[/QUOTE]

[Dak]

I'm glad you tried it! I have some in my freezer I know I'll be grateful for in the upcoming months.

[NewWestGardener]

Is there a salsa recipe like this one? Now I'm convinced it will work out well too.

Originally Posted by Dak

I'm glad you tried it! I have some in my freezer I know I'll be grateful for in the upcoming months.

[oakley]

Roasting has been our method for some time now. Made our last
batch yesterday. Freezer is just about full. Double batch last
weekend
was a bit different. Some I pureed in the monster blender for
ready to go tom soups. One batch had more onion, garlic, poblano
and hot peppers and frozen chunky to use for other recipes...
My basil is over this season but I can get fresh all winter...

I just make sure I label every packet as some batches are pretty
spicy.

Yesterdays batch was roasted in the turkey roaster so pretty full.
We did 3-4 hours at 250. Some smaller batches that are roasted
for just an hour or two, like for salsa. Every oven is a bit different.

I saved a quart from yesterday and soaked some mixed dried
chilis I will puree for a nice rich sauce, almost like a paprika paste
and freeze flat-pack so I can break off an ice cube size bit to add
to chowders and soups. (I'll do that tonight)

No real recipes as you can make it to suit your taste for salsas.
Make it as chunky or thick as your family prefers. I roast 2/3rds
of the toms, onion, poblano, etc and add to fresh lime, cilantro,
peppers, fresh tomatoes, etc. A tbsp or two added to avocado
for guacamole.

For a party it is easy to take out the first fresh cuisinart blending
and put in three or four bowls, then add more chilis to one,
chunky chopped less spicy to another, blender puree a cup of the
roasted mix to make one thicker, etc. (without cleaning out the
cuisinait container if starting with less hot peppers first).
Can even start with no cilantro for those 'soap' people.

[coronabarb]

Mmm, oakley, that all sounds so delicious! And 'soap people' - lol! It is amazing how different taste buds can be among various people. Me, I love cilantro.

[NewWestGardener]

Got it Oakley, merci! I'll borrow the idea of mixing the preserved and the fresh.

Do I see green tomatoes in your first pic? I think I need to add something acidic to my super sweet sauce, some green tomatoes may do the trick.

[oakley]

Originally Posted by NewWestGardener

Got it Oakley, merci! I'll borrow the idea of mixing the preserved and the fresh.

Do I see green tomatoes in your first pic? I think I need to add something acidic to my super sweet sauce, some green tomatoes may do the trick.

We had a light frost the morning of Sept 3rd. Predicted was 34 so
I harvested a basket, all the basil...then another greenie basket
last weekend. Wow, Sept 3rd was three weeks ago. Warm again
now but that was a chilly few days (in the mountain garden).
Some are GWR and some ripened that had some blush...also a
1/2 dozen tomatillos in that batch.
If the weather holds warm I should have one last batch of
mostly tomatillos, sweet and hot peppers, for a winter green
salsa. Hope to lightly smoke that last batch on the far cooler end
of the smoker, long and slow, covered loosely for a mild smoke.

[Gerardo]

"Second batch after" is mighty photogenic. Tasty too I'm sure. Outstanding.

[matereater]

oakley, how do you store / save your basil ?

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by matereater

oakley, how do you store / save your basil ?

I make pesto out of it and freeze.
That will suck up a lot of basil.

Worth

[oakley]

Originally Posted by matereater

oakley, how do you store / save your basil ?

I like pesto fine but probably over did that one a dozen years ago.
Twice a summer is good. The last batch I had enough to freeze a
half pint for a winter easy meal.

I also stopped growing a dozen varieties and stick with a big leaf,
a Thai, and a couple globe. The Globe for fresh snips.

I was not ready for an early frost so that was a drag to add that
to the 3 dozen ears of corn and tomatoes I dealt with that
weekend.

My favorite way now is to take the leaves, big leaf and Thai
separate batches, blanch in boiling water 2 quick seconds held
a cup at a time between two 'spiders',...the wire circle ladles.
Then into ice water. Dry between clean kitchen cloths and into a
qrt zip-lock. Into the freezer flat pack I can break off a chunk at
any time.

I used to blanch, dry, and pack in oil but most things I use it for
does not need olive oil.

I use mostly pecans and pepitas and would rather have them
fresh toasted and coarsely chopped and fresh grated parm, rather
than have it all blended together...just more versatile.

Cilantro can be processed the same way but I have a local market
that has fresh year round as well as big bunches of basil if I need
fresh.

Dried both one year and what a waste of good produce. Not a fan.

One of the globe basil I potted up and put it on the back kitchen
deck with the rest of the herbs.

I'll make an herb salt with that at some point...probably another
month of good weather...1/4 cup of kosher/sea salt to 2-3 cups
loose pack fresh herbs...rosemary, thyme, lavender, globe basil...
herbs into a cuisinart with 2-3 tbsp salt and chop fine, then add to
container with the rest of the salt...salt is the preservative.
(I fridge it but not sure if that is needed) great all fall into the
holiday season.

[imp]

Oakley, the frozen leaves do not turn sort of black using your method?

[greenthumbomaha]

Originally Posted by imp

Oakley, the frozen leaves do not turn sort of black using your method?

They did for me when I tried it several years back. I'd like to know what the secret is- perhaps variety of basil? Are they very fresh or leaves that already flowered, which to me are a little more sturdy. I have a friend that swears by this too. She said she has a two year supply. Mine turned black within a day in the freezer.

- Lisa

Edit : I don't remember blanching. Maybe that is key.