Chef: Selena
This versatile tomato sauce is delicious over pasta, fish, chicken - you name it! Just note the secret ingredient: good, fresh tomatoes.
Highly recommend saving this one for a night when you have a bounty of homegrown or farmer's market tomatoes. If those aren't available, cherry tomatoes can substitute. If those aren't available, put this on your list to make another night. Canned tomatoes just won't cut it!
(For those who've heard me talk about my dislike for 'cooked tomato-based products' over the years: I've revised my stance. It turns out that cooked, FRESH tomato products are delicious! The cans were the issue.) Without further ado:
Ingredients:
- - 1 tbsp olive oil
- - 1 tbsp butter
- - 1 med Vidalia onion, diced
- - 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- - 4 medium-sized billy tomatoes, diced (or rough chopped if you like a more rustic texture)
- - 1/4 - 1/2 c white wine
- - 1 tbsp (approx) Italian seasoning, to taste
- - 1 tsp (approx, to taste) red chili flakes
- - salt and pepper to taste
- - 1 large handful of fresh basil, cut into ribbons
- - Parmesan cheese (optional)
Instructions:
- heat oil and butter in a large sauté pan over med heat until butter just begins to froth
- add onions and a couple of pinches of sea salt. Allow them to soften and sweat at a leisurely pace, stirring occasionally for 7 or 8 minutes. Turn down heat if they are starting to brown. They should become fairly translucent.
- Add garlic, Italian seasoning, chili flakes, a couple of turns of the pepper grinder and another pinch or two of salt. Sauté actively for another minute so the garlic doesn't brown.
- turn the heat up to medium high, and stir in your diced tomatoes. Stir occasionally for 2-3 minutes, allowing the sugar from the tomatoes to start carmelizing on the bottom of the pan. Move tomatoes to one side with your spatula and pour in white wine to deglaze.
- turn heat down to medium low and allow sauce to simmer, stirring occasionally until sauce has cooked down and tomatoes are no longer watery - approx 10-12 minutes. Taste test during simmer process and add additional spices as needed.
- turn off heat and stir in fresh basil ribbons. Serve over pasta or chicken and sprinkle with Parmesan, if using.