Quick Fresh Tomato Sauce Recipes

Steps:

• Cut tomatoes in half horizontally. Squeeze out the seeds and discard, if you wish. Press the cut side of tomato against the large holes of a box grater and grate tomato flesh into a bowl. Discard skins. You should have about 4 cups.
• Put tomato pulp in a low wide saucepan over high heat. Add salt, olive oil, tomato paste, garlic, basil and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a brisk simmer.
• Reduce the sauce by almost half, stirring occasionally, to produce about 2 1/2 cups medium-thick sauce, 10 to 15 minutes. Taste and adjust salt. It will keep up to 5 days in the refrigerator or may be frozen.

Steps:

• In a large skillet over medium heat, cook onion in olive oil until translucent. Stir in tomatoes, cook until juice begins to thicken. Stir in puree, salt and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes more, until rich and thick.

Steps:

• Open the can of tomatoes and pour off the juice into a bowl. Use the lid to press against the tomatoes to extract as much juice as possible. Then use your hand to squeeze the tomatoes to a pulp. Reserve the juice and pulp separately and set the empty can aside.
• Heat the olive oil in a heavy saucepan over medium high heat until hot. If using the jalapeno, tilt the pan to collect the oil in a little pool against the side and drop the jalapeno into the oil. Cook until lightly brown, about 2 minutes. Remove the jalapeno and reserve.
• Add the onion to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook briefly until light gold. Add the tomato juice and bring to a boil. Simmer rapidly for several minutes. Add the crushed tomato pulp. Then rinse the remaining pulp out of the can by filling it halfway with water and add that to the pan. Add the bay leaf, jalapeno, if using, and salt and pepper, to taste, and return to a boil. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and stir. Lower the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching, until the mixture thickens and the tomatoes have turned an orange red versus the pale blue red they were straight from the can, about 30 minutes. Add the oregano halfway through the cooking.
• Discard the bay leaf. Peel, seed and mash the jalapeno with a spoonful of the sauce and pass at the table so diners can add as much heat s they like to their plates.
• Variation for quick tomato sauce: substitute 2 pounds vine ripened tomatoes for the canned tomatoes. Peel the tomatoes, cut in 1/2 crosswise, and squeeze out the juice and seeds over a sieve suspended over a bowl. Chop the tomatoes. Proceed as directed, omitting the dried tomatoes and using jalapeno, if desired. The recipe may be increased proportionately.

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and let sit for about 20 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
• Cook's Note: Sauce can be made ahead of time and kept covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; add tomatoes, onions, green bell peppers, garlic, white wine and salt and pepper to taste.
• Mix ingredients well; cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Serve.

Steps:

• Combine the tomatoes, their juices, the butter, and the onion halves in a medium saucepan.
• Add a pinch or two of salt. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, at a very slow but steady simmer, adjusting the heat as necessary, for about 45 minutes, or until droplets of fat float free from the tomato.
• Stir occasionally, mashing any large pieces of tomato with the back of a wooden spoon. Taste and salt as needed.
• Discard the onion.

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan, cook the onion and garlic together, stiriing until the onion is soft. Add the tomatoes, salt and wine and simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft.
• Add the remaining ingredients, simmer uncovered for 10 minutes or until thickened. Remove bay leaves from sauce.
• When cooled refrigerate for up to 3 days.
• Use sauce as desired.

Steps:

• In a wide, nonstick frying pan, or in a 3-quart saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat and add the garlic. Cook, stirring, just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, sugar, basil or thyme sprig, and salt (begin with 1/2 teaspoon and add more later), and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, stirring often, until thick. Pulpy tomatoes like romas will usually take 20 to 30 minutes. However, if the tomatoes are very juicy, it will take longer for them to cook down. The longer you cook the sauce, the sweeter it will be. You can speed up the process by turning up the heat, but stir often so the sauce doesn't scorch. Towards the end of cooking, stir in the slivered fresh basil and some freshly ground pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings.
• If using quartered tomatoes, put through the medium blade of a food mill. If you used peeled seeded tomatoes but want a sauce with a smooth, even texture, remove the basil sprigs and discard. Pulse the sauce in a food processor fitted with the steel blade.