All Purpose Tomato Sauce Base Food

CHEF JOHN'S TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Place olive oil, onion, celery, and a pinch of salt into a large heavy saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Cook until onions are very soft, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mix garlic into onion mixture and cook just until fragrant, about 1 more minute.
• Pour tomatoes and their juice into a large mixing bowl and use your hands to crush the tomatoes until they look pureed.
• Mix sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, anchovy paste, white wine vinegar, Italian herbs, and red pepper flakes into vegetable mixture. Raise heat to medium and cook just until liquid has evaporated. Stir in tomato paste and bring to a simmer. Pour in San Marzano tomatoes and parsley. Bring sauce to a simmer, turn heat to low, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, adding a little water as the sauce cooks down. Stir occasionally.

TOMATO BASED BARBECUE SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat.
• Add the onion, garlic and ginger.
• Saute until the onion is translucent, about 5 minute.
• Add the tomatoes, oregano, chile pieces, vinegar, honey, and soy sauce.
• Stir to combine and lower the heat to medium low.
• Grind the whole spices (cardamom, cloves, fennel, cinnamon stick, and mustard seeds) in a spice grinder or for a workout in a mortar.
• Add the spices to the sauce.
• Simmer, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, until the sauce is thick and tasty, up to 2 hours.
• Strain sauce or put through a fine disk of a food mill.
• Use immediately or refrigerate for short term use. Can also be canned.

BASIC TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a pan and add the vegetables and bay leaf. Stir in the sugar with some salt. Gently cook for 10-15 mins until the veg is tender. Stir in the tomatoes and 150ml water. Simmer very gently for 30 mins until the sauce has reduced by two-thirds and is very thick. (If you have doubled or tripled the quantities, this may take up to 1 hr.)
• Stir occasionally, particularly towards the end of the cooking time, so that the sauce doesn't catch on the bottom. If you like your sauce a little thinner, add a splash of water. Serve half with pasta and chill or freeze other half in 1-2 batches for later use (see 'Goes well with' for ideas of how to use up your sauce).

BASIC BBQ SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Serve on the side with smoked meat.
• Store refrigerated.

ALL-PURPOSE TOMATO SAUCE BASE

Steps:

• Scoop out the seeds from the pumpkin, and slice. Cook lightly in the microwave until soft. Cool.
• Roughly slice the peppers, onions and garlic. Lightly cook in a large dutch oven, until soft.
• Blend the tomatoes in a blender or food processor, then add cubes of zucchini and pumpkin, a bit at a time.
• Add the blended ingredients to the cooked peppers and onion.
• Cook down until the sauce for several hours until desired consistency.
• Cool, then freeze in plastic tubs or ziploc bags.