Tomato Topping Food

SIMPLE TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large casserole pot, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, basil, and bay leaves and simmer covered on low heat for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and check for seasoning. If sauce still tastes acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavors.
• Add half the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce.
• If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and pour 1 to 2 cup portions into freezer plastic bags. This will freeze up to 6 months.

HOMEMADE TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Prepare a large bowl of ice water.
• Plunge whole tomatoes in boiling water until skin starts to peel, about 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and place in ice bath. Let rest until cool enough to handle, then remove peels and squeeze out seeds.
• Chop 8 tomatoes and puree them in a blender or food processor until smooth. Chop remaining 2 tomatoes and set aside.
• Heat butter and oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, carrot, and garlic; cook and stir until onion softens, about 5 minutes. Pour in pureed tomatoes, then stir in chopped tomatoes, wine, basil, and Italian seasoning. Place celery stalks and bay leaf in the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 2 hours.
• Stir in tomato paste; simmer for an additional 2 hours. Discard celery and bay leaf and serve.

TOMATO TOPPING

Steps:

• Half the tomatoes and give them a gentle squeeze into a sieve to release the seeds. Push a spoon to gently press out as much juice as possible. Discard seeds.
• Dice tomato into 1/4 inch pieces.
• Add rest of ingredients, (except for The Water Sauce), mixing gently.
• Measure out 6 tablespoons of tomato water. If you don't have enough, use canned tomato juice or V-8 so you will measure the right amount.
• Put all ingredients for the "Water of the Tomato" together and mix to emulsify.
• Serving time comes right now, carefully take a good scoop of tomato tartare mixture and place in the center of a china plate. Or a plastic plate. Whatever you have. But you will have enough for 4 good sized servings for each plate.
• Spoon 1/4 of the tomato water on each serving.
• Garnish with parsley.
• Pretend you are dining with the "King and Queen".

FRESH TOMATO TOPPING

Steps:

• Chop tomatoes into small pieces, place in bowl. Add minced garlic and shallots. Put basil and parsley into a food processor, pulse until just chopped. Add to tomato mixture. Add lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper to tomatoes. Season to taste. Will keep, refrigerated overnight. Serve at room temperature.

BAKED CHERRY TOMATOES WITH PARMESAN TOPPING

Steps:

• Pour oil into 13x9x2-inch broilerproof ceramic baking dish. Add tomatoes; turn to coat with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with parsley and cheese. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.)
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake tomatoes just until plump and shiny but not split, about 10 minutes.
• Preheat broiler. Broil until tomatoes begin to split and cheese begins to color, about 2 minutes. Serve hot or warm.

ZESTY TOMATO TOPPING FOR CRACKERS

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients except for crackers.
• Spread about 2 teaspoons of topping on each cracker.