Tomato Sauce Base in Bulk
The
recipes in this node are excellent interpretations of
tomato sauce. Unfortunately I'm a bit too lazy to crush my
garden tomatoes, or even
puree peeled canned tomatoes. Rather, I've devised a "way" (not even dignified of the name recipe) to make
obnoxious amounts of tomato sauce base in
record time.
Everythingian tomato sauce
lovers may want to beat me up after tasting this sauce. But for
everyday meals this type of sauce can't be beat for
convenience and
nutrition especially when
cooking for a
crowd.
This sauce should
freeze for a
month or two. One suggestion is to divide sauce into
handy serving sizes for quick
reheating later. Try not to
overcook the sauce now as you may want to let it simmer after
defrosting. Remember, the base is just that -- a way to prepare sauce ahead to be
reconstituted at a later time.
Mellowing is best left to a later
meal.
The following recipe assumes no
salt,
sugar, or
MSG is added either at the
factory or to the recipe. I resorted to making sauce base for someone with
diabetes who found complete sauces inedible due to high added sugar,
sodium or MSG. Therefore the base alone will be exceedingly bland.
Shopping list
3 kg/6.6 lbs tomato puree
230g/8 oz x 3 cans tomato sauce without MSG ("flavorings")
170g/6 oz x 2 tomato paste (try to get the one that's made of just tomatoes)
Yield 4.5 to 5 L/1.2 to 1.3 gallons depending on desired thickness, stewing time, etc.
Seasonings and mix-ins according to imagination
1. Find
stewpot able to accomodate sauce. Divide if necessary
2. If you want to
saute ingredients into the sauce, saute now at the bottom of the pan at medium low heat. Reduce heat when saute is finished to low
simmer. Might as well also brown meats at this time if desired. Saute any fresh or diced
garlic at this point.
3. Open puree and dump into pot.
4. Open sauce cans and dump into pot.
5. Empty ONE paste into the pot, simmer five minutes, taste. Play with paste
ratio -- too much paste can create a bad sauce instaneously. Add more paste when ready.
6. Add water to desired thickness.
7. Season at this point and remain at low simmer.
WATCH THE POT. Do not seal the pot with the pot
lid unless you desire an
unfunny interpretation of a
pressure cooker. Much like
paint pots around
volcanoes, this sauce will
sputter all over the place.
Degreaser should be at hand. Simmer for about 45 minutes or to desired
reduction point.
Possible seasonings include
oregano,
cumin,
cilantro,
parsley, and
bay leaves.
Leftover meats go nicely with this as well as sauteed veggies. I love
hot sauce in this; proceed cautiously in this respect. Experiment and be sure to tell me what
combinations work best.