Eating Wells Fresh Tomato Puree Recipes

OVEN-ROASTED TOMATO PASTE OR PUREE

Steps:

• Peel tomatoes. The easiest way to do this is to drop them into a container of boiling-hot water, leave for 1 minute, then drop them into a container of ice-water - the skin slips right off). Halve them and put into a baking pan large enough to hold them in one layer.
• Dribble with olive oil (the amount is arbitrary - I imagine that's about what I use), sprinkle with minced garlic, generously season with salt, pepper, basil and oregano. Give everything a stir to distribute.
• Pop into 350F oven and roast for about 3 hours (this is approximate - it all depends on how thick you want your puree or paste).
• When they're done, I like to mash the tomatoes into a paste because I like a more rustic texture. If you want smoother, use a processor.
• I keep the puree/paste in a tupperware container, in the refrigerator, covered by a thin film of olive oil to prevent oxidization. I dig into it almost daily to provide a burst of flavour into many, many dishes like soups, stews, sauces, gravies, omelettes, etc.
• This freezes well, too.

EATING WELL'S AMERICAINE SAUCE

Steps:

• Coarsely chop shrimp shells. Place chopped shells in a 5 quart non-aluminum saucepan and add cognac, wine, stock, garlic, shallots, herbs and spices.
• Cover and cook over medium heat 15-20 minutes, or until the shallots are quite limp.
• Strain mixture through a fine sieve, pressing down with a spoon to force all of the liquid through. Discard solids. Return stock to a clean saucepan.
• Stir tomato puree into stock and cook, uncovered for 5 minutes, or until sauce thickens slightly.
• Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients.