Tomato Sauces: Spicy Ketchup, Fruity Marinara and Passata di Pomodoro

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If Eve had used a tomato instead of an apple, maybe the story of Adam and Eve would have been different. After all tomatoes are often called “love apples” and were thought to have aphrodisiac powers.The French therefore named it quite appropriately, pomme d’amour

The Italians called them pomi d'oro: golden apples. Probably referring to the golden apples of the Hesperides, given by Gaia, the Earth mother, to Hera, queen of the gods, and grown in a garden at the edge of the sunset. They were cultivated in the mystical west where the Aztecs, grew them and ate them mixed with chilies.

It was the Spanish who brought tomatoes to Europe in the 16th century, leaving people curios about this unknown fruit. Were they poisonous? Or were they some kind of aphrodisiac like the mandrake plant?

The enigmatic tomato belongs to the same family as tobacco and the toxic, deadly nightshade, but that just adds to its glamour and mystery. Sex, drugs and death, taking us back to Eden where the forbidden fruit should have been a tomato!

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Tomatoes have become an inextricable part of many cuisines and as summer nears it’s end they are currently in their prime season. This year I planted several varieties of tomatoes and was thrilled to receive a bountiful crop. From cherry, to plum to heirloom and beefsteak tomatoes ... I had them all. We’ve been enjoying them mostly in light summer dishes like tarts, galettes and in risottos and salads however last week I gathered a large crate full and as I do in most years I prepared to preserve them so that the flavors of my sun-ripened juicy tomatoes stay with me through the cooler time of the year.

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I often make batches of marinara sauce, passata, oven roasted tomatoes in oil and chutney or pickles with my tomatoes, which accompany me through most of Autumn and some of Winter.

Passata is a fundamental pantry item as it serves the basis of several dishes. As we reach the cooler months I will be using my passata for curries, thick stews, casseroles and tagines. Passata is basically an uncooked tomato sauce that has been strained of seeds and skin. Originating in Italy it quickly spread throughout Europe due to it’s versatile usage. I like to keep my passata pure and without additional flavor as I either spice or flavor it depending on the type of cuisine I am making. It’s very useful item to have in your pantry.

My marinara sauce on the other hand is chunkier and includes fresh herbs from my garden. Often I use basil, oregano, marjoram or parsley and allow the aromas to infuse with the sauce. The longer it rests it the jars the more flavorful the sauce becomes. Marinara sauce is another one of those pillar items in my kitchen that gets full use in a variety of ways. I make a mean seafood stew using this as a base or serve it with mussels and linguine; and it the perfect sauce for pizzas. Soeren spoons it on leftover pasta - nukes it in the microwave for a few minutes and grates fresh Parmesan or adds small mozzarella balls and has a quick lunch in minutes. Use a skillet instead of a pot or saucepan as I find the water evaporates quickly leaving the tomatoes just cooked through and keeping their lovely vivid color.

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The spicy tomato ketchup is a new addition to my tomato repertoire this year. Maybe ketchup in the broader sense as it is chunkier and has a lot more texture, it leans towards a tomato jam but not as sweet. It would be a richly spiced ketchup with layers of thrilling flavors and aromas I use from the Indian spice cabinet. The heady aromas are intoxicating and this has quickly become a loved condiment on sandwiches. I used the garam masala blend from Masala Monsoon - Rose Petal Garam Masala. These blends have become a favorite in my kitchen. Here too use a skillet to make the tomato sauce without overcooking the tomatoes to a pulp.

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Three great ideas on preserving these vivid tomatoes for a little longer as the season begins to come to an end. Three different flavor blends with multiple ways to use them. Enjoy!

Recipe: Tomatoes: Spicy Tomato Ketchup, Fruity Marinara Sauce and Pasatta

Printable version of recipe here

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Prep Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours
Yield: roughly 300 - 500ml

Ingredients:
Spicy Tomato Ketchup

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • thumb sized piece of ginger, minced
  • 2 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 60ml red wine vinegar
  • 1-2 tablespoons brown sugar, this depends on how sweet you prefer it to be.
  • 900g tomatoes, pulsed to a coarse purée in a food processor
  • 6 cardamom pods, cracked
  • 2-3 cloves
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • ¼ teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon garam masala. I used Masala Monsoon’s Rose Petal Garam masala
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Fruity marinara sauce
  • 1 kg cherry tomatoes, coarsely choped
  • 2 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • handful of herbs, like basil, oregano, parsley stalks and all, chopped
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Passata
  • 1 kg tomatoes

Method:
Spicy Tomato Ketchup

  1. Heat olive oil over low heat in a large skillet. Add ginger and garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant but not browned, this should take about 1 minute. Add vinegar, turn up the heat to reduce mixture volume by half, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add sugar and stir until it has dissolved in the vinegar. Add tomatoes, whole spices and garam masala, bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, cover partly and simmer slowly until mix has reduced to a thick purée and there is little liquid in the pan, this should take about 45 minutes to an hour. Uncover and continue to simmer until all the liquid has cooked off, about 15 minutes.
  2. Season to taste. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Transfer to a jar and refrigerate if not using right away. Serve at room temperature.
Notes:
The ketchup is chunky, spicy and tangy and works well as a condiment with all sorts of items: try it with fish, chicken, meat or vegetables; use it as a dip or as a sandwich condiment or spread it on burgers.
Fruity marinara sauce
  1. Heat olive oil over low heat in a large skillet. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, soft but not browned, this should take about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, turning up the heat and allow to simmer gently until reduced and slightly thickened. Add the herbs with stalks and allow to cook in the sauce. This whole process should take about 30 minutes.
  2. Season to taste. Remove from heat allow to cool. Transfer to jars and refrigerate if not using right away.
Serving suggestions:
We love this sauce with mussels and pasta. For this steam mussels in the marinara sauce adding a splash or two of red wine to the sauce. Once the mussels have opened serve with linguine.
We also use marinara sauce as a tomato base for our pizzas and it is perfect for casseroles and dishes like eggplant parmigana. By adding a few anchovies, pitted olives, and even half a chili while reheating the sauce you have a great quick puttanesca sauce.
Passata
  1. Wash the tomatoes. With a sharp knife make 2 small slits on the bottom. Place them in boiling water and blanch them for a few seconds until the skins begin to peel away. Remove them with a slotted spoon or strainer.
  2. Line a bowl with a kitchen towel and allow the tomatoes to drain off any excess water.
  3. Run the tomatoes through a mouli to separate the juice from the skins and flesh. To do this, place the tomatoes in the mouli then turn the handle to start the process. The machine will squeeze the ripe tomatoes to extract the juice while separating the liquid from the skins and flesh. You'll need a large bowl or jug to catch the juice as it is squeezed.
  4. Place a funnel on top of a bottle and fill leaving a little gap at the top of each bottle. Seal and refrigerate until required.
Serving suggestions:
I use this as a base for most tomato based stews, tagines etc. Also I add a splash in curries or make quick tomato soup when in need of warmth!
Equipment:
  • Mouli or a tomato press
  • A funnel
  • Sterilized bottles and jars
Food Guide:
In my Preserving Summer guide I show you how to sterilize jars and bottles to make sure all your sauces, jams, jellies are stored properly.
A season of tomatoes: my tomato guide shows you how you can make the best of your homegrown crop, how to select and store and provides some great ideas of using your tomatoes.

Verdict

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The marinara sauce is filled with sweet fragrance of tomatoes and earthy herbs, while the exhilarating perfume of cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and the mélange of garam masala stimulates the taste buds and then the smooth passata with the pure flavors of nothing but sweet ripe tomatoes - three indispensible sauces to have in stock as it makes life and weeknight meals a lot easier.

More great tomato ideas from What’s for lunch, Honey?:

Tuscan Tomato Soup (01) by MeetaK Tomato Goat Cheese Anchovy Galette by Meeta K. Wolff Tomato Zucchini & Goat Cheese Clafoutis (01) by MeetaK
Tuscan Tomato and Bread Soup - Pappa al Pomodoro Tomato Goat Cheese Galette with Anchovies, Olives and Capers Clafoutis - Tomato Zucchini and Goat Cheese


All photographs and written content on What's For Lunch, Honey? © 2006-2013 Meeta Khurana Wolff unless otherwise indicated. | All rights reserved | Please Ask First

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30 comments:

  1. Splendid photos and beautiful tomatoes. A great winter preserve.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  2. LOVE LOVE LOVE the post. Thanks for posting this. The pictures are beautiful and the pairing with blue background, takes it to a whole new level. Loved the recipe and the textures. It looks so inviting. Am planning to make tomato ketchup next week, I will have a very hard time shooting it, as your pictures are stuck in my mind.

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    1. You always work hard on your images and meticulously take in all the critique in the group. Glad you liked the post and the images ... I would not have posted if you had not asked me to. I was just taking ingredient shots for my portfolio!

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  3. Hi Meeta, too long since I have been by here; your tomatoes look spectacular! I love the idea of Indian-spiced ketchup, and the pretty bottle you've used.

    All the best!

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    1. Don't be a stranger again Linda! Glad you liked the Indian spiced version ... it's got the right hint of spices without taking away from the fruity flavors of the tomatoes!

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  4. Oh my gosh, these photos are just gorgeous, Meeta. That blue against the reds! I made a big batch of passata a couple of weeks ago. I processed it in a water bath so that I'll be able to make good homemade tomato sauce all winter long. The ketchup sounds delicious, too. Isn't it lovely, in the middle of winter, to open a jar of something you made yourself? Thanks for the inspiration.

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    1. Thanks Domenica! Of course passata is part of the Italian way. I actually processed a few bottles too for later on. Yes he best thing is opening a jar/bottle filled with summer fruit / vegetables and enjoying it on a cold winter day. xo

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  5. Those tomatoes look stunning and your recipes, styling and photography more than do their beauty justice! You are so talented! x

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    1. Thank you Miss M. You always put a smile on my face. I hope your photography and styling is being practiced and things are well!

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  6. My o my! So glad to know that you are a tomato-fan like myself. I put tomatoes in almost everything: salad, fish-meat curry, pasta what not. And thanks a billion for the ketchup recipe. Store bought thingy was never impressive enough to me.

    Your images speak. Whisper. Sing. Dance. Your images are like a poem :)

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    1. And your words are wonderful and kind! Thank you! I do love tomatoes very much and these sauces are so vital as it allows me a basis to make so much!

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  7. I have never made my own passata before! Definitely need to make my own.. looks delicious and bursting full of flavour.

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    1. It's the easiest thing in the world really just takes some time. If you would like to keep them longer and in the pantry do sterilize them after filling but placing them in a bain marie / water bath and simmer for at least 5-8 minutes!

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  8. How beautiful are your pics! I haven't ventured beyond making tomato chutney, this post should give me a nudge to try more. Spicy ketchup - happening in my kitchen very soon!

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    1. Oh do come back and tell me how you liked it. It was a test and it worked out so well. A must!

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  9. I love that I learn something new when I visit your blog! And the photography is absolutely stunning. Yum!

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    1. Thank you J. It's good to have you over and glad you liked this!

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  10. Sprry to interrupt the 'oooh' and 'aaah' about this recipe, but I had to correct this huge mistake. Pomme d'amour is definitely not the name for tomato in French. Pomme d'amour is a pomme (apple) covered with sugar... that's all.
    Best,
    A concerned french reader :)

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    1. Dear concerned French reader, thank you for your comment. Today pomme d'amour are those candy apples but in the 1600’s, when the first conquistador arrived in Mexico, where the tomatoes were cultivated, they shipped some to Europe, but at first it failed to enthuse the palates of Europeans. Then in a genial strike some “marketing guru” decided to label tomato as an aphrodisiac and named it poma amoris, the French in turn called it pomme d’amour.
      ~ source from Encyclopaedia Britannica: http://www.britannica.com/hispanic_heritage/article-9072825
      Thank you for your concern ... now we can continue with the "oohs" and "ahhs" :)

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  11. This ketchup recipe was fantastic! I may never buy ketchup again! I found it took a lot longer to boil off all the liquid, but the end result was soooo worth it. Thank you for sharing this recipe!

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  12. I just go yum looking at all those pictures!

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  13. Great article on something as simple as a tomato!

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Thank you for visiting What's For Lunch, Honey? and taking time to browse through my recipes, listen to my ramblings and enjoy my photographs. I appreciate all your comments, feedback and input. I will answer your questions to my best knowledge and respond to your comments as soon as possible.

In the meantime I hope you enjoy your stay here and that I was able to make this an experience for your senses.

Hugs
Meeta