Tomatoes will not be in season for another six or seven months.  As I look at the sleeping garden outside I dream of the taste of a freshly picked tomato – the classic taste of summer.  In the meantime I make do with what is available in stores.  Once in a while my local farm stand will have a basket of tomatoes at a reduced price, which are not as great as their August counterpart but are perfect for tomato coulis. The beauty of the recipe is that you can use tomatoes that are a bit “beat up”, cutting around the “bad” parts.  This tomato coulis keeps in the fridge for about 2 weeks and freezes beautifully – It involves simple ingredients cooked together and can make a perfect base for sauce.  It can also be used as follow

• substitute a cup of coulis in a recipe that calls for one chopped tomato in a soup or stew
• add one tablespoon of tomato paste for every cup of coulis and reduce at a simmer for 15 minutes for a quick tomato sauce
• puréed in a blender and use as a light sauce for fish or chicken

TOMATO COULIS (makes about 10 cups)

• 5 to 6 pounds tomatoes washed, cored, blemishes removed and chopped
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 medium onions chopped
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1 tablespoon basil

Heat the oil in a large pot or dutch oven.  Add the onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic, stir for a minute.  Add the tomatoes, salt and herbs.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 45 minutes.  Take the cover off and cook for another 15 minutes.  The coulis will be watery and thinner than a sauce.   Use immediately or cool down and pack in containers.

NOTE:  when I see tomatoes on sale or have a lot of tomatoes about to go bad that is when I make coulis and often use different kinds in the mix: cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, etc.  Instead of regular onions you can substitute leeks, red onions or shallots.

From my kitchen to yours,

CK, la fille du boucher