August is tomato season here in the Northeast, and for me, it evokes the same excitement that the Holiday season does for most. As a child, I would eat fresh August tomatoes like peaches, and to this day, I ritualistically place thick tomato slices on bread with cheddar cheese during August’s summer weeks. Tomatoes have always been worth their weight in gold for me, but a seasonal tomato is priceless.
Given my affinity for seasonal tomatoes, it’s only fitting that I want to preserve them as long as possible. But, as Ponyboy explains to Jhonny, “Nothing gold can stay,” and neither can Sungold tomato varieties by the end of summer. Alas, this is when I get creative and try to preserve and lock in as much of summer tomato flavor as possible. So, when insipid tomatoes are available in the winter, I can still access and relish the essence of summer tomato flavor. Now, only if I could do that with the weather.
Preserving summer tomatoes can have many iterations, but making tomato sauce is one of the easiest. Nothing fussy and complicated, but a sauce based on highlighting summer tomatoes by concentrating their flavor. I like to roast cherry tomatoes of all varieties with garlic, olive oil, and an allium of choice, usually shallots. It’s nice that the rules are flexible. For example, if you have excess herbs from your garden or farmer’s market, throw them in. Like your sauce to have a kick? Add red pepper flakes. This is a forgiving sauce that pairs well with foods beyond pasta. Spread it on top of fish, focaccia, or mix it together with beans like broad beans for a vegetarian option.
Now, I would be remiss if I did not discuss how you could repurpose tomato skins. If you make sauce with larger tomatoes, such as classic plum tomatoes, for example, one of the first steps is to remove the skins. DO NOT throw those out! Dry them and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment or aluminum foil and place them in a 200° F oven for 2-3 hours until they are brittle. Next, pulverize them into a powder in a spice grinder. Now you have tomato powder. Line your glass with it and a little celery salt when you enjoy your next Bloody Mary. Pop tomato powder into soups, dressings, or dips. It’s a welcome flavor bomb.
So, if you’re lucky enough to find a last batch of summer tomatoes at your local farmer’s market, make some sauce and tomato powder if you’re veering away from cherry tomatoes, and create an addendum to Ponyboy’s disenchantment. Stay gold, tomato lovers, stay gold!
Instructions
Step 1: Wash and dry the tomatoes and place them in an oven-proof baking dish, preferably 9×13.
Step 2: Add the garlic, salt, pepper, basil leaves, shallots, and olive oil.
Step 3: Bake at 400° F for 35 minutes or until the tomatoes release their juices and the shallots and garlic are soft when pierced with a knife.
Step 4: Cut an end off the shallots and squeeze the shallots out of their casings into the dish with the tomatoes.
Step 5: Place the tomato mixture into a blender and mix until the ingredients are incorporated.
Step 6: Pour the sauce into a pot, add the parmesan rind, and heat on high until it comes to a boil, then immediately lower to a simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes.
Step 7: Add the butter, mix until it is incorporated, and taste for salt and pepper. Season as needed.
Step 8: Once cooled, place the sauce in mason jars and seal according to canning directions.
Catbird Cooking 