I recently taught my last cooking class for the foreseeable future. The Get Saucy class came about because I noticed my friends and family commenting on the sauces we make at home and how complicated they seemed. The thing is, sauces can be so easy and are such a great way to bump up the flavor of anything from roasted vegetables to grilled chicken. Here's what I know to be true for me: cooking at home is a great way to control what you eat and support your health and vitality. Sauces are an integral part of home cooking. To me, there are two sauce methods. One method is the "beat the heck out of it" method. Pesto falls into this category. Just put all the ingredients into the food processor and beat the heck of out it (apologies to Italian grandmothers who use a mortal and pestle). The other method is the "cook the heck out of it" method. Tomato Provençal Compote falls into this category. While it takes a while to cook, the preparation is easy, and, therefore, it feels accessible to everyone, no matter your level of cooking ability.
This recipe is inspired by a Barefoot Contessa recipe for roasted lamb. We made it once when Brian's parents were visiting for Christmas and everyone raved about how the tomatoes that were roasted with the lamb disintegrated into a magical concoction that had me licking my plate in front of my in-laws. Perhaps not my proudest moment, and I love to eat.
As I have lots of friends who are vegan and vegetarian and wanted to share the sauce with them, I created my own recipe for Tomato Provençal Compote that anyone can enjoy. And as it is summer and tomato season is upon us, now is the time to enjoy this delicious recipe, which can be served cold or warm, with meats or veggies or on bread. It's not bad eaten with a large spoon right out of the container standing in front of an open fridge!
Molly’s Tomato Provençal Compote
Makes ~ 1 pint or a little more
¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil
1 large Spanish onion, sliced
2 pounds of fresh tomatoes, seeded and diced
5 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
3 Tablespoons of Dijon mustard
1 ½ Tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon of honey
Leaves from two to three sprigs of thyme
Leaves from one sprig of rosemary
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan (at least 3 quart saucepan). Add the onions and saute over medium heat until they are starting to turn light brown. While the onions cook, chop the thyme and rosemary leaves together. In a bowl, combine the garlic, mustard, vinegar, honey, and chopped herbs.
When the onions start to change color, add the tomatoes, a couple of pinches of salt and a couple of cracks of black pepper. If anything is sticking to the bottom of the pan, deglaze it with one tablespoon or two of water, and then add another drizzle of olive oil. Stir the tomatoes and onions a bit. When the tomatoes are starting to break down, add the mustard herb mixture and stir to combine. Continue to cook over medium low heat for 15 minutes. If there’s still a lot of liquid in the pan, turn up the heat to evaporate it while stirring to keep the compote from sticking to the bottom of the pan. The compote should be fairly thick, like a stew. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.
Storage: Can be stored up to one week in the refrigerator or frozen for up to three months.
Serving ideas: Excellent with grilled meats, served over white beans, slathered on grilled toast, or eaten out of the jar with a spoon.
Nutritional awesomeness: Cooked tomatoes are an excellent source of Vitamin C and a good source of Vitamin A. They have a low glycemic load.
This recipe is inspired by a Barefoot Contessa recipe for roasted lamb. We made it once when Brian's parents were visiting for Christmas and everyone raved about how the tomatoes that were roasted with the lamb disintegrated into a magical concoction that had me licking my plate in front of my in-laws. Perhaps not my proudest moment, and I love to eat.
As I have lots of friends who are vegan and vegetarian and wanted to share the sauce with them, I created my own recipe for Tomato Provençal Compote that anyone can enjoy. And as it is summer and tomato season is upon us, now is the time to enjoy this delicious recipe, which can be served cold or warm, with meats or veggies or on bread. It's not bad eaten with a large spoon right out of the container standing in front of an open fridge!
Molly’s Tomato Provençal Compote
Makes ~ 1 pint or a little more
¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil
1 large Spanish onion, sliced
2 pounds of fresh tomatoes, seeded and diced
5 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
3 Tablespoons of Dijon mustard
1 ½ Tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon of honey
Leaves from two to three sprigs of thyme
Leaves from one sprig of rosemary
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan (at least 3 quart saucepan). Add the onions and saute over medium heat until they are starting to turn light brown. While the onions cook, chop the thyme and rosemary leaves together. In a bowl, combine the garlic, mustard, vinegar, honey, and chopped herbs.
When the onions start to change color, add the tomatoes, a couple of pinches of salt and a couple of cracks of black pepper. If anything is sticking to the bottom of the pan, deglaze it with one tablespoon or two of water, and then add another drizzle of olive oil. Stir the tomatoes and onions a bit. When the tomatoes are starting to break down, add the mustard herb mixture and stir to combine. Continue to cook over medium low heat for 15 minutes. If there’s still a lot of liquid in the pan, turn up the heat to evaporate it while stirring to keep the compote from sticking to the bottom of the pan. The compote should be fairly thick, like a stew. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.
Storage: Can be stored up to one week in the refrigerator or frozen for up to three months.
Serving ideas: Excellent with grilled meats, served over white beans, slathered on grilled toast, or eaten out of the jar with a spoon.
Nutritional awesomeness: Cooked tomatoes are an excellent source of Vitamin C and a good source of Vitamin A. They have a low glycemic load.
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