Three days before Thanksgiving, 15 cups of homegrown tomatoes were hogging refrigerator space. To reclaim the vegetable bin, I whipped up a recipe that turned out surprisingly delicious.
Makes about three quarts.
12-15 medium tomatoes processed with a blender or food processor until you have 2 quarts of tomato puree.
2 C water
1/3 C chicken base - about 96 grams
8 oz heavy cream
3 T softened butter
1/3 C flour
8 oz tomato sauce
6 oz tomato paste
3 small garlic cloves or 1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 small onion, chopped
OR instead of the basil and oregano, 2 tsp Italian seasoning.
Optional: 1/4 to 1/3 Cup white cooking wine
Work in small batches, placing all the ingredients except the onion into a blender or food processor. Process each batch until silky smooth, then pour it into a 4‑quart pot. Add the chopped onion to the pot. Heat the mixture until it’s bubbly and the onions are fully cooked. Forget peeling—tomato skins are your shortcut to less prep and more nutrients.
