Tomato Leek Sauce/Glaze

Use this slightly sweet concoction as a sauce when cooked a little loose, or reduce it further and use it to glaze something, like Romanesco or cauliflower, fish, or pasta. For this dish to be successful, the tomatoes must be ripe and flavorful. If they are not, find another recipe to use.

INGREDIENTS:

6 medium ripe tomatoes, peeled and seeded (see article on website), chopped into ½-inch pieces or smaller, any liquid strained of seeds and saved

2 medium leeks, white only, cut into fine dice, thoroughly washed and drained

2 medium cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 pinch sugar, maybe a teaspoon

1 teaspoon fresh marjoram (or oregano) leaves, chopped

1 tablespoon Sherry or white wine vinegar

½ cup dry white wine

Salt and pepper to taste

Olive oil as needed, preferably something buttery or fruity rather than a sharp/peppery Tuscan type

METHOD:

Heat a 10-inch sauteuse or a larger frying pan over medium heat. When pan is hot film generously with oil. When the oil is shivering in the pan, add the leeks and toss to coat. Cook gently, stirring frequently, to wilt the leeks completely, around 3-5 minutes. Lower heat to low and continue stirring. Cook so leeks become sweetened, but try to avoid adding any color. Add the Sherry vinegar and cook until it is all reduced. Add the garlic into the center of the pan, adding oil if none pools in the center of the pan floor, heat that, and then add the garlic. Stir and cook until it is fragrant and softened a little.

Add the wine and raise heat to medium-low. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes until it reduces by 50%. Season with salt and pepper, add the herbs, and toss. Add the tomatoes and their accumulated liquid to the pan. Toss well to combine all the ingredients. Cook for a few minutes more. Taste. At this point the sauce should taste bright, and of fresh tomatoes.

You can stop here and use the sauce as is as a slightly chunky fresh tomato sauce for pasta or vegetables, or top grilled chicken or fish. You can continue on and cook it down a bit more until the tomatoes start to caramelize and the sauce gets a little sticky. At this point, put the contents of the pan into a Vita-Mix, blender, or food processor, and add all liquid. Start on a lower speed or pulse in the food processor. If the ingredients balk at running, add a little water and a touch of oil to get it moving. Pureé until smooth. You can use it now, but for best results, put puree into a fine mesh sieve over a small pan and strain through. Use a rubber spatula to push the ingredients through. Heat over low heat and simmer until the mixture is reduced and intense in flavor. The glaze should coat the back of a wooden spoon or the spatula without filling in if you run a finger through it.

Taste and adjust flavor with wine, sugar, or vinegar. If it is too intense and thick, adjust with oil. It is ready to use.

Chef’s Notes: The yield will vary depending on the liquid volume of the tomatoes. Use this to coat or glaze fish like salmon or halibut with a dice of fresh chunks of tomatoes. This is good to coat things like steamed or roasted florets or Romanesco or cauliflower. Brush on roasted carrots near the end of cooking. Add some of this to pasta with basil and chunks of fresh mozzarella for a quick and improvised Insalada Caprese.

Yield: 1- 3 cups

Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen