Roasted Garlic, Vidallia Onion and Roma Tomato sauce

It has been a hot summer. Driving around in the sweat box family suburban has been miserable. Every time I think I can no longer take the heat and humidity a little thunder storm rolls through and cools it down. While this weather does not seem to be fit for man or beast, the tomatoes are YUM.The warm sun and rain has made a perfectly thick and delicious Roma. I love to make sauces with these lovely plum tomatoes. It does not  have to be 35 pounds of Roma tomatoes canned for the year. Nope, I like to chop them and cook a half dozen or so down for a scrumptious basil and tomato sauce over angel hair until the buggers are gone for the season. This summer has been about what I can do with the resources available to me on the local farms here in Virginia Beach. I am always searching for what I can put up in my pantry next. In June I left my name and number at my favorite produce stand and told them to call when they had enough Roma's for me to can. I got the call not to long ago. If you do not know the really "good canners" want the tomatoes to go from vine to pot with out being refrigerated.

With the no refrigeration rule in mind I did not take much time to gather anything but Roma's and Garlic from Stoney's Produce. To get the sauce made fast the ingredients had to be in the pantry.There were, big flat vidallais onions( did you know the flatter the onion the sweeter it is). First step was to roast my garlic and my onions. Then heat a large pot of water to a boil to blanch the tomato skins off.

I capped the vidallias and the bulb of garlic. Added 1/4 cup olive oil placed them in a 350 degree oven.

You will need to have an ice bath to cool the tomatoes you remove from the boiling water.

Then wash the tomatoes and be sure any field debris washed from the skins. ( I had a few Heirlooms from sisters garden that I added to the Roma mix) After washing these beauties I cut out the core and any bruised or less then desirable parts.

The cored or capped tomatoes a dropped in the hot water for 30-45 seconds, you will see the skins crack.

The tomatoes in the ice bath before peeling.



The skins will be cracked and ready for you to easily peel the tomato flesh.

I was not looking forward to the skinning of the tomato. This goes back to my days in restaurant kitchens when we would do 25 pounds of tomato peeling and dicing at a time. Well my 71/2 pounds of tomatoes went fast. Thank goodness for small favors.

After the onions and garlic are roasted and cooled use the oil in the roasting pan to create a onion and garlic paste in a food processor. Clear the paste  a large stock pot. Then I repeat this with the peeled tomatoes.
Then add the tomatoes to the paste.

Here is the sweet marriage of tomato and onion-garlic paste.

This is a simple sauce that can be used to build a meat sauce, filling for lasagna or even added to soup or stew. I keep the seasoning simple. Black pepper, kosher salt and sugar. now cook the mixture until it no longer looks like thins soup. 1 1/2 hours to 3 hours. The flavor is gained from reducing the liquid. Stir ofter to prevent the bottom from caramelizing and scorching..not at all good for your flavor.



Process you jars in hot almost boiling water You should remove one jar at a time and fill with hot sauce.

once all jars are filled seal with hot lids and return to hot water and bring to a boil. Tomato Sauce should

boil in can for 30 minutes. The remove to a wire rack and allow to cool.

SUMMER ROMA TOMATO SAUCE:

Ingredients;

7to 8 pounds of Ripe red Roma tomatoes (DO NOT REFRIGERATE BEFORE CANNING)

2 large Vidallia onions

1 large bulb Garlic

1/4cup  Olive Oil

2T sugar

2t kosher salt

1 1/2 t black fine ground pepper

large bowl of ice

large canning pot

large stock pot