Groom's Tomato Sauce

Elke has a bumper crop of home-grown tomatoes. If only all of us were so blessed! She asked for a tomato sauce recipe.

This is my husband's recipe, which I think he learned from his mom because I've seen his sister make it, too. The first time I had it, it was while we were dating, and it was his first time to my apartment. He brought fresh tomatoes, fish, eggs, Italian parsley, cilantro, garlic, cumin, and a few other ingredients. He also brought some of his favorite CDs to share. He went to my kitchen and started cooking dinner. He refused to let me lift a finger, except for making iced tea. So there I sat, candles burning, music playing, watching a gorgeous man peel tomatoes in my kitchen for me.

What else is a single woman to think but "I have to marry this guy"?

We tied the knot less than three months after eating this sauce...! (Thus the name.)

As far as the sauce, he served it with breaded fish, and it was great. His other favorites are meatballs and eggs.

several tablespoons of olive oil (a good glug)
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
7-8 medium to large ripe tomatoes, peeled*, seeded if you like, and diced
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin**
2 tablespoons minced Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
1/4 cup fresh minced cilantro

1. Heat the oil over medium heat in a pot with a wide bottom. Add the minced garlic and let it cook for a minute; just make sure the garlic doesn't burn.

2. Add the tomatoes, paprika, salt, and cumin. Cook over medium heat for about 20-25 minutes, stirring occassionally -- we also smash some of the tomato chunks with a wooden spoon while cooking (whether that's an approved cooking method, I don't know). Taste and adjust seasoning.

3. Stir in the parsley and cilantro and remove from heat.

* I recommend the shock method to peel tomatoes: boil a large pot of water. While it's heating, fill a bowl halfway with ice, and add water to make an ice bath. Cut an X in the bottom of each tomato. Drop each tomato in the boiling water for about 20-60 seconds -- the more ripe the tomato is, the less time it will need-- then take out the tomato and immediately plunge it in the ice water. You should be able to easily remove the skin. This method also works great on peaches.

** cumin note: You'll enjoy better flavor if you grind your own cumin seeds. Toast whole cumin seeds in a dry pan for just a few seconds, until they begin to smell. Remove immediately from the heat (they can burn quickly). I keep a coffee grinder just for spices. Grind your cumin seeds after they've cooled a bit.

Comments

[Elke Sisco]

Does your husband have any brothers? ;-)

Can I make a mountain of this, put it in jars, and keep it around for those harsh California winters?

(All the tomatoes, by the way, are Sean's credit entirely - I think you know I'm living with my friends Holly and Sean, and Sean loves to garden. There are 3 tomato plants in the backyard that are producing like crazy, a cucumber that grows obscenely large and twisted cukes, several peppers, and all those herbs that I photographed. I just get to take advantage of the bounty. I sure am lucky to have friends like this.)

[Shaun]

Brrr, California winters! I'd invite you to winter here but North Carolina isn't looking good, according to the Farmer's Almanac! (For some reason that was big TV news this week.)

My guess is this will freeze well, we just never keep it around that long...

My husband does have a brother. He's an aspiring model. He's also taken!