I had one of those days today. I attempted two different dishes and for various reasons they did not come to fruition. The butcher gave me the wrong cut of meat for one so it has been made however is not quite right and the other, lets just say I am still cleaning the remnants off the floor. So I opted for an old faithful.
This very tasty little sauce is something you can almost serve with anything. To date I have made it to accompany chargrilled lamb, seared tuna steaks, barbequed filet mignons, even corn fritters and today it is pork & fennel sausages. The sauce is incredibly versatile and having it on hand can bring a simple meal to life – it just seems to add that something extra.
The pomegranate molasses and ground cumin add flavours that are reminiscent of Middle Eastern cooking. In particular the molasses, which adds a piquancy in its own very sweet and tart way.
Perhaps, its about time you put away your ketchup and ventured out into the unknown – this sauce will add an exotic flavour to whatever you pair it with. Enjoy!
500 grams/1 pound 2 ounces Roma (plum) tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
10 basil leaves
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Preheat your oven to 180c/350f.
Cut the tomatoes into quarters and place them in a baking dish. Sprinkle with the salt and sugar and place in the oven. Roast for 40 minutes or until the edges start to blacken a little. Remove and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
Place the tomatoes in a food processor with all the other ingredients and blend to a smooth paste. Season with freshly ground black pepper.
Notes: This will keep for around two weeks in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Source: Michele Cranston
© 2010, Michelle. All rights reserved.
