Tomato sauce, one of the 5 basic Mother sauces, is made by cooking tomatoes down into a thick sauce and thickened with roux. Unlike more modern-day tomato sauces, the classic French tomato sauce is flavored with pork and aromatic vegetables.
The mother sauces are the foundation for many dishes and other sauces.
Spaghetti sauce is one of the more popular dishes made with tomato sauce.
Makes 4 cups
Ingredients:
23 pieces thick cut bacon or 1/3 cup salt pork 1 large onion, diced 2 large carrots, diced 2 celery ribs, diced 1 clove garlic, minced 1- 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes 4 cups chicken stock 1 ham bone Kosher salt, to tasteFor the bouquet garni:
1 bay leaf
½ tsp dried thyme
3-4 fresh parsley stems
8-10 black peppercorns, crushed
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 300°F.
Tie the Bouquet garni ingredients into a cheesecloth sack using a piece of kitchen twine.
In a heavy, oven-safe Dutch oven, render the salt pork (or cook the bacon until crispy) over low heat until the fat liquefies.
Add the carrots, celery, onions and garlic and sauté for a few minutes until the onion is translucent but not brown.
Add the tomatoes, the ham bone, the stock and the bouquet garni.
Bring to a boil, cover, and transfer the pot to the oven. Simmer in the oven, partially covered, for two hours.
Cooking Tip:
Save your parmesan cheese rinds. To add more flavor add a pamesan cheese rind to the sauce with the bouquet garni.