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To cook with the seasons teaches us what full flavor means as it relates to everyday meals. Once we know what fresh tastes like, our palate becomes all the more discerning which is all to the benefit of our health and everyday pleasure.
Beloved French-born chef who has lived in England for decades Raymond Blanc continues to teach and inspire us as he just released another cookbook this past September. Simply Raymond: Kitchen Garden — Seasonal Recipes from My Place to Yours walks us through his own famous gardens in Oxfordshire at his Michelin-starred hotel and restaurant Le Manoir au Quat-Saisons.
Complete with 90 recipes, each with enticing photos, discover how to cook with each of the seasons while also learning more about Raymond Blanc’s approach to gardening and what inspired his designs.
The gardens, of which there are many, each serve their own purpose for the kitchen staff and his cooking school (he also offers gardening classes). As one of the first chefs to begin using the concept of Farm-to-Table when he opened his restaurant in the 80s, the seasonal offerings determine the menu that is ever-changing.
One of the recipes he teaches in his cooking class is the fundamental spaghetti sauce/tomato sauce, but as you will discover, it is not just any plain sauce. Oh no! It is called, rightfully, a Tomato Fondue. But don’t let the fancy name intimidate you. It is the simplest sauce you will make, and whether you are making a large or small batch, it will knock yoru socks off.
I made the full recipe he shares upon receiving his cookbook in September (10 tomatoes vs. my adapted version’s 1-2_, and then stored most of the sauce once I served myself. Since then, I have repeatedly made the sauce, but sized down the portions to enjoy it fresh as I made my way through the frozen batch quite quickly. It’s that scrumptious!
What you will find below is the small batch that will serve two people comfortably, large portions – what you see in the photos below is the small batch – so much sauce, I could have added more pasta.
The key is to use fresh, in-season tomatoes, high quality olive oil and don’t forget the herbs. Oh! And make sure you cook the onions enough, but not too much (I will walk you through that in the recipe). Now, let’s have a classic dinner sauce, but take it up a notch. Enjoy!
Tomato Fondue
Ingredients
- 1-2 large tomatoes choose fresh, in-season, sun-kissed for peak flavor goodness
- 1/2 medium sweet or yellow onion (2 shallots would work also)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 sprigs basil if you don't have fresh basil, leave it out and the sauce will still taste delicious, but do use them if you have them.
- 6 leaves fresh sage or 2 thyme sprigs
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pinch sea salt flakes or fleur de sel
- 1 pinch freshly ground pepper
- 2 tbsp tomato purée/tomato paste
- 1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil (the best quality you can find)
Instructions
- Roughly chop the tomato(es), the more you use, the more deeply red the sauce will be. I made this recipe with only one large tomato, and it was perfect, so don't feel you need more for this adapted recipe. Keep the skin, seeds and juice. You will want it all (only remove the stem. Set aside.
- Peel and dice the onion and garlic cloves. Pick your fresh herbs (basil and sage or thyme), whichever you have. Chop and prepare.
- Use a medium skillet (10"), bring to medium heat, and add two tablespoons of olive oil. Add the chopped onion and garlic, season with the salt and pepper, and cook for 6-8 minutes – not until brown(caramelized), but starting to become translucent. We just want to bring out the flavor of the onions – the sweetness – not to color.
- Now, add the tomato purée/paste, and if you want to add more than the 1-2 Tbsp, you absolutely can. Raymond Blanc reminds it brings richness and intensity. Cook the purée for about 1 minute in the sauce, stirring to combine with the onions. Now, add the chopped tomatoes and herbs. Mix to combine and bring (briefly) to a high boil. Once you see the sauce bubble, reduce immediately to the lowest, most gentle heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. If you will be enjoying the sauce immediately, now is the time to prepare your pasta.
- The best part – taste it! If it needs more seasonings (salt or pepper), add that now.
- But, we're not done yet! Take the sauce off the heat, and pour it into a food processor, or if you are going to use a food emulsifier, then into a high-walled saucepan. Purée the sauce – about 3-4 minutes. Now, add that high-quality olive oil (1/8 cup), and pulse until combined.
- At this point, since it is a small portion, you are likely to enjoy it immediately rather than storing it, so put the sauce back in the skillet on the stove, and bring it to a low heat. You can add the cooked pasta of your choice, which you have prepared (you can cook it while the sauce simmers), to the skillet with the sauce and toss to combine. If you are storing this sauce, let it cool, then transfer it to a container for the freezer. To reheat, simply take it out and let it sit out on the counter or in the refrigerator until it defrosts, then put it in a skillet and warm it up.
- Serve and enjoy! Consider adding meatballs or placing chicken parmesan atop the pasta or simply enjoy all on its own. It is that delicious.
The recipe for Tomato Fondue was chosen as the Petit Plaisir for episode #414 of The Simple Sophisticate podcast, The Art of Trusting Yourself (And Why It’s the Key to a Joyful Life Journey)
~Explore all of TSLL’s Petit Plaisirs here.
~Want to learn more about how to cook with the seasons? Check out the syllabus and watch the trailer of TSLL’s Intro to French Cooking: Everyday Deliciousness cooking class!
