you say tomato, i say tomato.

phew...how is everybody out there?! i feel the angst when we are apart... i miss you and the word. poems that i don't have time for at the moment but if you are feeling inspired please send them in...share the love....i have been out in the field; in the kitchens shifting dynamics & clearing out the resistance with some amazing mamas....AND i have been missing you mamas and awesome folk...on the menu today is my tomato sauce! my mom taught me this one.. i have no idea if it's changed since the original...maybe she will write in and let us know....for my tomatoes....i am a big fan of beylik farms who are at so many of the farmers markets around southern california...you can learn more about the farm & their market schedule here. i pick my tomatoes & cucumbers up on sundays in hollywood & thursdays in south pasadena. the deal with this sauce...(is this thing on): the tomato. yes. the tomato ladies and gents. sometimes the japanese tomatoes are a hit (lowest acidity of all tomatoes) and sometimes it's the premium red ones....the simplicity here can be so lush & incredible if the tomato is delicious, vibrant, a good balance of soft and hard & not too watery. if you can't get to the farmers market & you are at the supermarket...ask to try your produce. usually there are a few guys stocking up in the area & they have knives in their back pockets just for us and this purpose. you can ask to try anything. be brave .... i mean you are a renaissance mama! ok.. so here it goes.. in one medium deep saute pan...fill with water 1/2 way up the pan and put on medium/high heat... place 'coreless' tomatoes in the water... and put lid on it....this is essentially a bath steam...i could use one of those about now. don't keep this heat happening for too long b/c you don't want them to melt. what you do want is for the tomatoes to soften & let the peel break off (it will eventually slip off with a fork)...as this is doing it's thing...bring out your biggest/deepest saute pan & grab a medium sized yellow onion... an awesome, round sauce pan is best because it gives you the freedom to move around in it like a skating rink... pour some olive oil in and set it on medium... chop up onion & put it in the pan. this time i had some sage.. so i chopped it up and put it in there too...you can also put in a garlic clove or 2 and some basil.. this is all to taste in terms of measurement... basil and sage together = yum....& then let that hang out and glaze a bit.... *note: great to get a wood board just for your onions....so you don't have to worry about the juice on the board and it getting on other things... we are always thinking about our freedom!! **BIGGER note.. give that white plastic thing that has all the cuts in it and was marketed as the best way to cut a chicken....away to someone who really needs one like a shelter or non-profit or you can use it as a paint pallate... or just recycle it....and go get yourself a wood cutting board.... they are an essential tool in the RM kitchen. you can't have too many. ok.. moving on... by now the onions are glazed and the tomatoes are looking ready... you can use a variety of tools to scoop the tomatoes out...i use a basket spoon or my very wide round wooden ladel.. you could also use a slotted spoon & with your scooper in one hand and a fork in the other you scoop up the tomato, drain the water and begin to undress the tomato with your fork.. usually these ladies are quite easy at this point.. they are so hot and all ;) oh c'mon! once nakeys (as we call it over here) or skinless.. place in the onion/sage/oil pan... repeat the scooping until finished. then use a potato masher (stainless steel please) and mush the tomatoes in the sweet onion base... add a pinch of salt, put the lid on and let sit until dinner... you are welcome to add some tomato paste... oh! and to measure it out... it's about 2 medium sized tomatoes per person... so for a dinner of 4 i would buy 8 tomatoes. the other thing here is...it's best to have more than less b/c it will keep well....and for the sauce you can keep it on simmer for 45 minutes or so.. really just so everything can hang out together.. this will keep for 4 -5 days (maybe more) in the fridge too. it's always best to make it even if your not going to eat it that night...you can rely on it being there which is the best feeling when you are a busy mama...see you in the kitchenxxx