Basil Leaves Float Like Dancers, Tomato Sea
This is the ronin of sauces: a masterless warrior in plain dress who wanders the land in search of hoodlum, inferior tomato sauces to gracefully decapitate. And, let’s not lie: those crappy, second rate canned sauces had it coming. For that matter, so does any other dish that’s trying to convince you it’s the best thing in town. This sauce will judo your meal preferences so hard and fast you’ll swear you never even saw it move. Yeah, that’s right. The secret’s in the simplicity.
Ingredients
8 ripe tomatoes (I used a mix of plum and roma), diced
1 red onion, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1-2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
1 bunch of basil leaves, finely chopped (you want about half a cup chopped)
1 glug of olive oil
1 pat of butter
Red pepper flakes (optional)
Salt and pepper (to taste)
Method
Spoon Ship in Tomato Sea
Put a saucepan on medium heat. Toss in your glug of olive oil and your pat of butter. Let the butter start to melt; when it just begins to foam, throw in your garlic and stir for a minute. If butter or garlic looks like it’s going to brown or burn, turn down your heat. Toss in the onions and a good grind of salt and stir several minutes until they are just translucent. Add your tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, about a third of the basil, and the red pepper flakes (if using). Give a good grind of salt and pepper, stir and reduce the heat to a simmer. Allow the tomatoes to release their juices, and then cook down into a nice, colorful sauce—about 10 minutes. Right before serving, toss in the remaining basil and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Serve over pasta, and destroy.