Last week’s recipe for Grilled Tomato Bloody Mary Mix drains just-grilled tomatoes so that you can use their juice. You’re left with a colander full of smoky tomato solids that can be used anywhere you love the flavor of fire-roasted tomatoes, from salsas to sauces.
I shared last week my technique for grilling tomatoes and separating the juice and solids. If you don’t have time for further kitchen projects on your grilling day, the juice and solids can be frozen in separate containers until you’re ready to use them. Every year, I stockpile tomato juice and solids in the freezer and then turn the latter into multiple batches of intensely flavored pizza sauce.
With all vegetables precooked and excess tomato liquid removed, this pizza sauce needs just enough time on the stovetop to meld the flavors. A high-powered immersion blender or food processor breaks down the chopped vegetables and even tomato skins enough to create a sauce with just a bit of texture.
Although this pizza sauce resembles roasted tomato pasta sauce that can be canned in a boiling water bath, the recipe here just has a little lemon zest for flavor. It lacks the acidity needed for safe canning and should only be eaten fresh or frozen.
I find it handy to keep a stash of 1- to 4-ounce cubes of this sauce in the freezer for sourdough pizzas and any recipe that calls for a dab of tomato sauce or paste. When I have space, I freeze it in the same 1-cup-cube trays I use for Homemade Shrimp Stock. This larger portion works for a pasta meal for two to four people or as a dipping sauce on a party tray.
Grilled Tomato Pizza Sauce
Makes about 3 cups
1-1/2 pounds grilled and drained tomatoes (about 2-1/2 cups)
1/2 cup chopped grilled onion
2 cloves roasted garlic, chopped
1-1/2 teaspoons honey
Zest of 1 large lemon
1 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons minced fresh herbs (such as basil, oregano, thyme and parsley)
If using an immersion blender, put the grilled tomato solids in a medium saucepan; otherwise, put them in a large food processor. Add the onion, garlic, honey, lemon zest, salt, pepper and cinnamon. Puree with an immersion blender or in the food processor until smooth.
In a medium saucepan, heat the sauce over medium-low heat for about five minutes, until it begins to bubble. If too thin, continue cooking until the sauce thickens to your liking. Stir in the fresh herbs, and then remove the sauce from the heat. Serve immediately or let cool to room temperature and store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to four days. For longer storage, spoon the cooled sauce into ice trays and freeze until solid. Transfer the cubes to a labeled zip-close freezer bag and freeze for up to a year.
Julie Laing is a Bigfork-based cookbook author and food blogger at TwiceAsTasty.com.