No. 22 — Tomato Sauce, Rich and Very Fine

Ingredients

• One dozen large, ripe tomatoes
• Four ounces of raw ham
• One dozen small eschalots
• One bunch of thyme or parsley
• One cup good soup-stock or other soup

Directions

1. Pick off the stalks of the tomatoes.
2. Extract the seeds and watery juice by squeezing them in the hand.
3. Place the pulp in a stewpan.
4. Cut the four ounces of ham into cubes, then put the ham into the stewpan with the pulp, a dozen small eschalots, and a bunch of thyme or parsley.
5. Fry this mixture in butter until tomatoes soften and strain.
6. Mix this puree with a cupful of good soup-stock or other soup.
7. Add the strained juice of the tomatoes, and let boil fifteen minutes, then set it by to clarify.
8. Serve it hot. When canned tomatoes are used, omit the first directions.

Source — La Cuisine Creole
Prepared by Michaela Tracey
Louisiana Anthology
March 16, 2020