Tomatoes are an excellent source of antioxidants including vitamins A and C, lutein, and lycopene. The carotenoid lutein, which is found in abundance in tomatoes, green leafy vegetables, and egg yolks, may help promote cognitive function and prevent age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, and breast cancer.
This recipe for coulis de tomate à la provençale will transform your plain meat, veggies, pasta, or what-have-you from everyday blah to OOOH LA LA!
“Until I discovered cooking, I was never really interested in anything.”
— Julia Child
Coulis de Tomates à la Provençale (Fresh Tomato Pureé with Garlic and Herbs)
Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Simone Beck, Louisette Bertholle, and Julia Child (1966)
Notes
Although this Mediterranean sauce has a complex flavor, none of the spices are distinct; omitting any of them is not recommended. The sauce is versatile and can be used with broiled or boiled chicken, boiled beef, meat patties, hot meat leftovers, eggs, pasta, or pizza. The recipe makes 2 cups but can (and should) be doubled for freezing extra.
This recipe was featured in a 2012 New York Times article about readers’ favorite Julia Child recipes. The newspaper’s adaptations of the original recipe (outside of doubling it) are included in the notes.
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup minced yellow onion
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 teaspoons flour
- 3 pounds ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, juiced, and chopped (~4½ cups) (Any varieties of fresh in-season farmer’s market or backyard tomatoes can be used)
- (The New York Times adaptation of this recipe calls for quartered tomatoes, which are pushed through the feed tube of a food processor fitted with the coarse grating blade, resulting in a coarse purée. If this method is used, peel the tomatoes to avoid having large pieces of skin in the finished sauce)
- ⅛ teaspoon sugar
- 2 cloves mashed garlic (The garlic can be minced or put through a press)
- Herb bouquet of 4 parsley sprigs, ½ bay leaf, and ¼ teaspoon thyme tied in a cheesecloth (A couple of sprigs of thyme can be substituted for the thyme leaves)
- ⅛ teaspoon fennel (It is not clear if this is ground or whole fennel seeds. The New York Times adaptation of this recipe calls for fennel seeds. If whole seeds are used, I recommend chopping or crushing them)
- ⅛ teaspoon basil (It is not clear if this is the fresh or dried herb. The New York Times adaptation of this recipe [see below] calls for ¼ teaspoon dried basil, oregano, marjoram, or savory)
- Small pinch saffron
- Small pinch of coriander (The New York Times adaptation of this recipe calls for 6 coriander seeds, lightly crushed)
- 1-inch piece of dried orange peel (¼ teaspoon) (Orange peel granules can be substituted)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 to 2 Tbsp tomato paste (optional)
- Pepper and additional salt to taste
Instructions
- Cook the onion and olive oil slowly together for about 10 minutes, until the onion is tender but not browned. Stir in the flour and cook slowly for 3 minutes without browning. (Note: The flour adds silkiness and body to the sauce.) Stir in the tomatoes, sugar, garlic, herb bouquet, and seasonings. Cover the pan and cook slowly for 10 minutes so that the tomatoes render more of their juice. Then uncover and simmer for about 30 minutes, adding spoonsful of tomato sauce or water if the sauce becomes so thick that it risks scorching. (Note: This is not a problem if the food processor method was followed to make a coarse purée of the tomatoes.) The sauce is done when it tastes thoroughly cooked and is thick enough to form a mass in a spoon. Remove the herb bouquet. If necessary, stir in the tomato paste for color and thickness, and simmer 2 minutes. Correct the seasoning.