Or that's what a chef I once met used to call it. Really it's just a simple cooked tomato sauce. The biggest challenge is to find yellow tomatoes without paying an arm and a leg. That's what farmer's markets are for. This is a great way to use early-season tomatoes that haven't yet reached their peak of ripeness -- the acidity gives a nice balance to the sauce.
Great flavor, great color, and only five ingredients (excluding seasonings). Toss this sauce with pasta (try cheese tortellini) or serve with fish or shellfish. For an elegant appetizer, ladle a bit of this on a plate, and top with sauteed mushrooms, peas or fava beans, green onions, and soft-shelled crab.
2-4 lb yellow tomatoes, large dice
1 medium onion, quartered
4-5 cloves garlic, chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
1 small bunch fresh basil, leaves still whole
salt and pepper (preferably white) to taste
1. Cut onions and tomatoes into quarters and combine in a saucepan along with garlic, olive oil, and basil. The pan should be large enough that the vegetables cover the bottom to a depth of an inch or so, but not deeper.
2. Simmer over low heat until the onions are soft and almost all the water has cooked out of the tomatoes (about 20-25 minutes). (Mixture shouldn't be watery, but shouldn't be dry either.)
3. Remove basil leaves and puree until smooth. (If you left the basil in it would mess up the color.) Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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