RB's Roasted Tomato Butter Sauce

R B’s Roasted Tomato Butter Sauce
From: Ralph Brennan's New Orleans Seafood Cookbook
Peeking out from behind the Shrimp Ravioli

Hands on time: 40-50 minutes
Roasting time: 20-25 minutes*

Makes 4 cups

Ingredients:
2 lbs/1kg very ripe Creole tomatoes* (not being able to find Creole tomatoes, I used tinned fire roasted crushed tomatoes – 28oz/794g, drained)
Sauce:
1 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp shallots, minced
¼ cup good quality sweet vermouth
1 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp heavy cream
1lb/454g cold unsalted butter, cut into 16 pats, used at room temperature
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

Directions: .
*For roasting tomatoes (I didn’t do this, but here’s Ralph’s method)
1. Preheat oven to 350° F/180°C

2. Rinse tomatoes and roast them in the oven on a rimmed baking sheet, core side down, until the skin starts to separate from the tomato pulp but hasn’t yet burst open, 20-25 minutes. (Ruth’s note: don’t forget to line the baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup.)

3. Remove the tomatoes from the oven and set aside until cool enough to handle.

4. Peel and core the tomatoes holding them over a bowl to catch the juice. Chop the pulp and add to the juice. If prepared ahead, refrigerate in a covered container.

Preparing the Sauce:
1. In a heavy, non-reactive 5½ quart saucepan, heat the olive oil over high heat until hot, about 2 minutes. Add the shallots and cook until soft, 3 minutes or so, stirring occasionally.

2. Add the vermouth and vinegar and cook until the liquid in the mixture reduces by half, 1-2 minutes.

3. Add the cream, then the drained tomatoes (Ruth’s note: I drained the Fire-roasted crushed tomatoes), mixing well.

4. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook until the mixture reduces to about half and is fairly thick, 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.


5. Add the butter cubes one at a time, constantly whisking until all the butter is incorporated (if you’re using an electric stove, Ralph suggests removing the pan before adding the first pat and returning the pan to the stove only once the heat has been reduced to medium-low). Each addition of butter should be almost completely melted before adding more. This will take 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the kosher salt and pepper.