By David Harbilas

The more names a thing has on a menu the more intimidating it is, right?

Well, there are a few different ingredients that may sound totally out of place in this recipe, but it isn’t a hard sauce to make at all.

Espelette is a chile pepper traditionally associated with the southern Basque region of France.

Its flavor is a cross between paprika, in that it’s smoky, and red pepper flake, in that it also has a bit of spice. The orange combats or mellows the heat with the sweetness, while the roasted tomato rounds it out with a meaty quality.

The butter cuts through the heat and gives the sauce a velvety texture. It goes well with fish, chicken, pork, or veal.

Makes about 3 cups of sauce

• 3 red globe tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon of espelette pepper
• 2 cups orange juice
• 1 stick butter, optional Read the rest of this entry »

By David Harbilas

Simple sautés are a seemingly forgotten thing, and perhaps with good reason.

Many such dishes are often a forgettable mess of tough “cutlets”, a poorly made demi glace and canned vegetables like artichoke hearts or roasted red peppers.

When skillfully done, however, quick sautés can be very satisfying.

Here is one made with fresh tomatoes, a little chicken stock, lemon juice and rosemary. Part of the trick to doing it right is to add the ingredients in a certain order.

Serves 4

• 4 chicken breasts, filleted
• 1 shallot, diced
• 2 large tomatoes, large diced
• 2 tablespoons chopped rosemary
• ½ cup white wine
• ½ cup chicken stock Read the rest of this entry »

By David Harbilas

This may sound like a fairly simple dish, and it is except that it doesn’t quite account for the effects that lobster have on a simple roasted tomato sauce.

This sauce is a combination of plum and globe tomatoes, so the result is a slightly chunky, slightly smooth sauce that lends itself well to pasta preparations.

In this case, the lobster can be shelled entirely and tossed with pasta, or it can be served as it is and napped with the sauce.

Either way, the lobster definitely adds a certain “something” to the sauce.

Serves 2

• 1 whole lobster, about 2 pounds
• 4 plum tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
• 2 globe tomatoes
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced Read the rest of this entry »

By David Harbilas

The word “emulsion” tends to make something sound fancy.

Maybe if you sent your kid to boarding school he or she deserves it.

Or if someone you knew ran for president or expects to.

Or maybe you just like food and don’t care what anyone thinks. If so, you’re in luck because all it really means is a puree, plus a few things, that are strained and used as a sauce. In this case, tomatoes are used partly as a seasoning and partly as a sort of thickening agent. This sauce can also be made with shrimp or even scallops.

Makes about 1 cup of sauce

• 2 tomatoes
• 1 shallot, sliced
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 sprigs of parsley Read the rest of this entry »

By David Harbilas

With the weather finally warming up, what better way to use tomatoes than with barbecue?

This recipe is relatively easy and goes well with pork, chicken and beef.

It also doesn’t require tomatoes in season, though a good plum tomato in summer will of course yield the best results.

Makes about 2 cups of sauce

• 4 plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 bottle of bourbon, roughly 8 cups
• 1 stick of butter Read the rest of this entry »

By David Harbilas

Similar to the tomato-bourbon glaze, this sauce is made with a minimum of effort and ingredients.

Unlike that recipe, this on is best suited to a more French preparation, especially with shrimp or fish.

Try it with some roasted mushrooms, chicken and pasta for a different take on chicken marsala.

Makes about 2 cups of sauce

• 5 plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 bottle of marsala
• juice of ½ lemon Read the rest of this entry »