Summer’s Last Hurrah: Raw Yellow Tomato Sauce

Today is the last day of summer (officially), and I am resisting it with all my might.  While I love the introduction of fall produce like apples and winter squash, I am a summer girl at heart and will dearly miss the warmth of summer, the abundance of fresh local produce, and just how vibrant my body feels through those sunny warm months.

I hesitated posting this recipe from LTEV today, thinking “who will want a fresh, raw tomato recipe at this time of year?“…

But, maybe you with me, kicking and screaming like a sullen toddler to let go of summer.  And, maybe you still have some beautiful mellow yellow tomatoes at your markets – or in your garden (wink, wink: Heather).  If so, this one’s for you!

For these photos, I used this spectacular new pasta that I picked up at one of our local shops, Antony & Sons – King Soba Organic Black Rice Noodles.  Let’s ignore the dang rice and arsenic issue for now, because aren’t these noodles funky-cool?  They do lose a little of their color through boiling, becoming more of a purplish-grey rather than stark black.  But, still unique and a fun switch-up!

In these photos I did add the sun-dried tomato option (see savvy subs note in the recipe).  It adds great texture and flavor.  Also note that this sauce converts beautifully into a fresh salsa – again, see my recipe notes below!

And, like most sauces, I can pretty much eat this off a spoon (or tortilla chips)! 🙂

Raw Yellow Tomato Sauce gluten-free, soy-free, oil-free option LINK to print/share

Recipe from Let Them Eat Vegan

This sauce is fresh and vibrant, and can be served tossed into your pasta of choice, or topped on a whole grain, or kept virtuous in its raw capacity to accompany raw noodles or toss into a raw salad. Yellow tomatoes are usually less acidic and a little sweeter than red, and as they are such a glorious color, make the ideal ingredient for this sauce. Plus, with the addition of extra garlic and some jalapeño peppers, this sauce quickly transforms into a salsa (see note)!

2 1/2 cups chopped yellow tomatoes (see note & directions)

1-2 medium/large cloves garlic, cut in half or quarters

1/2 cup green onions, sliced (green portion mostly)

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (optional, omit for oil-free version)

3/4 – 1 tsp sea salt (see note)

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves (optional)

1/3 cup fresh basil leaves (tightly or loosely packed)

½ cup red bell pepper, diced (and reserved; see note for sun-dried tomato option)

In a bowl, gently squeeze the chopped tomatoes to remove most of their excess juice. It will help keep the sauce from being too thin and runny (remove as much as you can, but no need to fret or excessively squeeze to remove it all; some tomatoes are naturally juicier than others). Then transfer the tomatoes along with the remaining ingredients, starting with 3⁄4 teaspoon of salt, excluding the bell peppers and optional olive oil, to a food processor or blender, and pulse to partially break up the sauce. Add the peppers and pulse again, maintaining chunkier bits of peppers rather than pureeing. Add additional salt and pepper to taste . . . then serve as you wish, in pasta, on rice, drizzled on a wrap sandwich, and so on.  (By the way, Brazil Nut Parm pretty darn good to top it off!)  Serves 3-4.

Adult-Minded: To switch this into a salsa, add another clove of garlic (if you like), along with 1⁄2 to 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced, and 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lime juice. Substitute cilantro for the parsley or basil, and you can add more green onions, if you like. When processing, keep much chunkier than you would for a sauce.

If This Apron Could Talk:

I like one average clove of garlic in this sauce. You can add more if you like, but keep in mind that too much garlic can overpower the other subtle flavors unless converting sauce to a salsa.

You may want less or more salt depending on how you use the sauce. If tossing with cooked pasta, you may need extra; however, if drizzling over rice or grains, it will taste stronger and so you may opt for less.

If serving this on cooked pasta, it helps to bring the sauce to room temperature (if previously refrigerated) just so you aren’t tossing a very cold sauce into the pasta. Also, you can gently warm it by transferring the sauce to a covered container and letting sit in a few inches of hot water until it is has become warmed through.

Ingredients 411: At our local farmers’ market in the summer, there is a stall with beautiful organic bell peppers, eggplant, and a variety of tomatoes. I tried a variety of yellow tomatoes one week, and it became a favorite. The Hugh’s Beefsteak variety in particular is amazing in this sauce (and all on its own!), and the Lemon Boy variety is also quite lovely.

Savvy Subs and Adds: If you keep dehydrated/sundried tomatoes on hand (regular red tomato variety), try substituting about 1⁄3 cup, chopped, for the red bell pepper.  It adds some umami flavor and ‘meatiness’ to the sauce.

How about you?  Having a hard time letting go of summer, or do you absolutely love fall?  Do you still have fresh tomatoes handy to make this sauce?

p.s. New Plant-Powered Kids Series post coming next week!  Subscribe for updates!  Thanks to Ricki Heller for including this recipe in her Wellness Weekend!