Lebanese Tomato Sauce Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add tomatoes and garlic; season with salt, and cook, stirring often, until tomatoes release their juices, about 4 minutes.
• Add cayenne and mint, if using, and cook, stirring often, until sauce is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes; season with salt. Let cool.

Steps:

• Cut the stalks out of the tomatoes. Put them in a bowl and pour over boiling water to loosen their skins. Peel away the skins, remove the seeds and finely dice the flesh.
• Heat the olive oil in a pan over a medium heat. When hot, add the tomatoes and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes.
• Add the cayenne pepper and dried mint. Season with salt and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring. By now, the tomatoes should have lost all their excess liquid. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
• Serve the tomato salsa at room temperature.

Steps:

• Bring a pot of water to a boil; prepare a large ice-water bath. Cut a shallow X in the bottom of each tomato; place in pot and blanch 20 seconds. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to ice bath; let cool completely. Peel and discard skins.
• Core, halve, and squeeze tomatoes to remove seeds and pulp. Transfer flesh to a food processor. Add oil, cumin seeds, pepper flakes, and salt. Pulse just until a chunky sauce forms (about 8 times). Transfer to a bowl. Stir in garlic. Refrigerate, covered, at least 8 hours and up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature and remove garlic before serving.