CHEF JEFF — ONE BYTE AT A TIME: Surprise Tomato Sauce

If you haven’t thought of plums as a secret ingredient, try this recipe, adapted from one by culinary expert Maureen Pothier of Johnson and Wales University.

Surprise Tomato Sauce

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 28-ounce can whole plum tomatoes

2 tablespoons tomato paste

8 to 10 prunes, chopped

1 bay leaf

¼ to ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1½ tablespoons chopped fresh basil, or 1 teaspoon dried

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper

Heat olive oil in saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion; cook, until softened. Add garlic; cook for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, paste, prunes, bay leaf and red pepper. Heat to a boil; reduce heat to simmer. Cook for hour, stirring often. Add basil and parsley; simmer 2 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Season with salt and ground pepper to taste.

Yield: Serves 8.

Grab more food tidbits at the Chef Jeff blog at GrandForksHerald.com.

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