Midweek food musings: Roasted Grape Tomatoes, Red Onions and Red Wine Sauce

Sauce possibilities are,  wow, just infinite. And yes, even though I collaborated on Chef Rafael Palomino’s Nueva Salsa  (and local friends, I still have a bunch of copies if you'd like one!), I’m always looking for new sauces and salsas to make.

The inspiration for this sauce comes partly from my love of roasting just about any vegetable, as well as a craving for a new tomato sauce, and the desire to use all the grape tomatoes I was compelled to buy last week! Also, since Wes, my vegetarian, is home from college (though Sofia--my daughter--loves vegetables just as much!), and honestly I’m trying not too eat too many meat-based dishes—I’ve started branching out in the sauce department.   

I made this one twice last week: the first time I made it was on Thursday—and served it for my husband atop ravioli. He liked it, so I figured I’d keep going on for Sunday’s dinner. I served it over lovely orzo-grain mixture (entitled Harvest Grains) and it worked quite well. I would, alternately, serve this on crisp toasts—or as part of a melted mozzarella sandwich. Again, so many possibilities…so much fun to explore. Enjoy!

Roasted Grape Tomatoes, Red Onions and Red Wine Sauce

Serves about 10 as a side dish, about 5 as a main

1 – 2 pounds grape tomatoes

2 large red onions, coarsely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

1/2 cup red wine (I used a Malbec that I had opened and—incredibly—not finished!)

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Toasted almond slivers

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

In the pan, just before serving

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet with olive oil. Add the tomatoes, onions, and garlic. Bake until the all are soft and the tomatoes are mushy, about 30 minutes. Add the red wine and bake another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, and stir. (At this point you can get ready to use it, or let it cool, cover, and refrigerate for up to 5 days.)

Just before serving reheat, add fresh cilantro, and salt and pepper, and toasted almonds according to taste.  

Here it is atop the orzo mixture!