Tomato sauce, also known as sauce tomate, is a beloved staple in the world of culinary arts. This versatile sauce was created by the renowned chef Auguste Escoffier, who played a significant role in revolutionizing French cuisine in the early 1900s. Escoffier’s tomato sauce recipe has stood the test of time and continues to be a fundamental component in countless dishes. The beauty of tomato sauce lies in its ability to enhance the flavors of a wide variety of foods. Whether it’s paired with tender meat, fish, vegetables, crusty bread, lasagna, or al dente pasta, there are few dishes that cannot be improved by the addition of this vibrant and flavorful sauce. One of the reasons tomato sauce is so popular is its simplicity.
The basic composition of French Sauce Tomate is tomato, fresh herbs, stock, and pork fat. However, and by omitting stock and pork fat, you allow the natural sweetness and acidity of the tomato to shine through, resulting in a vibrant and fresh base that can be used in a variety of recipes.
Indeed, as a mother sauce, Sauce Tomate has many daughter sauces or derivatives. These small sauces include: Marinara sauce, Creole sauce, Spanish sauce, Provençale sauce, Vodka sauce, ketchup and Hot sauce.