Tomato Sweet Basil Sauce

from the kitchen of Chef Paul Prudhomme

Makes 6 cups

Be sure to use fresh basil because dried just doesn’t make it. This sauce goes great with either chicken, beef, veal or seafood, or over pasta or rice. Use seafood stock and Seafood Magic if you're going to serve it with seafood.

ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil

3 cups finely diced onions

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter or margarine

4 teaspoons minced fresh garlic

3 cups chicken (or seafood) stock

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Poultry Magic® or

Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Seafood Magic®

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

3 teaspoons light brown sugar

6 cups chopped, peeled fresh tomatoes

how to prepare

Heat the olive oil in a 4-quart pot over high heat for 2 minutes. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they start to brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add ½ stick of the butter (or margarine) and turn the heat to medium. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the onions caramelize (turn a rich brown color). Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the stock, Worcestershire sauce, Poultry (or Seafood) Magic, basil and sugar. Turn the heat up to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is reduced by one-fourth, about 6 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes. Reduce the heat, whisk in the remaining butter (or margarine), and cook for 2 minutes. The finished sauce should be thick and shiny.