Tomato Vierge

Summary

Yield	600 Grams
Source	Inspired by Roland Passot of La Folie
Prep time	5 minutes
Recipes	Emulsions Sauces Sauces, Soups & Stocks
Site Categories	Hydrocolloids Xanthan Gum Ingredients Garlic Herbs Basil Oil Canola Oil Tomato Vinegar Sherry Vinegar

Description

Tomato Vierge is a simple yet flavorful emulsion of tomatoes, aromatics and oil. It is most notably missing egg, which makes this preparation much lighter then it's sister sauce, aioli.

Ingredients

200	g	Tomatoes (Cut into quarters)
2		Basil Leafs (Large)
20	g	Vinegar, Aged Sherry
3	g	Salt (Kosher)
2	g	Xanthan Gum
400	g	Canola Oil
1	clv	Garlic

Instructions

Combine all ingredients except for oil in a blender.
Blend on high for about 30-45 seconds. Use blender auguer to press tomatoes into blender blade to get the puree going.
Drop blender speed down to medium-low, and start to slowly stream in canola oil, forming an emulsion.
As the vierge starts to thicken, slowly work the blender speed up to the highest setting.
When the hole in the vortex formed by the blender shrinks to the size of a nickel, shut off the blender blade. You should see one or two large air bubbles break the surface of the emulsion. If a bunch of tiny air bubbles break the surface instead, then your emulsion is broken and you'll need to start over.
Taste vierge for balance and flavor; sometimes the sauce will taste a little sour from acid present in the tomatoes and sherry vinegar. A small pinch of sugar will counteract this, although usually salt and freshly ground pepper are all you'll need to add.
Push finished vierge through a chinois and chill in an airtight container. Keeps for up to five days.

Notes

Try to think of sauce vierge as more of a technique then a recipe. I've made vierge with beets, carrots and other various vegetables depending on my desired, finished flavor profile. The xanthan gum is optional, but it makes it easier to jump start the emulsion since there is no other emulsifier present (such as eggs or mustard).
Sauce vierge is a great universal sauce that goes good with just about anything. Think of it as a freshly made, light ketchup without the one dimensional sweetness.
Aged sherry vinegar is my personal preference for the acid in this recipe, although you can substitute the sherry for another vinegar to suit your needs.