Tomatoes aren’t the only vegetable that you can turn into a sauce or condiment. Onions and fennel cook down to a thick, sweet, jammy confit. Roasted peppers can be simmered until they’re soft and saucy, then tossed with pasta, piled onto bruschetta or spooned over fish or chicken.

Mediterranean cooks have always been my inspiration when it comes to vegetable-based sauces. Traditionally they’ve had to be clever about putting by, taking the abundance of one season and cooking it down (into a tomato sauce, for instance, or puree) or blending it with olive oil (pesto) so that it lasts until winter’s end.

Use this week’s recipes to gussy up a simple bowl of grains and vegetables, enjoy the sauces with crusty bread or atop a good piece of fish or chicken, or serve with anything grilled. They all keep well in the refrigerator, and they also can be frozen, perfect for pulling out on a summer day when the heat has sapped your desire to cook.

There are so many ways to enjoy this sauce. You can serve it with pasta or grains, over vegetables (try it with cauliflower) or on a bruschetta. I recently tried it with Israeli couscous, sautéed in olive oil then simmered in stock and topped with this sauce. 

ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

1 large garlic clove, minced

1 pound fresh tomatoes, grated, or 1 can chopped tomatoes

1 basil sprig

1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and finely chopped

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar (more to taste)

1 to 2 tablespoons minced parsley or slivered basil (optional) 

preparation

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium, heavy saucepan. Add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about five minutes. Stir in the garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes, basil sprig, capers, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stir and reduce the heat. Simmer 10 to 15 minutes until cooked down and very fragrant. Remove the basil sprig. Stir in the vinegar, the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and the optional parsley or basil. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve hot or cold.

Yield: About 1 1/4 cups, serving four to six.

Advance preparation: You can keep this sauce for about a week in therefrigerator. It freezes well.

Nutritional information per serving (four servings):  87 calories; 1 gramsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 0milligrams cholesterol; 6 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 70milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 1 gram protein

Nutritional information per serving (six servings):  58 calories; 1 gramsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 0milligrams cholesterol; 4 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 47milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 1 gram protein