Title: Tomato Butter Sauce
Categories: Sauce Check
Yield: 2 Cups

2	c	Dry white wine
1 1/4	c	Sherry vinegar
1	c	Plum tomatoes coarsely chopped
3	lg	Shallots, chopped
1 1/2	ts	Black peppercorns
1 1/2	ts	Coriander seeds
1/2	c	Heavy cream
1/2	lb	(2 sticks) cold butter cut into tbs pieces
		Salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large nonreactive saucepan, combine the wine, vinegar, tomatoes, shallots, black peppercorns, and coriander seeds and boil over high heat until reduced by three-quarters, about 30 minutes. Add the cream and boil for a few minutes to thicken slightly.

Can be prepared to this point up to 1 day ahead. Let cool, then strain and refrigerate. Return to a simmer before proceeding.

2. Reduce heat to low and start whisking in the butter, a few pieces at a time, adding more before the last batch is fully incorporated. Remove pan from heat the moment all the butter is incorporated; overheating will cause the sauce to separate.

3. Pass the sauce through a fine strainer into a clean nonreactive pan. Season with salt and pepper. Keep the sauce in a warm place until time to serve. Pour over pasta.

Food and Wine April 1995

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