This all started out as a complicated shakshuka recipe and turned out to be the most delicious tomato relish either of us was prepared for. Our breakfast that day turned out to be so much more delicious than I had anticipated. While chatting about it we discovered how many food dishes we could actually use this relish in and then our minds were blown away by such simplicity and convenience if we were to have this sauce on hand.
It’s maybe a little bit of work but totally worth it. I ended up having the tomato relish on a slice of whole-wheat toast with a fried egg on top and it’s now become my second favorite breakfast. It’s also light on the tummy which is a win for me.
If you don’t have a food processor or hand blender then just chop as fine as you like and your relish can still taste delicious with an added chunkiness. Either way, I don’t think it would matter and as time goes on you’ll perfect it to your own liking.
Ingredients
2 tbs olive oil for frying
1 carrot finely chopped
2 celery stalks finely chopped
1 medium green pepper finely chopped
1 medium onion chopped
2 large tomatoes peeled and roughly diced
1 tsp garlic
1 heaped tsp beef/vegetable stock powder
1 tin crushed tomatoes
1 tsp sugar
1/3 cup water
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
Directions
To peel the tomatoes is very easy. Slice a small X underneath the tomato with a sharp knife. You just want to split the tomato skin. Next, place them in a deep bowl and pour boiling water over from the kettle, enough to cover the tomatoes and leave to sit for about 10 minutes. After a while, you’ll see the skin start to separate. When most of the skin looks loose, drain or remove the tomatoes and start to peel the skin off. It should come off very easily.
Then chop the peeled tomatoes into chunks and add to the food processor. Don’t process just yet
Next, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat, once heated add in your chopped celery, carrots, and green pepper.
Fry for about 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Then add the stock powder to the veggies and mix so you coating your veggies in the stock powder and then pour in the 1/3 cup of water and give it a good stir.
Place a lid on the pan so that the veggies can cook in the steam and give it a good stir occasionally so the veggies don’t stick.
When the veggies are just about soft and the water is gone you can add to the food processor along with the tomatoes.
Blend until you get a semi-smooth consistency. It will appear to be thick. When you have a good consistency set aside.
In the same frying pan, if needed, add in another tbsp of olive oil and heat over medium heat again. Add in your chopped onion and fry till semi-translucent. Next, add in your garlic and tin of crushed tomatoes and stir till all is combined. Allow cooking for a few minutes so heat can get through the whole dish.
Add your tsp of sugar and stir it through. After about 5 minutes you can now add in your veggies from the blender and your pepper and cayenne pepper. Give it a good stir so everything combines. It should be bubbling away at this point. Turn down your heat to a low setting and just keep stirring every so often and allow to cook for another 5-10 minutes.
Remove from heat and enjoy as you so desire.
Ideas for this relish dish
- Heated over spaghetti or whole wheat pasta
- As a side source for meats
- On your toast with a fried egg
- If you make it a bit spicy, it’s really delicious mixed into your macaroni and white sauce for mac & cheese.
- On a wors or prego roll
- On your burger
- On the side of most breakfast dishes
- Served with grilled sausage, especially pork sausage
- Delicious on nachos
- As a dipping sauce
- On an open grilled cheese sandwich or
- Even on a toasted cheese
- On your pap or mashed potatoes
- Added to mince and you have a spaghetti bolognese
- On the base of your pizza
There are countless ways to actually use this tomato relish. You can also even add in some black or butter beans and even chickpeas at the very end to make it a little different.
Side Note:
Peppers can be red or green, it really doesn’t matter. We just prefer green. When using the stock I prefer to sprinkle it over and coat my veggies but it can also be mixed with the 1/4 cup of water provided it’s hot, then just add that to the veggies.
With regard to spices, I prefer using stock and cayenne pepper. You don’t have to use stock and can use other spices if you wish. I haven’t done this but I’m pretty sure if you use flavourful spices you will achieve delicious results. So instead of adding stock, you would add your spices and stir and then add in the water.
You don’t have to peel your tomatoes but it is much better. We don’t like bits of tomatoes skin on there own flapping about in the relish.
You can use a whole tin of the crushed tomatoes if you like, just be careful of the sour acidic taste and maybe add more sugar to cancel this out. We use 1/2 a tin to avoid the acidic sourness of it all.
If you like it spicier you can leave out or add to the cayenne pepper chopped chilies, chilies flakes, or even curry powder.
Store in the fridge in an airtight container or jar and you should be able to store it for up to 2 weeks, if it lasts that long 😉