Tomato Brown Butter Is The Ultimate Summer Condiment You Need
The end of summer is peak tomato season and the perfect time to stock up on these juicy, ripe fruits at the farmer's market. But if your haul gave you more tomatoes than you know what to do with, don't let them go to waste. Sure, you could make an heirloom tomato and ricotta tart or a quick tomato sauce – but for a versatile recipe that will last far longer than your fresh fruits would on the counter, try whipping up tomato brown butter.
It's exactly what it sounds like: Tomato-infused brown butter that results in a tasty mix of subtle nutty, sweet, and acidic flavors. Brown butter itself already has a deeper flavor than the regular thing, since you're essentially toasting its milky bits. But when you add in your fresh tomatoes, you're balancing out the richness with lighter sweet and acidic notes, giving the condiment a summery upgrade. Tomato brown butter goes perfectly over all your favorite savory meals of the season, like a light pasta dish, fresh fish (like cod), a farmers market sandwich, or grilled meat and vegetables.
How to make tomato brown butter
While an infused butter may sound complicated, it's pretty easy to make this tomato version — especially since you're not making the butter from scratch. To get your tomatoes to condiment consistency, you're going to want to puree them in a blender, then strain them to get out any remaining chunky bits. If you'd like, you can roast them ahead of time so that their liquid starts to release and their sweet flavors get enhanced. Just make sure to fully cool and drain the fruits before blending them up. And while tomatoes and butter make for a delicious combination on their own, feel free to blend up any other ingredients you'd like with the fruits for additional flavor — for example, rosemary, thyme, garlic powder, or red pepper flakes.
An essential part of making this condiment is browning the butter, which needs to be done before it's combined with the tomatoes. All you need to do is heat and swirl it in a pan until it gets the color and flavor you like. You'll also be able to tell that it's done when your kitchen is full of delicious, nutty smells. Then simply stir in your tomato mixture and pour over your food as needed — or, store it in the fridge until it's nice and firm if you'd rather spread it on a sandwich.