Fermented Tomato Mustard Sauce with Basil

I know some chefs who avoid buying tomatoes when they are out of season.  Unfortunately, this mindset only leaves you with a small percentage of the year where you can use fresh tomatoes.  With this tomato mustard season, you are encouraged to use those out-of-season Roma tomatoes that you see sitting on supermarket shelves year-round. Salt and time convert these humble winter tomatoes into something really delightful.  

Once you start lacto-fermenting various ingredients such as tomatoes, onions, and fresh herbs, you quickly start to realize that while the fermentation process and technique is, the number of flavor combinations that you can make at home is infinite.  

Prep time: 30 minutes

Fermentation Duration: Approximately ten days at room temperature around 65˚F in a dark spot. Remember to allow built-up gas to escape daily.

Serves: 20

Note: The recipe below includes one whole serrano pepper in the fermentation, which you can always omit if you prefer a less spicy final product. Try serving this with some grilled chicken, pork, or beef.  It also tastes amazing when used as a flavoring component when making homemade steak tartare with super high-quality beef.  I even like this in the morning when served with soft-scrambled eggs.