Restaurateurs like Miguel Vidal (Bancal) and Genaro Celia (Insurgente) share secret ingredients to enhance umami flavour. Ham, miso, or chipotle are some of the additions.
Tomato sauce is a staple in many kitchens, but chefs are constantly looking to elevate its flavour. Several professionals from the restaurant industry in Madrid have shared with elperiodico.com their tricks to intensify umami, that fifth taste that makes a dish more savoury.
At Bancal (Madrid), Miguel Vidal bets on adding red miso paste to the sofrito. He explains that this ingredient "intensifies the sauce and gives it a special taste." Meanwhile, Genaro Celia and Agustín Mikielevich, creators of Insurgente (Madrid) and recently of Pagana Pizza (also in Madrid), recommend including dried chipotle, which "adds smokiness - again, the 'umami' - and also a spicy touch."
Incorporating some pieces of ham or, alternatively, well-washed ham bones, gives it an intense and characteristic flavour
Another technique is that of Lola Marín, from the restaurant Damasqueros (Granada), who adds ham or ham bones to the sauce. Borja Aldea, from Reina XIV in La Granja de San Ildefonso (Segovia), also incorporates a parmesan cheese rind during cooking and removes it before turning off the heat. For Álvaro Salazar, from the two-Michelin-starred Voro in Canyamel (Mallorca), the key is to finish the sauce in a kamado or a closed-draft charcoal oven to enhance the umami of the tomato. Juan Viu, from the restaurant Mare (Cádiz), follows the recipe of his grandmother and mother: "I add grated tomato pulp and also tomato concentrate, along with green and red pepper."
These tips, applicable to both homemade and store-bought sauces, allow for enhancing the flavour of dishes such as pasta, rice, meats, or fish. Tomato sauce, versatile as it is, allows for multiple variations to satisfy the most discerning palates.
You may also like
