Spicy Texas BBQ Sauce

Preheat an oven to 375°F (190°C).

In a large bowl, combine the onion, tomatoes and garlic. Drizzle with 2 Tbs. of the olive oil, season with the salt and pepper, and toss to coat the vegetables with the seasonings. Spread the vegetables in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast until they are soft and browned in places, about 20 minutes.

Remove the vegetables from the oven and scrape them into a saucepan. Add the remaining 1/4 cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml) olive oil, the ketchup, cider vinegar, orange juice, brown sugar, white vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, molasses, chili powder, paprika, coriander and cumin and whisk to combine. Bring the sauce to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the sauce, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 2 hours or more. Turn off the heat and let the sauce cool to room temperature. Pour the contents of the saucepan into the jar of a blender and puree, adding water if necessary to reach the consistency of barbecue sauce. Taste and add more salt, pepper or spices to taste. Makes 4 cups (1 l).

Adapted from Taming the Feast: Ben Ford’s Field Guide to Adventurous Cooking, by Ben Ford and Carolynn Carreño (Atria Books, 2014).