1garlic clove, chopped (it will be blended so don’t worry about it being too small or perfect)
1medium peach or nectarine, diced (about 1/2 cup)
1/2cuptomato sauce
1/2cuppomegranate juice to make your own pomegranate syrup, (see my note below- I often will do a bigger batch starting with 3 cups)
2tablespoonsred wine vinegar, (apple cider would work fine here too if you don’t have red)
1tablespoonsoy sauce shoyu, or tamari
1tablespoontomato paste
1chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, (add another if you want it to be a bit spicy)
1tablespooncoconut sugar or brown sugar
1/2teaspoonsea salt, more to taste
Instructions
Reducing the Pomegranate Juice:
Pour pomegranate juice into a small saucepot. Bring to a soft boil over medium heat and continue to cook it at this heat until the pomegranate juice is 1/4 of the original volume and is significantly thicker and almost a syrup like consistency. It will get thicker as it rests in the fridge.
During the reducing process, the liquid should have more bubbles than a typical simmer, but not a rapid boil. While you can keep this a bit unattended while you do something else, stay nearby to keep an eye on it.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
This can be done a week or two ahead of time. Given this, I normally do a big batch, instead of just the amount needed for this recipe. The syrup stores in the fridge easily and can be added to a lot of different sauces. Keep in mind: The more liquid you have, the more time it will take to reduce- normally I do 3 cups total of pomegranate juice to result in 3/4 cup of syrup.
If you want exactly what you’ll need for this recipe, start with 1/2 cup pomegranate juice and reduce down to 2 tablespoons (1 ounce; half a quarter cup), which will take about 10 minutes. Additionally, if you’re doing this, I recommend just reducing the pomegranate juice after step 2 below.
Making the Sauce:
Place a small sauce pot over low to medium heat. Add in olive oil, diced onion, garlic, and peach. Saute, stirring occasionally, until onion and peach are browned and lightly caramelized. Set aside to cool just slightly, and then add to a blender.
If you are making a small batch of pomegranate syrup, do that now using the same sauce pot. See directions above.
Add tomato sauce, pomegranate syrup, red wine vinegar, soy sauce, tomato paste, chipotle pepper, coconut sugar, and sea salt. Blend until creamy and smooth. Serve immediately or store in fridge for up to a week.