Sunday Sauce - Marinara style. Can you say YUM?
Marinara Sauce
This is the Mother of all tomato sauces
Ingredients
1 lb. carrots (peeled and diced)
1 medium sweet onion (peeled and diced)
1 red bell pepper (diced)
2 cloves of garlic (mined)
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 (32oz) cans whole San Marzano tomatoes
Optional: 1/2 cup of red wine
Salt/basil/oregano/garlic powder to taste
Dice veggies and separate.
Add olive oil to stock pot on medium heat, then when warm, add carrots.
Saute carrots to caramelize. Once they begin to brown, add onion and peppers.
Once onions are translucent and soft, add garlic and stir for 90 seconds.
(Deglaze by adding wine to pot and simmer for 2 minutes)
While veggies are cooking, open cans of tomatoes and put in large bowl.
Break up whole tomatoes by hand or with potato masher.
Add to pot once garlic (or wine) has cooked accordingly.
Increase heat to bring near boil (high simmer), then stir and lower to medium.
Stir every 10-15 minutes for approx 4 to 4 1/2 hours. Volume will have reduce by nearly 25%.
Lower heat to lowest setting and blend with stick blender.
Taste and spice as needed. Use 1/2 to 1 teaspoon at a time to avoid over-seasoning.
Allow to simmer 15 minutes than cool.
After an hour, transfer into containers to freeze/store until use.
For a meat sauce, brown short ribs on all 3 sides in olive oil, deglaze with beef stock, then add a quart of sauce and simmer until short rib is tender. (Best done in slow cooker for 8 hours)
For Penne a la Vodka, saute minced shallots in a pan until soft. Add 2oz vodka (away from heat source and from a small bowl NOT THE BOTTLE. Bring back to heat and turn pan sideways to ignite. Allow to burn alcohol off then add sauce. Use approx. 1/4 cup of cream/half and half and stir. Adjust with cream for desired taste.
For a "meatier" vegetarian sauce, roast portobello mushrooms in olive oil and rosemary until browned, deglaze with wine or vegetable stock, then add sauce and simmer.