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February 16, 2005
Pasta Sauce - It's what's for dinner.
Recipes with many ingredients may seem daunting, but this one is really about as simple as it gets. Chop. Sauté. Simmer. There is a lot of chopping involved here; you’ll want to use a food processor.
Soups and stews tolerate wide shifts in proportions. Add more of one meat and less of another as you prefer. I picked up the addition of a large amount of chopped carrots from Chris Rankin, my roommate when I danced with American Festival Ballet in Boise in the Mesozoic era. Also, the recipe is keyed toward being made with nonperishables from my pantry – by all means use fresh ingredients when you have them, but for instance, don’t let the absence of chicken broth stop you from making this. Use a bouillon cube.
Pasta sauce.
2 slices bacon (about 2 ounces)
1 lb hot Italian sausage
¾ lb. ground chuck
6 oz. beef shoulder (London broil)
1 tsp dried basil
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
4 cloves garlic
1 very large onion
3 large carrots
3 large ribs celery and a small handful of celery leaves
1 16 oz. can mushrooms (by all means use fresh, they tend to spoil before I get around to cooking, so I keep canned on hand)
1 28 oz. can crushed or whole tomatoes
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
2 cups strong homemade chicken broth or two beef or chicken bouillon cubes.
½ cup cream, sour cream, milk or condensed milk – depending on how you feel about fat and calories. All work.
1 T salt
Several grinds black pepper (about ½ tsp)
1 tsp hot chili sauce (or to taste)
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup wine (either red wine, sherry or marsala)
****
In a deep saucepot, render the bacon. Reserve bacon, leave fat in pan. Chop the sausage coarsely. Render the sausage and ground beef on medium heat. Cut the London broil into small dice (less than ½ inch cubes) and brown along with the other meats. Add spices to meats (rub dried spices in your palms before adding to release oils and flavor). Continue sautéing. Chop all vegetables with the bacon (finely chop the garlic, coarsely chop the others). Add to meats, continue to sauté. If you’re using fresh sliced mushrooms, add them here as you fry. When all vegetables are no no longer raw, add the next group of ingredients (tomatoes, broth et al.), then add seasonings except wine. Simmer uncovered for about 2 hours. Add wine about 10 minutes before removing from heat. Serve over pasta.
Posted by Leigh Witchel at February 16, 2005 1:49 AM
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