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Food Pron: Recipes and Techniques.

Made Italian sausage, so I had to make a quick marinara sauce, I was thinking about this thread and disappointing with the sauce. It needed a bit more sweet, more garlic and a lot more simmering.

It was good as an Italian sausage sandwich, though.
 
I'm telling you, Query, use the damn slow cooker. Sitting in there on low for 8 hours caramelizes all the sugar in the tomatoes. I have quit jarred sauce since finding that recipe.
 
query said:
I never start form tomatoes, so I assume you mean starting with a jar and improving it (easiest) or starting from canned (pretty easy.)

If you were to start from tomatoes, I'd slice the skins lightly, boil them a minute or so till the skin starts to losen then peel, cut them open, seed them, then dice. I would then saute some onions and sweet peppers, maybe mushrooms add to the tomato dice with some olive oil and use that, rather than cooking it all the way down to sauce.

Key to tomato sauce is cutting the acid. It is done usually with sugar to taste. Onions contain a lot of sugar so if you saute them until they just start to caramelize (brown) that serves to sweeten as well.
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I do things a bit differently. I always start from actual tomatoes. The actual type can differ depending on what I want the sauce to taste like. I might use plum tomatoes and kumatos if I want a heartier sauce or vine ripe and campari, if I want a sweeter sauce.

I start out simply enough. Cut up the tomatoes and put them a little bit at a time into a pot with olive oil at medium heat to start the break down process. I stir a little, coating the tomatoes with oil in the pot every time I add new. I don't mind the skin, seeds, or any of part of the tomato as long as it's clean and blemish free. I actually prefer it that way.

While the tomatoes are breaking down, I'll cut up fresh thyme, rosemary, and basil. I need to invest in a mortar and pestle to make this easier on myself. It's a bit of a pain. I don't really mind acidity in sauce, so I don't add sugar or any of that. I do add a little red wine and some balsamic, though. It makes the sauce a little more robust. Before the tomatoes are completely broken down, I add salt and pepper to taste. Once the tomatoes are mostly broken down, I put the heat on low and let it sit covered for a few hours. Then it's good to go. I might suggest a little green onion for some added sweetness to the sauce.

Thank you for sharing your recipe. :)
 
BrokenRomantic said:
I do things a bit differently. I always start from actual tomatoes. The actual type can differ depending on what I want the sauce to taste like. I might use plum tomatoes and kumatos if I want a heartier sauce or vine ripe and campari, if I want a sweeter sauce.

I start out simply enough. Cut up the tomatoes and put them a little bit at a time into a pot with olive oil at medium heat to start the break down process. I stir a little, coating the tomatoes with oil in the pot every time I add new. I don't mind the skin, seeds, or any of part of the tomato as long as it's clean and blemish free. I actually prefer it that way.

While the tomatoes are breaking down, I'll cut up fresh thyme, rosemary, and basil. I need to invest in a mortar and pestle to make this easier on myself. It's a bit of a pain. I don't really mind acidity in sauce, so I don't add sugar or any of that. I do add a little red wine and some balsamic, though. It makes the sauce a little more robust. Before the tomatoes are completely broken down, I add salt and pepper to taste. Once the tomatoes are mostly broken down, I put the heat on low and let it sit covered for a few hours. Then it's good to go. I might suggest a little green onion for some added sweetness to the sauce.

Thank you for sharing your recipe. :)
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I am just seeing this. I make a similar sauce with diced, canned tomatoes and I am sure it would be better from fresh ones.

I don't have red wine around because I hardly ever drink. I assume any one would do? Are some varietals better for that sort of thing? Approximately how much? I do have to cut the acid, or my mouth rebels, but the balsamic is an interesting addition. it is a different level of acidity and the sweet might do it. I don't think it is acid that bothers me, since I can live on very hot Mexican chilies. I think it is a specific ph range that is the problem.
 
bailadora said:
I'm telling you, Query, use the damn slow cooker. Sitting in there on low for 8 hours caramelizes all the sugar in the tomatoes. I have quit jarred sauce since finding that recipe.
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I do that a lot but usually not for the sauce, rather for the meatballs or Italian sausage simmering in it. Now that you mention it it does always seem a lot sweeter, but I never cook that long with just the sauce...i will try it next time perhaps with the ideas above as well.
 
query said:
I do that a lot but usually not for the sauce, rather for the meatballs or Italian sausage simmering in it. Now that you mention it it does always seem a lot sweeter, but I never cook that long with just the sauce...i will try it next time perhaps with the ideas above as well.
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If you do, let me know how you like it. And yes to the adding balsamic vinegar to the sauce. It's in the recipe I linked somewhere up thread. It adds a depth that's really yummy!

I know you were directing this question to Broken Romantic, but on the few occasions when I add wine, it's always 2-3 glugs around the pot. Not exactly precise, but it seems to work for me. I'm sure you already know this, but it bears repeating: If the wine is not one you would drink from a glass, don't cook with it! If you don't want to open a full bottle, some vintners offer the minis. I always keep a few on hand, specifically for cooking. Just an idea.
 
I made this for dinner this evening (note- pic swiped from the blog):

BARoastedChickenPic.jpg


We had roasted asparagus, and green beans a la Pioneer Woman as sides. It was really, really good.

Chicken recipe found here.
 
My non-sexual life partner and I went to dinner last weekend and I food-nerded out and snapped pics of the appetizers. We went here. It was fantastic.


Butter Dipped French Breakfast Radish, Fleur De Sel, Mousse De Foie Gras Truffé

TUllUOz.jpg


and

Charcuterie de Maison aux garnis
WKKvrbj.jpg
 
they have a faux pho--that's brilliant! that mousse sounds lovely and the charcuterie looks fantastic! and i heartily approve of any wine list that gets into specific varieties of beaujolais. :D

...damn but that's a long way away from here...



i guess that if i'm gonna do a presentation monday evening for 50 people, i better start creating it, huh?

ed
 
I'm having a little trouble with the concept of the "Breakfast Radish." I'm guessing that it must be a good bit sweeter than the stout little red rascals we usually find at the grocery store. Spill, Minxie.
 
midwestyankee said:
I'm having a little trouble with the concept of the "Breakfast Radish." I'm guessing that it must be a good bit sweeter than the stout little red rascals we usually find at the grocery store. Spill, Minxie.
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They really aren't sweet at all. They are a little milder, but still have a nice spicy bite. It's an heirloom variety. Not sure why they are called that. I used to grow them in my garden because they were easy. I've never eaten them for breakfast, and don't know any one else who does either and I'm the weirdo who eats pickled red beets for breakfast sometimes. :D
 
Saucyminx said:
They really aren't sweet at all. They are a little milder, but still have a nice spicy bite. It's an heirloom variety. Not sure why they are called that. I used to grow them in my garden because they were easy. I've never eaten them for breakfast, and don't know any one else who does either and I'm the weirdo who eats pickled red beets for breakfast sometimes. :D
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Okay. I am also one who eats pickled beets just because - though my breakfasts are usually much sweeter and beets just don't qualify.
 
About sauces - I consider energy and my available sources, which are 1) gas burners and oven, 2) microwave and convection oven, 3) another microwave, 4) toaster over, 5) blg slow-cooker, and 6) waffle maker. No electric burners.

Simmering sauce on a stovetop for hours burns a LOT of expensive propane. A stovetop pressure-cooker reduces time but still needs about an hour of gas heat. So, for a large quantity of sauce, the big slow-cooker is most economical. For smaller volumes, I just buy the stuff canned and doctor it with spices, potions, chunks (microwaved for softness), etc. Dollar Tree is my friend for marinara base.

EXTRA: My son-in-law was a celeb chef before he started going blind. He prepares fabulous meals when we visit, with many hours of intensive prep in his whirlwind-mess kitchen, and another hour of cleanup. He's impressed by my kitchen organization and says he likes my food -- and I clean my kitchen as I go, so at mealtime, only serving- and tableware aren't already in the dishwasher, and the counters are clear and clean. Much easier than slaving away after the meal.
 
sweetsophie512 said:
Dammit.

I'm NOT thinking about fried chicken!!!

I'm thinking about the mashed potatoes that would go well with it. Ugh.

*shaking my head*
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Potatoes are our friends. Really. Not counting added fat, taters are IMHO better nutritionally than any grains. I am now rather calorie-sensitive. I'll mix slivered, sliced, diced or riced taters with similarly-cut zero-cal carrots, nuke everything for softening, then quickly saute in a splash of herbed oil. You like'em mashed? (I like chunky mashed, not newsprint paste.) So mash the suckers, mix in some no-fat sour creme and any desired flavourings and additives, and mangiare. (That means EAT.)
 
Hypoxia said:
EXTRA: My son-in-law was a celeb chef before he started going blind. He prepares fabulous meals when we visit, with many hours of intensive prep in his whirlwind-mess kitchen, and another hour of cleanup. He's impressed by my kitchen organization and says he likes my food -- and I clean my kitchen as I go, so at mealtime, only serving- and tableware aren't already in the dishwasher, and the counters are clear and clean. Much easier than slaving away after the meal.
Click to expand...

I fill the sink up with hot soapy water before I start cooking/baking and wash as I go. This way I get to reuse mixing bowls, measuring cups/spoons without dirtying a mountain of them. Besides, many recipes require you to wait until something sets/browns/cools/whatnot, so while you wait for that to happen, you can take 30 seconds to wash what you're done with. If I bake, I can bang out a few recipes in a row as I don't have a mountain of dishes after each one. As soon as I'm done cooking, I don't have to face yet another chore.

It's one of those things I had never thought of until a friend of mine pointed it out to me. It's so obvious, yet we just don't think of it. :/
 
I've gotten embarrassingly good at doctoring up ramen noodles and rice and beans. If there's anything the dirt-poor college student life is good for, it's forcing you to get creative with your meals. I made homemade noodles (basically just flour, salt, and boiling water), scallions, garlic, shrimp peels to make the actual stock, spices, etc and it was ridiculously good. If you pretend your eating pho, it makes it a lot better. Considering I'm not that great of a cook on top of having a tight food budget, I was proud of myself.
 
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