Tomato Based Sauces

            We are going to back to our study of sauces with tomato based sauces.  I like to group other sauces made from vegetables in this category.  Although most of the sauces falling into this grouping are based on pureed tomatoes, some are made from other pureed vegetables.  This is where your creativity can go wild.

 

Tomato sauce

 

            Tomatoes make the majority of the ingredients.  Tomatoes can be raw or cook, fresh, canned, sun-dried, or oven roasted.  The tomatoes can be cooked into a sauce or diced.  What gives the sauce its originality is what is used to season the tomatoes or other ingredients add to the sauce.  Tomato sauces can be cook over a long time or barely cooked at all.

            Since tomatoes are the main ingredient in the sauce, start with good fresh tomatoes or a canned tomatoes by a good brand.  Your sauce can only be as good as your ingredients.  The difference between using great ingredients, and so-so ingredients can be profound.

 

Vegetable Sauces

 

            Other vegetables can be used to make sauces, much in the same way as tomato sauces.  One that comes to mind is Tomatillo Sauce.  My recipe calls for the ingredients to be oven roasted and then pureed.  I have seen recipes that are cooked very similar to marinara sauce.  My niece made a great pasta sauce from butternut squash and I made one from pumpkin.

            Vegetable sauce can add a touch of color to your dish.  It can be a fun way of introducing vegetables, too.  Picky eaters may be enticed to eat their vegetable in a less recognizable form.  An example would be a sauce of pureed peas or one of carrots.

 

Pureed sauces

 

            Sauce can be made simple by blending fruits or vegetable into a puree.  Green peas make a beautiful sauce.  This is how fruit sauces are made.  For instance Melba sauce is simply pureed raspberries.

            Pureed sauces can be savory or sweet.  They can be used to make add a sweet element to the dish, add inviting color to the presentation, or  

 

Types of sauces in this category

 

            Different cuisines and regions have their own spin on the classic pasta sauce.  There are French, Italian, Mexican, Indian, Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand, Middle Eastern, and American.

Napolitano Sauce, Marinara, Enchilada, Tomatillo, Mole, Tikka Masala, Barbecue Sauce, Ketchup, Tomato Gravy, Celery Sauce, Chasseur Sauce, Choron Sauce, Duxelles Sauce, Godard Sauce, Provençal Sauce, Tomatoed Soubise Sauce, Ragu, Chili Sauce, Cocktail Sauce, Melba Sauce, and Mint Sauce.

 

This Week’s Challenge - Make a Marinara sauce

            1) Make a simple Marinara sauce and add some ingredients to make it your special sauce.  It can be some kind of meat or favorite vegetable or herbs.  Be creative.  I had an eggplant that need to be cooked, so I diced it and cooked it in marinara sauce.  As it cooked it fell apart and blended into a wonderful thick sauce that I used on homemade pizza.  It would have been great on any pasta.

            2) Try making one of the sauces listed above.  It can be a new sauce that you have never tried before.  You need to research it.  It could be helpful to see a picture so you know what the sauce is supposed to be like.

 

Tips for this Week – Don’t overcook your sauce

 

            In the old days we cooked and simmered the sauce for days.  Tomato sauces don’t need to be continuously cooked to bring out the flavors.  Simply cook your sauce and allow it to cool.  Then refrigerate it overnight.  This allows the flavors to come out, blend and permeate.  We have all heard “it is better the next day” and this is why.

            Cook tomato sauce over low heat and stir often.  Tomato sauce can have a tendency to scorch, stick and burn on the bottom.  So watch the heat carefully.

Over cooking can turn the sauce dark.  Too much oil or fat can do this too.  It is best to cook the meat separately and add the meat to the sauce shortly before serving.  It is important to season the meat while cooking.

Some have a lower tolerance to these spicy sauces due to the acid.  The acid can be cut by adding a pinch or two of baking powder.  Some like to add sugar to cut the acid.  Personally, I prefer baking powder it doesn’t change the flavor like sugar does.  Baking powder is much better in counteracting acid.  Sugar turns to acid, so it may taste pleasant, but the chemical action is not there.

 

This Week in Punkin’s Kitchen

 

Marinara Sauce

 

Based on the recipe by Lidia Bastianich Lidia’s Commonsense Italian Cooking, (Knopf 2013)

http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1015987-classic-marinara-sauce

Marinara with mushrooms and peppers

 

1 can              Tomato sauce or diced tomatoes (28 oz.)

1 C                  Water

¼ C                 Olive oil

7-9                  Garlic cloves, peeled and slivered

Pinch             Chile flakes, crushed

1 t                    Salt

1 lg.                 Basil sprig or ¼ t dried oregano

Pinch                         Baking soda or ½ t sugar

 

The ingredients

1.    In large skillet, add the oil and sauté the garlic.

 

 

2.    When the garlic is sizzling, add the tomatoes to the garlic.

3.    Add one cup of water to the tomato can and add to the tomatoes.

 

Use a brand that you trust.  It can be tomato
sauce or diced tomatoes

I like to use a skillet.  This gives a large
surface for evaporation.  As the steam
escapes, water is removed and the sauce
thickens.

 

4.    Add the chile flakes, oregano (if using) and the salt and stir.

 

Add the seasonings and simmer.

I added sliced mushrooms and diced
bell peppers to the sauce at this point.
I cooked the sauce until the vegetables
were well cooked.

I added fresh basil

 

5.    Place the sprig of basil on top.

6.    Simmer about 15 minutes or until the oil at the edges turns a deep orange.

7.    Taste and adjust the seasonings.  If too acidic, add the baking soda or sugar.

 

 

 

Tomatillo Sauce

 

Based on Melissa d’Arabian’s recipe http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/melissa-darabian/tomatillo-sauce-recipe.html

The ingredients

1 lb.     Tomatillos, dehusked and washed

3          Garlic cloves, unpeeled

1          Anaheim chile, deseeded and deveined

1          Onion, quartered

1 sm.   Jalapeno, deseeded and deveined

2 T       olive oil

            Salt and pepper

1          Lime, juiced

 

This is a tomatillo with the husk on.

The husk is easily removed.
Wash the tomatillo thoroughly.

1.    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2.    Line a baking sheet with foil.

3.    Place the tomatillos, onion and chiles on the baking sheet.

 

I found the garlic cloves were over cooked.
I would add the later after the vegetables
have roast about half the time.

 

4.    Sprinkle with oil and rub into the vegetables.

5.    Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

6.    Roast for 30 minutes or until the tomatillos turn dark green.

7.    Half way through the roasting add the unpeeled garlic cloves and continue roasting until the tomatillos are dark green.

 

The vegetable are roasted,

 

8.    Allow the vegetables to cool slightly.

9.    Peel the garlic.

10. Add the vegetables to a blender and blend until smooth.

 

I used a blender, but the vegetables
can be placed in a pot and a
stick blender used.

 

11. Add the lime juice.

 

Blend until smooth.  This sauce is
thin, but it can be simmer over
very low heat the thicken it.

 

12. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.

 

Soup of the Week

 

Turkey Quinoa Spinach Soup

 

Add caption

 4-6 oz.            Turkey, cooked and diced, or chicken

¼  C                Quinoa or super grain blend with quinoa

2 cans             Chicken broth

2 C                  Spinach, fresh or basil

1 t                    Herb of choice, I used dried tarragon leaves

                        Salt and pepper to taste

                        Basil leaves, chiffonade for garnish

                        Parmesan, freshly grated (optional)

 

The ingredients

1.    In a small pot, add the turkey and one can of broth.  Bring to a simmer.

Turkey in chicken broth and the
Super Grain Blend added.
Super Grain Blend has quinoa, millet,
buckwheat and red quinoa.

 

2.    Add the quinoa and cook according to the directions on the package, about 12-15 minutes.

3.    When the grains are cooked, add more both if necessary and bring to a simmer.

4.    Stir in the fresh spinach and cook a few minutes.

Spinach added.

 

5.    Serve with a garnish of basil and/or Parmesan.

 

Add enough broth to make the soup.

Original recipe

Happy Cooking!

 

 

Happy New Year!

 

The holidays continue with social get-togethers.  We are invited to attend or we decide to host.  Many get-togethers require an appetizer or bring your own bottle (BYOB).  This is my rule of three.  Appetizers and cocktails do not need to be complicated.  Open your pantry or refrigerator and choose three ingredients.

 

It only takes some ingenuity and three ingredients to create and appetizer.  Appetizers consist of three parts, a vehicle, a filling and a garnish.  The vehicle is what the appetizers sit on and can be picked up to bring the appetizer to your mouth.  This can be as simple as a cracker or a leaf of Belgian endive.  The filling can be as simple as a piece of cheese or more complicated in a dip or spread.  The filling is placed on the vehicle. The garnish tops the appetizer.  It needs to b edible and add flavor to the overall appetizer.  It should add eye appeal.  An example could be 1) a sesame crack, topped with fresh mozzarella and topped with a touch of bacon jam or 2) a slice of cucumber topped with goat cheese and topped with toasted pine nuts 3) a triangle of toast topped with cream cheese and topped caviar.

 

Creating a holiday drink or cocktail can be as easy.  Choose a glass to serve the cocktail.  There are three parts of the cocktail, the prominent liquid, the flavoring element, and the garnish.  The prominent liquid is usually non-alcohol like a soft drink or fruit juice.  However in some cocktails it can be alcoholic, like wine, vodka or rum. The flavoring element is often the alcoholic part, Crème de Cocoa and peppermint schnapps create and chocolate peppermint flavor. Triple sec adds a citrus flavor.  Syrup can also be used to add flavor.  The garnish should add more flavor and to the eye appeal. Some examples could be 1) Cuba Libre is coke, rum and garnish with a wedge of lime or 2) Red Carpet is cranberry juice, vodka and a twist of lemon or 3) A Christmas Cookie is vodka, Crème de Cocoa and peppermint schnapps, garnish the rim of the glass with chocolate syrup and cookie crumbs.

 

New Year’s  Day Dinner

 

            My family roots are from the southern states, so we have a traditional southern feast.  This year we had a small dinner so I reduced the number of dishes.  This our menu

 

            Ham

            Collard greens

            Yellow hominy

            Black eyed peas

 Mashed sweet potatoes

            Homemade rolls

            Sweet potato Pie

           

            Normally I would add salad, another green vegetable like broccoli or asparagus, homemade pickles like watermelon rind and pumpkin pickles, candied apples or other fruit dish and shoofly pie, chess pie or other southern pie.  Sometimes I make cornbread or biscuits instead of dinner rolls.

 

 

This Week’s Challenge – Find a new cocktail 

 

            Social get-togethers continue the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day.  Find a new cocktail (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) to serve at a get-together of to take to one.  Mixology is a growing and there are all kinds of new drinks and ideas out there.  Research online and find something new to mix up.

 

Tip for this Week -  Making soup

 

            Soup can be made from what you have on hand.  I keep chicken, beef and vegetable stock in the pantry.  But you can always start soup with water.  I love soup and usually have soup in the fridge for light dinners thorough out the year.  Many times I make soup on Wednesday evening.  I clean out the crisper in the fridge on Wednesday the day before trash day.  Vegetable that are getting old or need to be used, go into soup.  I through in some leftovers and add a starch, like leftover rice or soup pasta.  Check out my recipe for Three Ingredient Soup posted on February 11, 2016.

 

This Week in Punkin’s Kitchen

 

Easy Chipotle Chili

 

1 lb.     Ground meat, I like to use ground turkey

1 T       Oil

¼ C     Onion, chopped

One    Garlic clove, crushed

1 T       Chili power

2 t        Cumin, ground

1 can  Tomatoes, diced or crushed

1 can  Ortega green chilies, diced

¼ C     Corn, this can be leftover

1 can  Beans, chili, pinto, kidney or black

            Grated cheddar cheese

2          Chipotle Chiles, left whole (optional)*

 

1.    In a larger skillet add the oil and heat while the onion is chopped.

 

I added some orange bell pepper and
some fresh chilies this time.

 

 

2.    Add the onion and cook until it begins to soften.

3.    Add the ground meat and cook until browned.

 

Add the ground meat.  I used turkey
this time.

 

 

4.    Add the crushed or minced garlic clove, the spices, tomatoes and green chilies.  Cook about 20 minutes.

 

Cook until the meat ins browned and cooked.

Add the tomatoes, seasonings and Chipotle
with sauce.  Cook to blend the flavors.

 

5.    If you choose to add the chipotle, add the whole chipotle chilies at this point.  Leave them whole and remove before serving.

6.    Add a little water if need for the consistency that you like.

7.    Add the corn and beans.  Heat thoroughly.

 

Add the beans and corn.  I used pinto beans
 this time, but usually use black bean
with turkey meat.  Cook until heated.

 

8.    Serve with grated cheese and cornbread.



 

Soup of the Week

 

Chicken Eggplant Soup

 

 

 

2 or 3  Chicken breasts, cubed

            Water to cover

1 lg.     Leek, cleaned and thinly sliced

8oz.     Mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 t        Oil, vegetable, canola or olive

1 sm.   Eggplant, diced

32 oz. Broth, chicken or vegetable

            Water if needed

1 can  Tomatoes, diced

1 can  Beans of choice

1 t        Thyme, dried leaves

1 t        Rosemary, dried leaves

1 t        Garlic powder

            Salt and pepper to taste

 

The ingredients

 

 

1.    Dice and cook the chicken in the first water

I wasn't paying attention and let this
boil to hard.  I had to skim off the foam.

 

 

 

2.    In a large skillet, heat the oil.

3.    Add the sliced leeks and sauté until soft.

 

Cook the leeks while you slice the
mushrooms.

 

 

4.    Add the mushroom and a splash of water.

These are baby portabella mushrooms,
but any kind will work.

 

 

5.    Continue cooking until both the leeks and mushrooms are soft and the liquid is almost gone.

Cook while you dice the eggplant.

 

 

6.    Add the cooked leeks mushrooms to the chicken.

Add to the chicken.

 

 

 

7.    Add the diced eggplant and broth.

 

Slice the eggplant in thick slices, then dice.

 

 

8.    Add enough broth to cover and bring to a boil.

The vegetable need to be cover by the broth

 

Add the seasoning and cook until the
eggplant is done.

 

 

9.    Add the thyme, rosemary, garlic powder, and salt and pepper. 

10. Turn the soup to low and simmer until the vegetables are very tender, about 20 minutes.

11. Add the tomatoes and beans and cook until heated.

 

Any beans will do.  I used
cannellini beans.

 

 

An original recipe.

 

Here is an apology that the printable recipe function is not working.  I am working on fixing it so in the meantime I went back to my original method.

 

Happy Cooking!