Marinara sauce

[ksmith]

Anyone have any favorite marinara recipes they would like to share? I found this one, which seems a decent not-quite-a-recipe.

What does it mean to "sweat" mushrooms? More than a heat, but less than a browning/sauté?

Comments

[auriaephiala.livejournal.com]

I interpret "sweating" mushrooms to be that they cook and release their juices, but don't brown. So low to medium-low heat.

I generally start with onions and celery, chopped, cooked very slowly in olive oil. 2-3 garlic cloves, pushed through a press, are good, too. I sometimes add in peeled and grated carrot (must be grated to cook properly) as well with the celery (for sweetness), or some chopped zucchini nearer the end. The idea is that nothing should brown, but just get a bit golden and fully cooked.

Then I just add the tomatoes and ground black pepper, dried oregano, & dried basil to taste, and keep cooking until it gets nice and thick and homogeneous and tastes good. Sugar can be added near the end to counteract too much acidity (if necessary). Red pepper flakes, crushed in your hands first, can be added near the end for a bit of zing.

Again, you want to cook this all on a low to medium-low temperature to avoid burning.

I'm not sure this is any more specific than the recipe you reference...

[emluv.livejournal.com]

To sweat mushrooms cook covered on lowish heat so moisture builds up inside of the pan. They'll release their own liquid and cause something of a steaming effect.

[mindyklasky.livejournal.com]

I made a sauce last week with produce that I had frozen (!) because I didn't have time to cook it up before Worldcon. I diced an unfrozen onion and browned it in olive oil, then added a few cloves of garlic (sent through a garlic press). I filled my straight-sided skillet (12 inches, I think) with frozen once-fresh quartered tomatoes (a variety of heirlooms and a few cherries) and one frozen once-fresh yellow crookneck squash that I had diced. I also had about a half-cup of frozen once-fresh flat-leaf parsley that I'd julienned.

The whole thing yielded a lot of water (partially because of using whole tomatoes, partially because of having been frozen.) I added about a teaspoon of salt, about a teaspoon of dried basil, a shake of cayenne, and then I cooked the whole thing down until I liked the consistency.

At the end, I decided to throw in some soy sausage crumbles, because they'd lived in the freezer for too long.

I loved the way the flavors worked (very bright - and nothing seemed damaged by having been frozen). I'd consider tossing in some olives if I had some or some mushrooms. (I'd lower the salt, if I added olives.)

Have fun!

[gandalara.livejournal.com]

No recipe, but I found something and immediately thought of you!

From TVGuide.com ...

"Buffy fan favorite James Marsters has signed on for yet another sci-fi role in the upcoming series Caprica.

Marsters has been cast as the dangerous terrorist leader Barnabus Greeley for at least three episodes, with the potential for more, SyFy confirmed to TVGuide.com.

The character is described as an unpredictable villain who often finds himself torn by his conflicting motivations, which are driven by moralistic and yet carnal desires."

Hee :-)

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

I get the feeling that there is nothing formal about this particular recipe.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

Ah.

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

Have fun!

I'm looking forward to it.

I really should make some garlic bread...

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

You've got to watch those conflicting motivations. *g*