"brooklyn1" > wrote in message
...
> On Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:22:01 -0500, Omelet >
> wrote:
>
>>In article > ,
>> "Janet Bostwick" > wrote:
>>
>>> Mushroom Basil Marinara Sauce
>>> http://janetbostwick349.fotopic.net/
>>>
>>> 1/2 cup olive oil, more if needed or desired
>>> 3 cups onions, finely chopped
>>> 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
>>> 3 celery stalks, finely chopped
>>> 3 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
>>> 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt, to taste
>>> 1 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, to taste
>>> 102 ounce crushed tomatoes
>>> 3 bay leaves
>>> 2 pounds mushrooms
>>> 1 cup basil chiffonade, loosely packed
>>>
>>> Heat the oil in a large pot, using only 1/2 cup of oil to start, adding
>>> more
>>> as needed or wanted for flavor. Sauté the vegetables with salt until
>>> very
>>> tender -- about a half hour. I often put all the vegetables in the food
>>> processor and mince them before cooking. It makes the texture of the
>>> finished sauce finer. Slice the mushrooms and add to the vegetables,
>>> sauté
>>> briefly. Add the tomatoes and bay leaves. Simmer for about 1 1/2 hours
>>> until the mushrooms are cooked and the tomato mixture is somewhat
>>> reduced
>>> and is thick. Add the basil and cook for a further 15 to 30 minutes.
>>> Remove the bay leaves. Freezes well.
>>>
>>> Janet
>>
>>Saved, thanks! Is that a typo on the amount of tomato tho'? <g>
>
> Probably not since the recipe makes a good amount of sauce... 102
> ounces is just one #10 can, I'd likely double that recipe so I could
> fill my freezer. But I'd not use butthe merest hint of basil with
> mushroom; it's one or the other, they clash... basil is too powerful a
> flavor, it will demolish the flavor of mushroom. Even without the
> mushrooms I'd limit the basil to like one leaf per pint of tomato
> sauce. I'd swap the celery for parsley... and it's missing some
> oregano... a Tbls of Penzys Italian herb mix would be perfect.
>
I understand where you are going with the substitutions that you would make.
To me, that would make the sauce a more typical spaghetti sauce -- oregano,
parsley. And I like that too. This is just different. The sauce has the
sweetness of the tomatoes and carrots that comes on the flat of the tongue
rather than the more heavy sweetness of spaghetti sauce that floods the
mouth and back of the tongue. IMO, the kind of sauce you are talking about
is more appropriate with some sort of meat or sausage. This sauce is fine
with a not too heavy pasta. Just my view, but as OM said, everyone needs to
tinker to suit their own taste.
Janet