When I was a kid, my mom & dad had a recipe for spaghetti sauce that they used pretty much to the exclusion of all others: I didn't realize that there were any other kinds until I was six or seven. I remember the first time I made the recipe by myself; the index card it was printed on was spotted with tomato sauce and the writing had faded over the years. It makes a lot of sauce, though, and I can't fit that much sauce into my tiny freezer. So I made a quarter-sized, half-remembered version of it that is pretty good, if a little spicier than the version I had as a kid. It's not going to win any awards or anything, but if you're interested, here it is.
The Doc's "Default Spaghetti Sauce"
1/2 lb lean ground beef
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 med onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-14 oz. can tomato sauce
1-28 oz. can diced tomatoes, half-drained
1 tin of tomato paste
1/2 tsp crushed chili
1 tsp pepper
1 tbsp sugar
3/4 tsp dry oregano
1 tsp dry basil
1/4 tsp celery seed
a few shakes of hot sauce (I used Louisiana Chipoltle Sauce)
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1-8 oz. can mushrooms, drained
1 small zucchini, grated
In a large saucepan, brown meat, salt, pepper, and onions over medium heat. Drain off most of the fat; add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add tomatoes and sauce; cook at high until boiling. Stir in spices, then put on the lid and cook on low for 15 minutes. Add mushrooms & zucchini and cook uncovered for another 15 minutes.
Tastes like home. And tomatoes.
2 comments:
That sounds like an Iron Chef sauce.
Iron Chef, hee hee, What's the secret ingredient?
Doc- I've never had celery in spaghetti sauce, but I like the idea of adding vinegar. Maybe I'll just give this recipe whirl next time I make sauce.
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