Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Hi Chickadees!

As I am not really sure what format or purpose this blog is going to serve, I am going to be trying a few different things out and see what I like the best. As that little blurb above suggests, I love to cook and am slowly getting better and a little more confident. One of the blogs I follow religiously is Smitten Kitchen, she has such great ideas/ recipes and has a passion for local and in season fruits/ veggies that is similar to mine. She posted this recipe the other day, and it happened that last night was our CSA pick-up, complete with three pounds of tomatoes! This is the whole haul:


(left to right; summer savory, opal basil, summer spinach, eggplant, tomatoes (unwashed, that’s why they look strange), 1 lb summer squash, and in front row; 1 basket cherry tomatoes, onions, peppers and Serrano peppers!) I LOVE our CSA, everything is grown at Stoneledge Farm.

On to the cooking! I washed the tomatoes, made x’s, blanched them and threw them in ice. The skin really did come right off afterwards! (note of caution: do not try to remove them from boiling water with grilling tongs, the slippery skin comes right off and when they plummet back into the pot the tidal wave of boiling water WILL go all over you). They look so pretty without skin!



Then I chopped and squeezed, reserving juices and started my other veggies cooking in olive oil. I didn’t have any celery so I just left it out entirely and used more carrots:


All together now! And simmer:



I did use my potato masher but there were some stubborn chunks so I used my immersion blender. I have texture issues and didn’t want lumps of tomatoes left. Don’t ask.

Finally, about 45 minutes later, I decided it was done, put it on some pasta (topped with basil from the herb garden Kyle got me for Christmas!), Kyle made a salad and… Mangia!



So, I am aware my photos need work, Smitten Kitchen’s look much better. But- this was delicious and I froze the leftover sauce so this winter when we are sick of cabbage and potatoes we can have a taste of summer!

Written with love and slightly scalded hands,
B

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