A Marvel of a Marinara

Adapted from Marcella Hazan.
Puree a 28 oz can of tomatoes in your blender.  Pour into a saucepan, adding a teaspoon of salt,a quarter teaspoon of sugar, a stick of butter, and a peeled onion, halved.  Bring to a simmer and simmer for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally..   If it reduces too quickly, add a little water periodically.

Remove the onion.  (I end up scraping the sauce off of the onion before tossing it.)  Use whenever you are tempted by bottled sauces.

Simple and elegantly delicious. 

Check it out--

Here's my daughter.  Of course I think she's brilliant.

How DO you cook a mountain lion?

Kill it and Grill it may know.

Current Addictions

inspite of myself. Gogol Bordello.  Give it a try.  Deeper than you might think.

I watched a movie, "Wrist Cutters" dark, and offensive, particularly since the topic was suicide and there had been a horrible suicide at a local high school.  Despite myself I was drawn in, and part of it was Tom Waits and the soundtrack.  It's all fine being retro, rediscovering Billie Holliday and Django Reinhardt. But what if you were their contemporary? 

"Between the borders, the real countries hide.. the strategy of being is one of  in your face disguise."

Today

Huckleberry, gooseberry, raspberry pie

All sweetest thing one cannot buy.

Peppermint candies are six for a penny,

But true love and kisses, one cannot buy any.

---Clyde Watson 

Or--

 

Sunshine in a jar

There are far too many Meyer lemons hanging from the tree.  And lemon curd is too easy to resist.

Key tip: have the eggs at room temperature.

Pour one half cup of fresh lemon juice over 3/4 cup sugar.  Let steep and dissolve a bit, stirring it along.

Beat two eggs well, in a medium saucepan.  Add lemon mixture, blending well.  Cut one stick of butter into pieces, add to mixture.

Set saucepan (or double boiler) over  (OVER, not IN)
simmering water, adding water as necessary.  Stir gently and occasionally as the mixture warms up, monitor it more closely as you go along, 15 minutes or more. At some magical point it will turn from soup to custard, and you will have a very fine lemon curd indeed. (What's the clue? It will now coat your spoon, rather than slip off).   Mix in a teaspoon or two of finely grated zest.  Cool.  Slather it onto scones, biscuits, muffins, top off your non-fat Greek yogurt, spoon into pre-made tart shells.  I like it for breakfast.  And lunch.  And dinner.

For the Weekend, Or, Weekend Recovery

My friend Robin and her friend Robin came up with a twist on the martini:

One part vodka
Two parts blood orange juice

Shake well and pour into cocktail glasses.

Splash one part ginger ale, garnish with freshly grated ginger.
Bloody delicious.

SOPA

Yeah--late to the party.
First off, I could not connect.  Where I come from, this is what sopa is:

Heat a little oil in a sauce pan.  On medium, saute half a pound of vermicelli or coiled pasta until lightly browned or toasted. Feeling wild? Saute a half cup of frozen carrots and peas as well.  Crumble in a cube of instant broth, chicken, veg or beef, add a quarter cup tomato sauce.  Add a cup and a half of water.  Cover saucepan, simmer on low until the broth is absorbed by  the noodles.

This was a go to dish when I was raised, an instant hit with my son when he was younger, and comfort food to my grandparents.  Long ago, after traveling to Europe and arriving in France, worried about what they would find to eat, they were delighted to be served this dish.