Sweet Herbal Spaghetti Sauce
I discovered this delicious dish as a result of an experiment combining what I had on hand and what I thought would be good. It turned out amazing. This has since turned into my favorite spaghetti sauce of all time. The sweetness of the onions, peppers and sweet potato mixed with the bite of the garlic, tabasco and vinegar, all accented by the symphony of herbs result in a seeming cacophony of tastes that all come together in the end, creating a phenomenal harmony of tastes and sensations. It keeps well, can be made days in advance, and is sure to please. Serve with noodles of your choice and parmesan cheese.
I discovered this delicious dish as a result of an experiment combining what I had on hand and what I thought would be good. It turned out amazing. This has since turned into my favorite spaghetti sauce of all time. The sweetness of the onions, peppers and sweet potato mixed with the bite of the garlic, tabasco and vinegar, all accented by the symphony of herbs result in a seeming cacophony of tastes that all come together in the end, creating a phenomenal harmony of tastes and sensations. It keeps well, can be made days in advance, and is sure to please. Serve with noodles of your choice and parmesan cheese.
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- tabasco sauce to taste
- extra virgin olive oil as required
- 1 1/2 large onion chopped
- 2 large red bell pepper chopped
- 1 medium sweet potato cubed
- 8 large cloves garlic minced
- 3/4 pound pork tenderloin cubed, optional
- 1 28-oz can tomatoes crushed, fire roasted or grilled
- 1 28-oz can tomato sauce fire roasted or grilled
- 1 12-oz can tomato sauce fire roasted or grilled
- 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar to taste (about 3 tbsp?)
- fresh rosemary minced,to taste
- dash fresh thyme to taste
- dash dried chervil to taste (can be substituted with parsley)
- dash dried basil to taste
- dash dried oregano to taste
- 4 whole bay leaves dried
- Carbohydrate 21.00377625 g
- Cholesterol 27.3 mg
- Fat 2.186355 g
- Fiber 5.22838750204444 g
- Protein 12.504615 g
- Saturated Fat 0.6048765 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (358g)
- Sodium 774.52375 mg
- Sugar 15.7753887479556 g
- Trans Fat 0.431276124999999 g
- Calories 146 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat a large saute pan with some olive oil over medium heat.
- Chop onions and add to pan once oil is hot.
- Continue to stir occasionally to avoid sticking and burning, and add additional olive oil as needed.
- Chop up the red peppers and add to the pan once onions begin to soften, about 5 minutes, making sure to mix ingredients.
- Cube the sweet potato and add it to the pan as well.
- While ingredients continue to cook, mince the garlic cloves.
- Set half aside, and add the other half to the pan, again mixing well.
- Now, put a small saute pan on medium and let it heat while you cut the pork into small bite size pieces.
- Add them to the pan, making sure to stir to avoid burning and sticking.
- Once cooked most of the way through, remove from heat.
- When onions and red peppers have softened and sweetened, and yams have softened enough to be edible, salt and pepper them to taste.
- Open up the cans of tomatoes and add to the pan with the pork and remaining garlic, and mix well.
- Add Tabasco and balsamic vinegar to taste.
- Mince all fresh herbs and add to the mixture, followed by the dried herbs.
- Take it easy on the herbs to begin with.
- You can always add more later, but it's far too easy to accidentally add too much of an herb which ends up taking over the flavor.
- Mix ingredients well, adding salt and pepper if needed and making sure not to break bay leaves.
- Turn heat down to low and cover the pan, letting it simmer for 1 to 2 hours.
Managing Vegetable Integrity
Cooking the root vegetables until they are just tender before adding the crushed tomatoes prevents them from turning to mush during the one to two hours of low-heat simmering. Canned fire-roasted or grilled tomatoes offer concentrated umami and char flavors that differ noticeably from raw pack tomatoes, which introduce significantly more watery liquid and require a longer reduction window to reach the same viscosity. When adding dried herbs alongside fresh rosemary and thyme, keep in mind that dried varieties possess roughly triple the flavor potency of their fresh equivalents, meaning minor adjustments yield major taste differences.
Protein Integration and Storage
Searing optional pork tenderloin separately in a secondary pan allows the meat to develop a proper protein crust before it joins the tomato base. Simmering the combined sauce on low for up to two hours allows the pork fibers to relax fully while absorbing the balsamic vinegar and Tabasco sauce. This sauce keeps safely in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to five days or freezes well for longer storage.
