Tuesday 15 January 2008

People Pleaser

Welcome back to Homemade Heaven! My first real food blog for the year. I am back from holiday and very inspired to start making good food that is both easy and tasty.

I have my brother-in-law and his wife staying with us for a week. Colin is a strict vegetarian, he eats no flesh (including fish). While he keeps insisting that I must not go to any trouble making anything special for him, I relish the challenge of cooking exciting meals without meat, while still keeping my carnivore husband happy.

Last night a made prawn pasta for us and a mushroom neapolitan for Colin.

The recipe is very simple, but does require at least an hour of slow cooking. The great thing as the basic sauce can be changed to incorporate anything you have on hand.

Basic Neapolitan Sauce

2 Onions finely sliced
1/2 a red pepper
1/2 cup of grated carrot
1 chopped garlic clove
3 tins peeled tomatoes (410g)
3 TBSP fresh oregano
4 sprigs of thyme
10ml of sugar
15 Capers in salt (if you use the capers in brine, you will need to wash them and add extra salt)
1 green chili
Lots of Black Pepper

Fry the onions, carrot and pepper in olive oil until soft, but not brown.
Add the tomatoes, herbs and garlic.
Leave to simmer slowly, stirring occasionally and adding a little water if it looks like it is drying out.
I cook it until everything has broken down. You may need to help the tomatoes by mashing them a little.
Once the sauce is ready, you can add your chosen flavor.

I separated my sauce and to the first half added thickly sliced brown mushroom and torn basil leaves, simmer for a few minutes until the mushrooms are just soft.
The other half I added shelled prawns and cooked on medium heat until the prawns were done.
I have done this with calamari rings, cubes of firm white fish or you can even serve the sauce as is over a pasta of your choice.



Markwin started high school today and I can not resist showing how grown up my baby looks in his new school uniform.

2 comments:

Cookie baker Lynn said...

That's a very handsome, grown up boy you have there. High school is such a big step. I hope he loves it.

Homemade Heaven said...

Thanks Lynn. We spent the evening covering books - such fun! Needed your pb&j bars for energy.

Jeremiah 17: 7-8

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. He will be like a tree planted by the water."

It is not your business to succeed, but to do what is right : when you have done so, the rest lies with God.
C.S. Lewis

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