A Bit Of Midnight Cooking, My Friends

[The Magistrate]

We are likely to be having a clam sauced pasta soon, but it is not clear everyone here will like it.

I have fallen into a pattern of sleeping a few hours after dinner, then rising for most of the midnight hours, and going back to bed a bit before dawn.

So I thought I would be productive, and make a marinara sauce to have in reserve. I hoped to make it completely from fresh tomatoes, but did not have enough. At least six are required for a good plate or two of noodles, and I only had four. So I am supplementing with some tinned crushed (actually boxed, an Italian import I am giving a try).

Doing it from tomatoes is not hard, but time consuming if you use only fresh tomatoes. Saute an onion, maybe a shallot, and some minced garlic in butter and olive oil. I like to add dry spices into the oil while sauteing, it seems to pick up the flavor a bit, and the fresh basil is for the clam sauce. De-glaze with a dash of wine, and perhaps add a bit of broth. Put in peeled tomatoes, with that green bit at the end cut off. Mash a bit with a potato masher or slotted spoon. Put on a low heat covered and do your best to forget about it. Stir it every so often. After a couple of hours everything just dissolves into a nice red sauce. Keep it going uncovered a while further to reduce the liquid if that seems needed. It goes a little quicker with the crushed tomatoes, the vegetables give up their liquid and go to mush more quickly somehow. But longer is still better, always, if you keep the heat low.

It should be nicely done by the time I get back in bed....

[ZZenith]

1. Sounds good!

Just finished tasting my Midnight Jambalaya and I believe it’s my best batch yet. Too bad we can’t transfer “.taste” files over the internet yet.

[The Magistrate]

2. That Would Be A Treat, Sir

I have never tried doing a jambalaya. Red beans and rice is about as far into the Cajun style as I have ever gone.

By the way, in the above I forgot to mention the good squirt of anchovy paste. I add it so automatically it does not register.

I have turned the heat off on the sauce just a moment ago, it seems done enough.


Be well and stay safe!

[ZZenith]

3. Bon Appetit!

[yellowdogintexas]

4. try a Cajun Stirfry for a neat treat

Cut up all your fresh veggies as you would for regular stir fry
I use yellow squash, zucchini, red bell pepper, onions, garlic, celery, carrots and thinly sliced fresh okra.

For the meat I use pork. chicken or beef BUT if I can get it, I prefer a big link of Andouille sausage

I take the sausage out of the casing and crumble it up in a skillet and brown it well. Remove and set aside.
Then I toss the okra, pepper, onion and garlic together until just tender crisp and set aside.

After I remove each batch of food, I sprinkle with Cajun spice powder.

The last batch is the heavy vegetables, and when they are just about ready I toss everything else back into the pan and sprinkle it liberally with Lee & Perrins, and some more Cajun spice.

Serve hot over rice.