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7 Easy Foods to Make With Your Kids

YumSugar — Fri, 08 May 2009 05:50:48 -0700

If you don't have major plans this weekend, grab your daughter, son, niece, or kid brother and make some meals: here in California, May 9 is Cook With Your Kids Day - so, for inspiration, we've compiled some of our favorite kid-friendly recipes. Just remember: to be safe, never leave kids unattended in the kitchen. Here, you can scope out fun kitchen recipes, ranging from finger foods to dessert.

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Chatting It Up With Iron Chef Challenger Ron Siegel

YumSugar — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 09:00:15 -0800

Now that Top Chef is over, I've got another professional chef showdown to discuss: Iron Chef. I'm a huge fan of not only the American version, but also the Japanese version that started it all. Recently, I had an opportunity to catch up with America's very first Kitchen Stadium winner, chef Ron Siegel, now the executive chef at The Dining Room at The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco.

On a sunny morning I met with the chef in his kitchen, which recently launched a small bites and half bottles menu. I was taken by his humility - "I'm not doing a great service here," he told me, "I'm just cooking" - and his candidness. To see what else he had to say, read more.

YS: How did winning Iron Chef change your life?
RS: When you're younger, you're not necessarily open-minded. I was younger, and set in my ways of cooking. Going to Japan introduced me to a lot of other influences. I don't watch TV. I haven't even seen Iron Chef in 10, 11 years. But I'm sure there are some great chefs; there are great chefs everywhere.

YS: How would you describe your style of cooking?
RS: It's very simple - everything is made based on what's available. The menu changes every day, and the farmers market sets the tone. The preparation is similar, but the garnishes may change. [Points to fruit he's cutting.] These are pineapple guavas from my neighbor - I gave his kids a ride, so he told me to take them. I don't know what I'm going to do with them, but they have a great smell.

YS: Who are your culinary influences?
RS: Thomas Keller, George Morrone, and Daniel Boulud. When I worked for Thomas Keller as his opening sous chef [at The French Laundry], it was crazy, long hours. But I've learned a lot; I've learned about perfection. And Julia Child. She wasn't some hottie; she just knew how to make great food. But she probably couldn't get a show now.

YS: How has food changed since you first started cooking?
RS: In the '70s, everyone was smoking and drinking. People are definitely lighter these days. They don't want something that's going to make them feel bad at the end of the day. Also, people want to be who they are - they don't want to have to put on a suit to go out for a good meal.

YS: Where are your favorite places to eat in the Bay Area?
RS: I love Picco and Marché Aux Fleurs. Manka's was probably my favorite before it burned down.

YS: What's your advice for the home cook?
RS: Work on your knife skills! It's all about practicing until you get better at it. Going to the farmers market is a great way to understand seasonality and introduce yourself to things. If you go every week for two years, you're going to know what's in season and what's not. Don't rush cooking food. It's a labor of love, like what I'm doing now [running chicken stock until it comes out clear]. Home cooks can bring that same passion to their food. It's a lot of time, and a lot of work. I'm not sure how I feel about those 30-minute meals.

Fabio: "Unfortunately, You're Going to See My Face a Lot"

partysugar — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 03:30:59 -0800

It's down to the wire on Top Chef with only three contestants remaining. Fabio was the first of the Euros to pack up his knives and leave the competition. Yesterday, I had the chance to speak with him over the phone. To find out what he had to say about Stefan, his experience, and Padma's Italian, read more.

On Stefan: He is extremely confident. The difference between me and him is I am a people person, very personable. He doesn't care. He's very straightforward. He's not a cocky guy. He's a great guy, great person, and he is confident. if you want to translate confidence into cockiness, fine with me. If I wasn't confident, I wouldn't be here. It's not a bad thing to be confident, especially in this kind of economy. I could hang out with him all day; sometimes he's at the restaurant, we go party together.

On his elimination: I wasn't upset. I'm a very happy person. I see that I have 13 people behind me and three in front of me, and I get motivated. Life is too short to complain. My dad and my grandfather used to tell me, "If you have a problem, and you know there's a solution, then stop bitching about it." If you know there's no solution, then why bitch about it? There's no solution. When you're the chef you're always in the spotlight.

On Bravo's portrayal of him: Whatever you see is the way that I am. I'm a nice person. Listen, if you see somebody on TV that said "f**k this, f**k that, d*ck here, d*ck there," it doesn't matter how they cut you and paste you - you said those things. They cannot put things in your mouth. That's what you said, that's what you've done. I've been very happy with what I said. If I did misbehave, I apologize for that. That's the way I am, the way I talk, the way I act, the way I cook.

On the judges: Who am I to judge them? With Colicchio, I can agree to disagree. He has done things that I would love to be doing in the next 10 years. I honestly respect his opinion. It's up to you if you are smart enough to take it. Padma was speaking Italian to me. She was modeling for this Italian agency and she was working for this very famous talk show in Italy, so I was actually looking at Padma way before she was looking at my food.

She has a great palate, she's smoking hot, she understands a lot about food. I respect her. She's a very nice person, very personable. We had a good time together. She's very fun.

On the guest judges he disagreed with: I had a big argument with Martha Stewart. My polenta, she said that it was gray, but she didn't even taste it. She dipped her fork in it, she didn't even take a full bite. The other judge was a French guy, Jean-Christophe Novelli. He told me that my cream was not cooked enough and that the egg white was coagulated. I told him there was no egg white in it. I'm saying, there is no egg white in the cream - how's that sound for you? But he's French! Italy, France, they have a history. In food, and wine. Last year there was the World Cup, soccer; I understand. I'm just kidding. You know, I think he's a great chef. It's an opinion. You cannot agree with everything. It's your ass there, you gotta defend yourself a little bit.

On what's next: I will do more TV, I can promise you that. I have a food line coming out. I have an offer for a TV show. What I said is that I am getting a lot of offers. I am getting asked to license my image to food companies. I have a deal with Ducati motorbikes. I am dealing with a TV company, yes - I got a lot of requests; they offered me a job here and there. But don't forget that I am a chef. Everything that I will ever do . . . my first business is food. Unfortunately, you're going to see my face a lot. I am not allowed to talk about it. We will see. Watch what happens. But stay tuned.

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Chef Roy Yamaguchi Talks About Life, TV, and Celebrating 20 Years of Roy's

YumSugar — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 13:28:31 -0700

This year, award-winning Chef Roy Yamaguchi is celebrating 20 years of Roy's, his eponymous high-end restaurant chain. He's throwing himself a big party and is celebrating at his restaurants around the globe. I recently had a chance to talk with him, and he was such a delight! He has morning breakfast rituals with his son, and got into cooking to meet ladies! To find out more about Chef Roy, including what he thinks of the current celebrity-chef trends, read more.

YumSugar: Thanks for chatting with us so early [it was 8:30 a.m. his time].
Roy Yamaguchi: Oh it's not that early, I've been up since 5 or 5:30. I usually get up and have breakfast with my son.

YS: What did you have for breakfast?
RY: There are two places I go for breakfast. One place is called Zippy's, it's a local coffee shop sort of place, and the other is Ruger Market. Today I went to Ruger Market. I go with my son and we always order the same thing, chicken long rice. Basically it's chicken that's cooked with rice noodles. We always get that, and the ahi poke and the pork laulau. And what we do is we always sit on a bench right outside the market near the parking lot.

YS: So it's been 20 years since you opened up the first Roy's. Did you ever think it would grow into an internationally-acclaimed enterprise?
RY: No, but at the same time, when we first started - actually that's a question I get asked a lot. What happened is that even I never thought we'd get this big, what I did was surround myself with very talented people.

YS: So what have you learned after all this time?
RY: For me, I've learned every day. The greatest thing about my role is that every day there's something new that happens to our company or to myself. There's not really one thing that comes to mind, but it's a great learning experience. I'm able to use my mind, my eyes, my hands, and my passion to work with every situation. Every day I wake up and feel energized to come to work.

YS: Speaking of passion, how'd you get started?
RY: I had a friend in high school, he asked me if I would consider taking home ec. I said I don't know what that is. He said don't worry about it, we'll be able to meet a lot of girls. [Laughs] I took it with him and fell in love with it. Don't get me wrong, my father loved to cook, he made most of the meals at home. So I already had that experience at home. I took home ec and a light just shined. At the end of the semester we made a Thanksgiving dinner and I invited the school counselor as my guest. He really enjoyed it and he said, "Hey Roy what do you want to do with your future? Cooking could be something interesting."

YS: Have you ever talked to him again?
RY: Unfortunately, he passed away years ago, but I did have a chance to talk to him and the teachers that wrote the recommendations.

YS: Is there anything you'd do differently in your career?
RY: Well, no, not different. At the end of the day, I think the greatest thing that can happen to an individual is that you can learn from your mistakes. Before Roy's, I had a restaurant that didn't work out. Those things are heart wrenching and tough, but because of situations like that, I was able to decide to open Roy's and really figure out what I wanted to do and how I wanted to do it.

YS: What's your opinion of the word "fusion"?
RY: Well, when I first started out, fusion was not a bad word. Then halfway into it, fusion became a bad word all of a sudden. Then you turn around and today it's a good word again. To me, fusion never had a bad connotation. It's just what I did. I come from being raised in Japan and then the US and then living in Hawaii, you know what I mean?

There's cross-cultural things that make our world what it is today. So fusion's needed to infuse cultures into things, but some people were doing weird things. But to me, fusion means progress. A lot of thinking is needed to put it together in a way that's better than the stand alone. So to me, fusion is a great word. It's telling people who we are.

YS: What do you think of the whole celebrity-chef culture?
RY: Well, there's two sides to the story. First there's the old-school celeb chefs who have become popular because of their great reputation in the culinary world. Then there's your so-called celebrity chefs that have made it through media via TV or Internet. And I mean, I'm not saying it's right or wrong, or one is better or not, but my personal opinion is that great chefs have gone through a lot of hard work building a foundation and spending time as an apprentice and working at restaurants. Then there's the chefs that become popular overnight because of TV. I'm not saying you have to cook a long time to be a great chef, I mean some people can cook for 50 years and still be a lousy chef. Years aren't really a big factor, but at the same time, when you do build a foundation, then you become a solid individual.

As for celebrity stardom, I think it's great for the industry and makes it more well known. But I don't want the people who have made it big via media to get, well how can I say it, get cocky, or think they're the greatest things ever. That would kill the industry. They should continue to educate and institute, because they're who the young kids look up to.

YS: Thanks for talking with us, I don't want to take up too much more of your time. Do you have any words of advice for the home cook?
RY: Keep it simple. Not everyone can afford to go out and buy kobe beef, but try and buy the best you can and the freshest you can. Stay organized and have everything ready. A good kitchen is a happy kitchen.

If you're interested to learn more about Chef Roy - he was so much fun to speak with! - you'll be able to see him at the remaining dates of his 20^th Anniversary Culinary Tour.

San Francisco, CA - Thursday, April 10
Chicago, IL - Thursday, May 22
Philadelphia, PA - Tuesday, Aug. 19
New York, NY - Wednesday, Sept. 17
Atlanta, GA - Tuesday, Sept. 23
Baltimore, MD - Thursday, Sept. 25

For more info, contact the Roy's near you.

Must-Read: Giada's Kitchen

partysugar — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 12:30:08 -0700

Last week Giada De Laurentiis fourth cookbook, Giada's Kitchen ($32) hit bookshelves. The book release coincided with the relaunch of her website, Giadadelaurentiis.com. I was lucky enough to get my hands on a copy of the glossy hardback with Tiffany-blue interior. Yesterday I spent some time reading the book - which is full of pretty pictures and delicious-sounding recipes - to see what I thought of it, read more.

Pros:

The book is loaded with clear, tantalizing pictures. Most recipes include a picture.
At the back of the book, there's a section devoted to menu ideas. There's a bunch of different themes (Aprés-Ski, Italian Picnic, Elegant Vegetarian Dinner, etc.) with dishes from the book. The menus are carefully thought out and make me want to host one of the parties.
This is the first book where De Laurentiis devotes a chapter to (not) just-for-kids food. Many of the recipes look scrumptious!

Cons:

The recipes are written in paragraph form, without any steps, making them harder to follow. It seems more like a showy book you would read, rather than actually cook with.
The aforementioned menus section does not include page numbers. So if you want to make the Tuscan Mushrooms for a Game Day viewing party, you have to look in the index to find out what page the recipe is on.
Many of the recipes have appeared on Giada's Food Network series, so a lot of them - like this orange ricotta pound cake or this chocolate and brie panini - can be found on the Internet.

Recipes: The recipes are classic Giada with the most delicious-sounding ones being her California-Italian-style dishes. The recipes listed below are on my must-make list:

Appetizers and Cocktails - pecorino crackers, apple and thyme martini, crostata with mushrooms and pancetta
Salads and Vegetables - parmesan potato pancake, artichoke gratinata
Meat - chicken scallopini with saffron cream sauce
Desserts - hazelnut crunch cake with mascarpone and chocolate

Imagery: The pictures are beautiful. The double page snapshots of Giada performing several steps of a certain recipe are especially helpful because they demonstrate the recipe's techniques.

Overall Rating: Mixed. While I'm a huge fan of Giada and I love her recipes, the fact that many can be found online makes me wonder what is the point of a cookbook? If you collect cookbooks, I suggest you get your hands on a copy. But if you can't afford the splurge, check out Giada's recipes on FoodNetwork.com.

Have you checked out Giada's Kitchen? What did you think?

Girl Talk With Top Chef Antonia Lofaso

YumSugar — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 08:00:08 -0700

On this week's Top Chef, we saw final-four contestant Antonia Lofaso leave Puerto Rico. When I spoke to her yesterday, she was in New York lunching with fellow finalist Stephanie. The two chefs were in town for Bravo's A-List Awards, and Antonia was nice enough to take a break from her meal of gnocchi and sweetbreads to chat about her time on the show.

Antonia isn't just a Top Chef contestant; she's also a fan who has watched the series since the first season. To hear how her experience compared to what she'd seen on TV and find out what her 8-year-old daughter thought of it all, read more.

YumSugar: How’d you get involved in Top Chef?
Antonia Lofaso: It was actually something that came through my restaurant group. [Production company] Magical Elves did a little scouting, and they made a recommendation. At that point I was just turning 30 and wanted to put myself out there and push myself.

YS: So were you a fan of the show before?
AL: I’m a huge fan of Top Chef. I watched it since season one. It was kind of nerve-wracking watching it: The day before I left, it was the episode of season three where they had to cook on the plane. I thought, oh my goodness, am I really going to do this right now?

YS: Do you think what viewers see is an accurate representation of what really happens?
AL: I think the show is very accurate. Obviously in the long run, there needs to be a story told and people want to see a story. But for the most part, everyone says what they say and looks the way they look and does what they do. Someone could say, "Oh that was misconstrued," but you did say it. I’m waiting for Top Chef to have replays, where you say, “I didn’t do that,” and then you see Padma hit the switch.

YS: How long were you at judges' table? What was going through your mind?
AL: The whole process goes on for hours. By then it was six o'clock in the morning, and we'd been up since 8 a.m. the previous day. It’s like that movie Defending Your Life. You get up there and talk about your concept. They want to understand the story you’re trying to tell, what experience you were trying to get across with your food. And they let us talk for as long as we need to, so that they have all the information they need to make a proper decision.

YS: What would you have done differently in this challenge?
AL: If I could do it again, I don’t think conceptually I would have done anything differently. I felt like I really wanted to take advantage of the ingredients we had and make it more about the island than about doing pork belly the way I’d normally do pork belly. Execution-wise, absolutely I would do it differently. That’s where I fell the most short was on my execution. I pride myself on being a very strong technical chef, so to be called out for that was hard.

YS: You seemed a bit more frazzled in this episode than in past challenges.
AL: I actually felt that. My restaurant just opened eight weeks out from the show, and to tell you the truth, I wasn’t there mentally in any capacity that I should have been. I got off the plane in Puerto Rico, and my head was still in California. Not that that’s any excuse, but it was just disappointing. Of course everyone’s like, you just opened a restaurant, you haven’t seen your daughter. I knew all this, but I still love the fact that I'm able to produce under those circumstances, and unfortunately I didn’t produce. For me that is upsetting.

YS: How is the restaurant going?
AL: The restaurant is going really, really well. I’m blessed. I’ve got a great location, and the restaurant group is full-force ahead. They plan on opening Foxtail at the Sahara hotel in Las Vegas next.

YS: You said that your daughter told you to win or not come home. Were you allowed back in the house?
AL: Yes I was. My daughter was very sweet actually. You always teach kids that whether or not you win or lose isn’t important, and when I got home it was very, “Aww, don’t worry mommy, at least you tried.” She liked seeing me on TV, but I think it was more exciting for her friends at school. I’m definitely the cool mom.

YS: So this is probably a silly question, but who do you think should win?
AL: I’m sitting here with Stephanie, so I have to say Stephanie. I really hope that Steph takes it. She has a huge heart and great integrity. I love Richard 100 percent, but of course, we’d love to see a woman win this year. And if it’s not going to be me, it’s going to be her.

Photos courtesy of Bravo

Come Holler at Top Chef's Dale Talde

YumSugar — Fri, 23 May 2008 08:00:46 -0700

A lot of you were disappointed with the outcome of last night's Top Chef. While you were thrilled to see restaurant wars return, you weren't all ready to say goodbye to Dale Talde. The frustrating interaction between Lisa and him may have ended on the screen, but that doesn't mean Dale likes the gal. I spoke with Dale yesterday and there's no love lost between them, there just was never any to begin with. To read what he had to say about his time on Top Chef, and what he's working on next, just read more.

YumSugar: How'd you get involved with Top Chef?
Dale Talde: An ex-girlfriend had been pleading for me to go, and my entire linestaff at Mormimoto pleaded for me to try out. And then one day, going to work I realized that the auditions were across the street. They were actually done with the open casting, and were packing up when I walked in unprepared without a resume. I just sat down and talked to them, and they ended up casting me.

YS: Was it what you expected?
DT: Hell no! I mean, it was a great experience and wonderful, but what are you expecting with 16 people in one house? You're busting your hump everyday, working, and then drinking like a fish. It was hardcore. It's something I'll remember forever. It was an awesome experience.

YS: What was it like seeing yourself on TV?
DT: It was surreal, and embarrassing at times. It's embarrassing seeing yourself out of shape. [laughs] You think maybe I should have worked out a little more. But I represented. You say dumb things once in a while, and I said them with a couple cocktails and beers in me, but that's life. I've done more embarrassing things.

YS: Okay, let's just get down to it. On the show you really don't seem to like Lisa. Is that all editing or...?
DT: No, it was not editing. I do not get along with people who are that negative. I don't surround myself with negative people. My friends love to have a good time, and can get through hard times without having to vocalize. No, I don't like her. I don't like her as a person. Professionally I work with a lot of people I don't like, and I'm sure there are a lot of people who hate me and you just get through it. But it wasn't work, it was a competition. I really don't like Lisa. Personally she's someone I'd never hang out with. Is she a bad person? No, but she's negative.

YS: So do you think it would have been completely different had you won the quickfire challenge?
DT: Are you kidding me? Of course it would have been. It would've been like Pippen, Lebron, and Rodman. It would've been me, Stephanie, and Richard, that would've been the squad. [Pauses] Like I've told people, you could have put Thomas Keller or Charlie Trotter on that team and they would have gone down. It was like a JV squad, there was no way, we had no chance of winning. I should have played the game better. I should have let Lisa be the executive chef. You live and learn.

YS: What was going through your mind when Antonia picked her team.
DT: I was... [pause] I want to swear, but they're censoring me. I was screwed. I was done. I mean come on, you know the talent level at that point. There were three people who have been executive chefs on one team, and then us.

YS: Other than letting Lisa be executive chef, is there anything you'd have done differently?
DT: Nah, I might have drank a little less, and got my gut down. I started getting a little fat. Listen, the experience is once in a lifetime. I mean that scallop dish was a failure, it wasn't good. I mean otherwise. Well wedding wars, maybe I'd have taken on less. I would've done less, executed things differently and better. But the experience was great. I'm not one to shy away from emotion. The fans can see who and what I am. I am who I am. I don't back down.

YS: So what are you working on now?
DT: I'm still working at Buddakan, and I'm still in pursuit of the perfect dish. There are a lot of opportunities for people who get exposure like this. Actually, I have this restaurant movie in my head. You go out to eat, and things come up. I'm not leaving cooking, I'm a chef, that's the only thing I know how to do. But I'm trying to buckle down and write this screenplay that I've had in my head for the last five to six years. I want to travel and get together an itinerary, and push ideas for a TV show. Keep my face in the media. I think it could be fun.

YS: Quite a few of our readers were upset to hear you got booted off. Do you have any last words to say to them?
DT: Thanks for the support. I've got a lot of people telling me that I shouldn't have gone home, and while that's great, it's just part of life. So thanks for the support, and they can always vote me as a fan favorite and show them that the wrong person was sent home. And you know, come to New York and holler at your boy.

Photos courtesy of Bravo

Come Party With Me: Mother's Day - Invites

partysugar — Mon, 07 May 2007 13:22:16 -0700

I have the best mom ever. Although she doesn't cook, she is unbelievably cool, young beyond her years, and is fabulously patient. I don't want to have kids because I know I could never be as an amazing mom as she is. I like to tell her I love her everyday, but I know sometimes she may feel a little under appreciated. This year I want to do something super special for her and make her a lovely breakfast in bed. She has done so much for me in the last twenty five years (I mean she gave birth to me, that in itself should grant her a lifetime of brunches) and the very least I can do is make her a meal made with 100% love. Since she is the guest of honor - and the only guest - I'll be making her an intimate invitation inspired by the ones you used to make in elementary school. So come party with me: make your mom a handmade card to go along with your homemade meal, read more

Remember when you were little and you made your mom silly little cards and she loved and praised them and placed them on the fridge? Well I wanted to recreate that sentiment in a card with simple text and a photo collage of pictures of me and mom.

To make this card you will need:

cardstock in the color of your choice (I chose a creamy butter)
satin ribbon in an attractive color that matches the cardstock (I chose pale yellow)
single hole punch
scissors
glue
a computer and printer
old photos: I chose one of my mom when she was pregnant with me, one of myself (yes I had a mullet), and one of my mom and me when she was pregnant with my little sister

To assemble this card:

Scan the images into your computer or make color copies of them as you don't want to cut up the original images. Make a collage in photoshop or with scissors and glue. I did mine on photoshop and printed out the image when I was done.

Once you have the collage done, create a new document in word on your computer. Type out a nice note in a fun font (I used Lucida Handwriting in size 12) for your mom. Here's what mine said:

Dearest Mom,
Without your loving care and undying support I would be lost.
To celebrate your absolute wonderfulness I will be making you a special-private mother/daughter brunch.
Please set aside Sunday morning for me.
I love you,
PartySugar

Print out on a plain sheet of paper. If you are statisfied with the layout and wording, print out on the colored cardstock.

Cut the collage down to size with no edge.

Glue to the back of the text. I glued mine at an angle because this is an invite that is not about perfection.
With the single hole punch, punch holes, roughly 1 inch apart.

Thread the satin ribbon between the holes and tie in a bow at the top on the text side.

Voila your invitation is done! I'm going to place it on her pillow so it will surprise her when she goes to bed tonight. What will you do for mom (or the person who you're celebrating) on Mother's Day? Tell me your party plans below!

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Sunday Dinner: Bolognese Sauce Over Pasta

YumSugar — Sun, 18 Mar 2007 00:01:19 -0700

When I was a kid, my dad used to make this fantastic bolognese sauce (only back then I didn't know such things as "bolognese" - as far as I was concerned it was just plain "spaghetti sauce"). I remember he would start cooking in the morning and the pot would simmer all day long, permeating the house with an amazing smell. If we were good kids (meaning we didn't terrorize him and let him watch football in peace) we would often be treated to a tiny bowl of sauce (this was about hour 2 or 3) and a few crackers or bread. This was a divine snack and spaghetti sauce days are one of those memories that stick out from my childhood. Unfortunately I don't have my dad's recipe on me, I'll have to call him up and get it next time I'm there. However I've found one for you that sounds just as good. To make a long-simmering meaty bolognese sauce read more

Oh and you're going to want to save at least 4 cups of sauce for tomorrow's Monday's Leftovers.

Bolognese Sauce Over Pasta
From Better Recipes

Olive oil to coat pot
1 large carrot, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped (feel free to add more)
1 large Spanish onion, chopped
2 lbs ground beef or ground turkey
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
2 cans tomato paste (6 oz each)
4 cans tomato sauce (15 oz each)
7 1/2 cups water
Handful dried basil or a bunch of fresh basil, chopped
1 pound pasta, cooked according to package directions

Saute carrot, celery, garlic and onion until browned and tender, about 25 minutes, stirring only occasionally.
While sauteing, sprinkle three times with a pinch of salt.
Add meat, mix well with vegetables and brown.
Drain meat and vegetables and return to pot.
Add tomato paste and mix until spread evenly throughout.
Add tomato sauce and water and mix well.
Add basil and three more pinches of kosher salt.
With pepper mill, cover entire top layer twice with pepper, then mix well.
Bring to a boil, then immediately lower to lowest flame, stirring often.
Simmer for at least three hours, but five hours is best.
Pour onto your favorite pasta, however thick ridged pastas are best for holding the sauce.

Notes: Alternate between keeping pot covered and uncovered. Stir often and adjust seasoning to your liking.

Number of servings: 8

Print recipe with images | without images