Recipe: All-purpose Spaghetti Sauce

ALL-PURPOSE SPAGHETTI SAUCE

"This recipe makes a big batch of a classic, slow-simmered spaghetti sauce. Its rich flavor base combines onions, carrots, garlic, herbs, and chilies. You can use the sauce as soon as it's cooked, or freeze some in convenient-size portions. Allow 3/4 to 1 cup sauce for each cup of hot cooked pasta, and serve with grated parmesan cheese."

4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 large (about 1 1/4 lb. total) onions, finely chopped
2 large (about 3/4 lb. total) carrots, finely chopped
3/4 cup regular-strength chicken broth
10 pounds (about 6 qt.) ripe tomatoes, stems removed, peeled (if desired), rinsed, cored, and chopped
1 1/4 cups balsamic or red wine vinegar
1 cup minced parsley
1 cup minced fresh or 1/4 cup crumbled dried basil leaves
3 tablespoons minced fresh or 1 tablespoon crumbled dried oregano leaves
1 tablespoon crushed dried hot red chilies
Salt

In an 8- to 10-quart pan over high heat, combine garlic, onions, carrots, and 1/4 cup broth. Stir occasionally until liquid evaporates and vegetables start to brown and stick, 12 to 15 minutes.

Stir browned bits free with 1/4 cup broth; boil until liquid evaporates and vegetables stick; stir occasionally. Repeat step using another 1/4 cup broth.

Add tomatoes, vinegar, parsley, basil, oregano, and chilies. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat and boil gently, uncovered, until sauce is reduced to 9 to 10 cups, about 1 hour and 10 minutes; stir occasionally.

Use sauce hot, seasoned to taste with salt. (If you did not peel tomatoes and want a smoother sauce, whirl mixture in a blender until pureed.)

To store, let sauce cool, package airtight, and chill up to 5 days or freeze in easy-to-use amounts up to 1 year.

VARIATION:

TO MAKE A MEAT SAUCE:
Brown ground meat (beef, pork, veal, lamb, chicken, or turkey; allow 1/2 to 1 lb. meat for each quart of sauce), then add the sauce and simmer 10 to 15 minutes to blend flavors.

Makes 2 to 2 1/4 quarts
Adapted from source: Too many tomatoes? Make pasta sauces. Christine Weber Hale.
Sunset magazine v191.n3 (Sept 1993): pp102(2)