garlicky mushroom marinara_______________________________I'd go as far as saying the slow simmer is required. The sauce itself takes very little preparation but a lot of patience and downtime. The acidity leaves the tomatoes after 2-3 hours and all of the scents and tastes from the accompanying ingredients burst to life. If you're in a pinch, however, an hour will suffice as a minimum - some time in the fridge will help deepen the profile of any leftovers.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 tbsp minced garlic (fresh or from jar)
- 1 large onion, diced
- 20 oz baby portobella (crimini) mushrooms, sliced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 2 28oz cans pomodoro tomatoes*
- 4 oz red wine of choice
- 1 tbsp each: dried fennel, dried oregano, dried basil
- 2-3 tsp sugar, or to taste
- salt & pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat olive oil and red pepper flakes in a large sauce pot (6-8 quart capacity) over low heat until the flakes release a strong capsaicin aroma - it is unmistakable, sort of fiery yet sweet. At this point, turn the heat to medium.
- Toss onion and garlic into the pot and cook until softened and fragrant, about 5-8 minutes. Add celery and mushrooms and cook until mushrooms have released near all their liquids. For our stove, this took about 15 minutes. The mixture needs to be very wet. Mushrooms contain lots of water! This is where your flavor originates.
- Pour in the wine and cans of tomatoes and add seasonings. Err on the conservative side at first. The longer the sauce simmers, the deeper and more complex the flavors, so you may not need as much in herbs as you think. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring a few times in the process, then lower the heat to low and cover.
- Simmer at least an hour but no more than 6-8. We've found that the sauce becomes extremely thick after about 6 hours and, while doubtlessly delectable, we prefer a bit more pliability in our sauce version. That said, feel free to experiment!
Notes
*You do not have to seek Pomodoro (San Marzano) tomatoes specifically, but if you do be sure the can includes the seal of authenticity. Pomodoros are sweeter and less acidic than the usual plum counterparts. It's so worth the investment, however, if you wish to try them.