Winter has ended, but I still want to enjoy warm, hearty dishes that fill my kitchen with amazing aromas. I also love a dish that can be batch made, is versatile, and adds variety to my repertoire. If kids will eat it, even better. This is a staple recipe that I've been making for a while now. I tend to portion it out into reusable 12- and 4-ounce containers and use it with abandon on anything and everything, even scrambled eggs.
Here's what you'll need:
2 pounds ground turkey (can also use ground beef, pork or combo of any other ground meat)
½ cup pinot noir or other medium dry red wine
¼ cup olive oil
2 cups tomato sauce (or 1 14-oz. can crushed tomato)
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
5-6 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 heaped tbsp. tomato paste
2 heaped tbsp. dried oregano
2 heaped tbsp. dried porcini or mixed mushroom powder (or 3/4 cup fresh mushrooms, finely chopped)
2 heaped tbsp. dried basil (or ½ cup fresh basil, finely chopped)
2 tbsp. anchovy paste or fish sauce or bagoong
½ tsp. baking soda
Salt & Pepper to taste
Here's what you'll do:
- Heat a large, non-reactive pot over medium flame, add half the olive oil and meat and sauté, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until fine and just a little pink is left.
- Add onions and continue to sauté for 2-3 minutes until the onions are translucent.
- Add red wine to deglaze, scraping the bottom of the pan.
- Add all other ingredients, mix, cover, and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes. This will be thick. If you like it a bit saucier, add more tomato sauce until your desired sauciness.
- Add the other half of olive oil, taste to adjust seasoning, mix and serve, or store in fridge or freezer for later.
- This can be served, with cheese, over pasta, roasted vegetables, under a piece of fish, or as a meat sauce for a homemade pizza or lasagna.
- Enjoy!
