HERBED TOMATO SPAGHETTI SAUCE

      Title: HERBED TOMATO SPAGHETTI SAUCE
  Categories: Seasonings, Italian, Sauces
       Yield: 1 Batch
  
       2 tb Olive oil
       1 md Red onion; chopped
       1 md Bell pepper; chopped
       2    Or 3 garlic cloves; minced
       3 md Carrots; chopped
     1/2 lb Mushrooms; coarsely chopped
       8 c  Chopped fresh seeded
            -- tomatoes
            -or-
      28 oz Canned tomatoes
       1 ts Aniseed; crushed
       1    Bay leaf; broken
     1/4 c  Dry red wine
     1/4 c  Fresh oregano; chopped
     1/4 c  Fresh basil; chopped
     1/4 c  Italian parsley; chopped
       2 tb Lemon balm; chopped
  
   Saute onion, bell pepper, garlic and carrots in olive oil in a 4-qt.
   saucepan until vegetables are tender (about 10 minutes). Add
   mushrooms and continue cooking 2 or 3 minutes more.
   
   Add tomatoes, bay leaf, aniseed and wine.  Simmer, uncovered, stirring
   occasionally, until sauce thickens (about 1 to 1 1/2 hours).
   
   Add oregano, basil, parsley and lemon balm; stir and simmer 15 to 20
   minutes longer to let flavors mingle.
   
   Cathy's note:  The recipe says nothing about removing the bay leaf
   afterward, but this is standard practice so that any sharp edges on
   it do not cause discomfort or physical damage to people.
   
   The editors wrote:  "Selecting a basic herb-tomato sauce from the
   many, many dozens that were submitted was [a]...chore. This one edged
   out many other...entries for its simplicity, fresh approach, and the
   short cooking time after the leafy herbs were added. While many
   excellent cooks take the 'less is more' approach and add only
   fractions of teaspoons of herbs, we liked the more assertive style
   here and the surprising and intriguing addition of lemon balm (which
   cooks out to a mellow hint of not-quite-lemon). This sauce depends on
   a greater-than-usual amount of chopped carrot to cut the acidity of
   fresh tomatoes."
   
   Recipe from Deborah Sallings of Little Rock, AR in "Great Spaghetti
   Sauce Cookoff" article in "The Herb Companion." Dec. 1992/Jan. 1993,
   Vol. 5, No. 2.  Pg. 77. Posted by Cathy Harned.
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