Mendolonium

Source:  Gina Mendolo

Ingredients:

• 80 ounces ripe tomatoes, peeled (you may substitute canned whole peeled tomatoes if fresh are not available)  Note:  to peel and seed fresh tomatoes use this technique.
• 6 ounces tomato paste
• 1 medium red onion, finely diced
• 2 T olive oil
• 1/4 t salt
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 T oregano, dried
• 1/4 t crushed red pepper
• 1/2 cup basil, chopped

Directions”

First you will need decide how “chunky” you like your suace.  I prefer mine very smooth and homogenous so I pass all of my tomatoes through a food mill prior to making the sauce.  Alternately you can chop them by hand, in a food processor, or leave them whole, and “mash” them to make a sauce after they have been cooked with the other ingredients.  There is no right or wrong way.

1. Saute onions in olive oil over medium-high heat until transparent (about 7 minutes).
2. Combine onions and all other ingredients in a large, heavy bottomed pot.
3. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.
4. Cool and store in refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for months.

Note:  Makes approximately 10 cups of sauce.

Source: Gina Mendolo

Ingredients:

• 28 ounces tomatoes (can use fresh or canned), processed through the fine disk of a food mill to yield a smooth tomato sauce (Alternate 1: use a food processor if you don’t have a food mill. The sauce will be somewhat coarser. Alternate 2: use a plain canned or jarred tomato sauce.)
• 3/4 c shallots, finely diced (Alternate 1: replace the shallots with onions)
• 1/4 c butter
• 1/2 c vodka
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 T fresh basil, chopped
• 1 t dried oregano

Directions:

1. In a heavy skillet (I use a large cast iron skillet)* over medium heat, saute shallots in butter until slightly brown and soft.
2. Pour in vodka and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Mix in tomatoes, basil, oregano, and cream and simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Toss with pasta and serve.

Notes: Don’t be tempted to cheat on the simmering times. If you do the sauce will taste excessively of vodka and/or be too thin. When tossed with 1 lb pasta this recipe makes approximately 4 servings.
I have no idea what the nutritional information on this is, but I did toss it with two full heads of broccoli. That has to count for something right?

*I have a 12 inch cast iron skillet that I got from my parents. This is my desert island pan; meaning if I was stranded on a dessert island with only one pan this is what I would want. I use it to make everything from sauces, to curries, to stir fry, to cornbread, to pancakes. It is naturally non-stick (without any pesky endocrine disrupting chemicals) and actually increases the iron content of the food that you cook in it. It also quite heavy and would make an excellent weapon if I ever had reason to hit anyone in the head with a frying pan.

Source: Gina Mendolo

Ingredients:

• 1 small red onion
• 2 ribs celery
• 1.5 c cooked black beans or 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 c panko bread crumbs
• 1 1/2 T chickpea flour (Alternate: substitute all purpose flour for chickpea flour)
• 1 t ground oregano
• 3/4 t ground cumin
• 3/4 t ground coriander
• 1/8 t cayenne pepper
• 1/4 t salt
• 3/4 t baking powder

Directions:

1. Place onion and celery in a food processor and dice coarsely.
2. Place remaining ingredients in food processor with the onion and celery and pulse until well combined, but still textured.
3. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
4. Form into “hamburger” patties.
5. Grill on a sheet of aluminum foil for 10 minutes on each side. (Alternate: bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes on each side)

Note: Makes four patties.

Source: Gina Mendolo

Ingredients:

• 3/4 c vegetable stock
• 3 T soy sauce
• 1 T honey
• 1 T rice vinegar
• 1 T cornstarch
• 4 t minced shallots (You could also use garlic instead)
• 3/4 t Tabasco sauce
• 1/2 crushed ginger

Directions:

1. Whisk together all ingredients in a bowl, set aside.
2. Lightly stir fry 4 cups of vegetables, tofu, nuts, and/or meat.
3. Pour sauce over stir fried-items and continue to stir-fry until sauce thickens to desired consistency (less than 5 minutes).
4. Serve over rice, rice noodles, or soba noodles.