Audrey's Marinara

Submitted by Emily Daniel
(just 6 more months and the credit's mine. it's all mine!!!)


Ingredients:

1/2 lb Italian Sausage, cooked until somewhat crisp and drained on paper towels

1 large onion, chopped

2-3 carrots, peeled and diced

1 eggplant, prepared according to directions*

1 zucchini, diced (I used half a zucchini and half a summer squash)

2 red bell peppers (cut into large pieces)

8 oz sliced mushrooms

1 large can stewed/diced tomatoes

1 large can tomato sauce

1 small can tomato paste

1 tsp. each basil, oregano, garlic

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper

2 T sugar

1/4 C red wine



1) Chop eggplant into small cubes (and I mean really small, smaller than dice) and toss the eggplant with 1 T Kosher Salt in a colander. Set the colander to rest over a large bowl and let the eggplant drain for 1-3 hours. Rinse the salt off the eggplant and then press in between two layers of paper towels to get the rest of the moisture. If this step seems too labor intensive, you can just use the eggplant undrained, which is okay, or you can drop the eggplant altogether.

2) Saute onion, carrots, and eggplant in 1 T olive oil until carrots are softened. About 5 minutes.

3) Add remaining vegetables and saute another 5 minutes.

3) If using, add wine and cook on high heat until it has evaporated, about another 5 minutes.

4) Add tomatoes, sauce and spices. How much salt and sugar you use are up to you.


This makes a lot of sauce, so serve a crowd, or freeze some for later. Or get really wild and halve the recipe. That's what I did!