step by step sunday spag bol

Yesterday, after a big workout and the fact it got dark at 4.00pm (sob!), I was in the mood for some slow cooking and stocking the old freezer!  I present to you:

Skinny Latte's Step by Step Sunday Spag Bol

First of all, assemble the ingredients!

Before we begin, I must warn you that when it comes to cooking it is very rare for me to be precise! I tend to just throw in a handful of this, a dash of that, and whatever needs using up, so it is very rare for me to make the same dish twice.  In cooking and in life in general, I like to do my own thing and am not very good at following the rules!  If it's only me (and poor Tom!) who has to eat the results, I will throw caution to the wind most of the time! So as long as we're clear on that, game on!

To make a giant batch of sauce - ie: to serve four and then freeze two giant tubs of it for a rainy day - I used:

3 brown onions, diced

4 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole

Fresh rosemary, sage and bay leaves

4 or 5 large carrots, chopped

4 or 5 large stalks celery, chopped

2 medium courgettes (zucchini), chopped

5 or 6 large chestnut mushrooms, chopped

250g soya mince

250g red lentils

2 packs chopped tomatoes in juice (equivalent of 2 cans tomatoes)

1 small tin of tomato paste

2 "Spag Bol" stock cubes

Water to cover

About half a bottle of merlot (any red wine will do)

Smoked paprika, salt, pepper, tamari soy sauce to taste
2 tablespoons capers

To serve: cooked spaghetti, baby spinach, and grated parmesan cheese

In your largest stock pot, spray a light film of cooking spray and when the pan is hot, add your diced onion, garlic, carrot, celery, courgette, mushrooms and herbs (except the bay leaves).  Saute until soft but not golden.  

You can add a little water or wine if it is starting to stick to the pan!

Once the vegetables are starting to soften, add the soy mince and lentils (you can just use all lentils if you like - I had some soy mince to use up) 

Looks strange I know, but it tastes really nice when cooked with other things!  On its own it smells like Weetbix :P

Then add your packs of chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, spag bol stock cubes (I just saw these at Sainsbury's and wanted to try - just use plain vegetable stock cubes otherwise), red wine and water to cover. Also add some salt, pepper and some smoked paprika if using. I love how the paprika gives a nice depth to the sauce.

Mmm!  Wine!  I added quite a bit because I like how rich the wine makes the sauce.  You might not be an alkie, sorry, prefer such a rich taste like me ;) so feel free to just add a splash!

Stir everything in well and stick the bay leaves in at the top so you can fish them out at the end!

Bring it to a nice boil.

Then pop Mr Lid on top, and reduce the heat to a simmer.

Now go and find something to do for the next two and a half hours!

Hmmm.......what shall I do?......

Take silly pictures of self.......

 Go and find sexy husband.......

 Pounce! ;)

Put feet up with cup of tea and stack of zines............

Have a shower (no picture, sorry! Ha ha!)

Put out washing in the dark!  Brrr!!  Wonder why previously mentioned sexy husband never seems to have any matching socks.

Finally, the house will be smelling like an Italian kitchen.  Yuuuum.

Stir the mixture, making sure nothing is sticking to the bottom.  You might need to add more wine or water, as the soy mince and lentils will have absorbed the liquid.  It's a good idea to go and check it regularly (depending on how reliable your stove is).

Taste!  I find at this point I usually need some more flavour zingers to lift the earthiness of the slow cooked vegetables and lentils.  I added a bit more wine, some more paprika, some tamari soy sauce (this sounds so weird, but tamari or shoyu really works in vegetarian food!  A tip borrowed from Kathryn!) and a few tablespoons of capers:

At this point I would also have added some sundried tomatoes, if I had any lying around.  You could also roast some fresh tomatoes with balsamic vinegar and sugar and add them here.  Anything really to intensify the tomato flavour.

After you've made your additions, leave the sauce to simmer a little longer and continue to taste and taste until there's a party in your mouth, and everyone's invited! :P

Cook your spaghetti (or other pasta: you can also serve it with rice or use as a filling for baked potatoes....but then it would be rice bol or pot bol! Oh God, don't make pot jokes Phil!).  I also added a bag of spinach to the cooked hot pasta and let it wilt in with it while making the finishing touches to the sauce.

Remove the bay leaves and get out the kitchen vibrator! (hand held blender)

 I'd had a shower and changed out of my workout gear, just in case you were wondering why I have a different top on :P 

Slowly and carefully (that sauce is damn hot!) puree the bigger chunks of vegetables and garlic cloves until you have a nice smooth - but still with some texture - sauce.  Have another little taste and add anything else you think it needs - salt, pepper, etc. 

Oh, so yummy.

Toss the pasta with a ladle of the finished sauce, and then pile into bowls and put more sauce on top.  Sing songs from Beauty and the Beast as you do so.

Dust with lacy shreds of parmesan.  It is a poem in a green bowl.

Dig in, savour and enjoy!

And maybe have a small glass of red wine with it......if you didn't put it all in the sauce :P