---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
  
       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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