Lynn’s Marinara Sauce
Adapted from a recipe from Lynn Tomlinson Aubrey & photography by Talitha Schroeder
Lynn Tomlinson Aubrey makes this delicious sauce with her own homegrown and home-canned tomatoes. We added a few twists!
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4-6 cloves minced garlic, depending on your garlic love
1 medium white or yellow onion, diced
1- 14.5 oz can tomato sauce
1- 14.5 oz. can diced or whole tomatoes, broken up if whole
1 ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning (or to taste)
1-2 tablespoons sugar, as needed to offset the acidity of your tomatoes
Directions
Sauté the garlic and onion in olive oil over medium heat until soft and translucent. Add a splash of water and a pinch of salt if needed to keep from browning.
Add the remaining ingredients and turn the heat down to low. Simmer gently until the sauce thickens, about one hour. Stir frequently to prevent scorching.
Serves four to six if used to top pasta, ravioli, etc.
Or go twice as far by splitting the batch into two and using each half as the base for cioppino, chicken cacciatore or pasta puttanesca. The sauce will happily wait in the freezer until you’re ready for it.
Variations:
Cioppino –
Warm up half the batch of marinara sauce, add one 8 oz. bottle of clam juice. Bring to a low boil and then reduce to a steady simmer as the seafood is added. If desired, add crushed red pepper to taste for a little extra kick and/or a pinch or two of ground star anise for an intriguing twist.
Try cod, mahi-mahi, grouper or haddock, cut into one inch cubes. Peeled and deveined shrimp. Fresh mussels and fresh or canned clams. One pound of seafood, in total, is about right.
Start with the largest or longest-cooking items and follow with the others. We suggest 8-10 minutes for the fish, 4-6 minutes for shellfish, and just long enough to heat through for canned clams. Do not overcook; the shrimp will turn pink and firm up, fresh clams or mussels will open, and the fish will just be starting to flake when prodded with a fork.
Delicious with garlic bread! Serves 2-4, depending on appetites and how much seafood you add.
Chicken Cacciatore –
Lightly brown 4-6 pieces of chicken (any cut is fine but thighs would be good/bone-in or not) in a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a medium-sized Dutch oven. Add half the batch of marinara and ½ cup or so of chicken broth to thin it out a bit. We like the Better Than Bouillon bases – they keep in the fridge for ages and you only have to use what you need.
Bring the chicken and sauce to a low boil then transfer to a preheated 350℉ oven. Bake for about 45 to 60 minutes (depending on whether you used bone-in or boneless pieces and white or dark meat), until cooked through. Turn the pieces at least once during baking. Or cook start to finish on the stovetop or in a slow-cooker.
Add a handful of sautéed mushrooms, plain old buttons are fine. Good with steamed rice, pasta, polenta or mashed potatoes! Serves 2-4, depending on appetites and how much chicken you cook.
Puttanesca –
Sauté a few (or more!) anchovy filets in olive oil, add ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, a couple tablespoons of drained capers and ¼ cup of chopped pitted black olives. Warm through until the flavors have blended. Add half a batch of marinara sauce and warm up. If too thick, thin with pasta water, stock, lemon juice, and/or wine! Throw in any fresh herbs you have on hand, like parsley, oregano or basil and serve with your favorite pasta!
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