What's your secret to a really good marina? (ingredients, restaurant, mushrooms)

[bjh]

Whether you call it marinara, spaghetti sauce, red sauce, just don't call me late for dinner.

I'm of mostly British heritage: England, Ireland, that kind of thing. Places known for 'bad cooking.'

So we don't have a family history of making this kind of great sauce. So please help a "pasty white person" improve our methods, no doubt lifted from a run of the mill cookbook decades ago.

Whatever your heritage, what do you do to your marinara to make it restaurant quality good?

[SXMGirl]

I don't know if it's considered restaurant quality, but I think the secret to my red gravy is frying the tomato paste in olive oil and garlic before adding to the tomatoes.

[quiet walker]

The first things that come to mind are the olive oil and the onions

[mattpresley]

Originally Posted by SXMGirl

I don't know if it's considered restaurant quality, but I think the secret to my red gravy is frying the tomato paste in olive oil and garlic before adding to the tomatoes.

I fry all my herbs spices etc before adding ingredients. Also use a small amount of heavy cream before simmering

[gentlearts]

I use a jar of good quality spaghetti sauce, simmered with a large can of crushed tomatoes, a 15 oz can of chopped tomatoes, and fresh garlic, fresh or dried oregano and basil. Sure, it's not authentic Italian, but it's just fine if you don't have all day. You can start with some browned ground beef or italian sausage if you want a meat sauce.

[treeluvr]

Originally Posted by gentlearts

I use a jar of good quality spaghetti sauce, simmered with a large can of crushed tomatoes, a 15 oz can of chopped tomatoes, and fresh garlic, fresh or dried oregano and basil. Sure, it's not authentic Italian, but it's just fine if you don't have all day. You can start with some browned ground beef or italian sausage if you want a meat sauce.

I'm usually pretty lazy about my pasta sauce. I buy an inexpensive jar of sauce and add some ground beef--maybe green peppers or mushrooms, cheese on top and it's pretty good. But, last time I wanted Spaghetti sauce I bought an expensive type (cost about 2-3 X what I usually pay.) I was surprised at the difference--it was really delicious. Looking at the label, I think the difference was lots of olive oil. Fat makes everything taste better! Many of the inexpensive sauces are fat-free or close to it.

[Herbrocks]

One "secret" is using good quality import canned tomatoes and paste instead of store or chain brands. Canned actually works better than fresh, but if you use fresh tomatoes, be sure to peel them

[gentlearts]

Originally Posted by treeluvr

I'm usually pretty lazy about my pasta sauce. I buy an inexpensive jar of sauce and add some ground beef--maybe green peppers or mushrooms, cheese on top and it's pretty good. But, last time I wanted Spaghetti sauce I bought an expensive type (cost about 2-3 X what I usually pay.) I was surprised at the difference--it was really delicious. Looking at the label, I think the difference was lots of olive oil. Fat makes everything taste better! Many of the inexpensive sauces are fat-free or close to it.

And they say evoo is good for you.

[CMichele]

Cut a couple tomatoes into halves. Squeeze out the juice and seeds. You can even reserve them to thin the sauce.

Heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Stew or sautee, whatever it is that you do, the tomatoes. Add in fresh or dried basil, oregano, rosemary, parsley, plus onion powder and garlic powder. You can also add in a little chicken stock. Salt and pepper. Add in a good canned tomato sauce. Cook on low for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

[Fat Freddy]

Originally Posted by bjh

..what do you do to your marinara to make it restaurant quality good?

The terms "restaurant quality" and "good" are usually mutually exclusive.