Ingredients
1 tsp. unsalted butter
1 medium sized onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup carrots, coarsely chopped
1 8oz package Baby Bella Mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 bay leaves
1 lbs ground, lean beef (or pork, or lamb)
1 28oz can of whole, peeled tomatoes
Salt & Pepper to taste
Preparation
Heat butter on medium-low in a large pot (I use a stock pot). Add onions, garlic & bay leaves, sauté until garlic turns golden, ca. 3 minutes. Add carrots and mushrooms, sauté until ‘mushroom liquid’ begins to evaporate, ca. 8 minutes. Add ground beef, a little salt and pepper, and stir to break up clumps until beef is completely browned. Add canned tomatoes with liquid and 1 cup water. Stir well, raise heat to medium-high, cover and let simmer for 30 minutes. Stirring occasionally, add water as needed. After half an hour, break up the now softened tomatoes. Discard bay leaves.
While the sauce simmers, you can prepare herbs, Béchamel & cheese for lasagna, or spices, roasted eggplant & custard for Moussaka, or spice mix, beans and peppers for chilli.
This ‘base sauce’ is enough for either chilli, lasagna or moussaka for 6 people. However I like to double the amount, divide into 3 batches and save to make individual dishes for 4 - 5 people.
