This month’s Recipe Redux theme is all about the alcohol… in the kitchen that is. And I don’t mean drinking while you cook, although I won’t judge if that’s your thing. What we really mean here, though, is putting alcohol into your food.
Immediately I thought of adding rum to banana bread, because seriously how amazing would that be? But I also thought it would be kind of standard.
So then I thought I’d make risotto with a touch of white wine. But then I went home this past weekend and my mom made an unbelievably delicious meat sauce for pasta. With her brainstorming help I decided to try and recreate her sauce but with a little red wine added in for flavor. And this bolognese is made healthier by using ground turkey instead of ground beef. Thanks, Mom!
Of course, this recipe almost didn’t make it to the blog in time for today’s post because I clearly don’t drink enough to know when the liquor store closes. Or I don’t know how to check the hours online. Most likely both. So, I missed my chance to buy wine twice but finally snagged some today in time to shoot my pictures before the sun set. This sauce was just too good not to share. You can thank me later
This is a great sauce to make on a Sunday so you have your pasta sauce for the whole week. Or freeze whatever you don’t use in individual servings so you can pull it out and thaw whenever you want to make a hearty yet healthy dinner.
What is your favorite way to cook with alcohol?
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 white onion, peeled and chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
- 28 oz. can of diced tomatoes
- 1 lb. ground turkey
- 6 oz. can of tomato paste
- 1 cup red wine (like Cabernet Savignon)
- salt and pepper, to taste
- Add olive oil to a large pot and heat over medium heat. Once hot, add onion and garlic and cook until transluscent.
- Add diced tomatoes and ground turkey and cook until the turkey is cooked through, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the tomato paste and red wine and cook covered over low heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes. If the liquid cooks off too much add a few tablespoons of water so the sauce doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Serve over pasta, quinoa, or vegetables.
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mmm…i could dive into a bowl of that right now!
same here, Jessica!
I’m going to answer your question about your favorite way to cook with alcohol. Living in Italy, most of these ideas are going to be Italian!
I love red wine in pasta sauce! Sparkling prosecco or champagne for risotto. Or how about risotto with sausage, red cherries and chianti red wine? Such a summer pairing.
Today I added a little cooking sherry into broccoli rabe with onions and red pepper.
Penne al vodka is dish that you will see time and again in Italy — although it is cream based, so not as healthy.
For all kinds of fish cooked in the oven (or even oven roasted potatoes), splash a little white wine in the pan with the fish or potatoes before cooking, it really elevates the flavor.
Have you ever made your own wine jelly for cheese?
Summer peaches stuffed with Amaretto cookie (made with Amaretto, I assume) crumble and baked in the oven is fantastic. A classic Italian summer dessert.
Last, but not least, one of my most memorable desserts ever were the stewed cherries in Brunello (red) wine tasted a few years ago at the restaurant Michele i Due Cippi near Saturnia. I would make the long drive again just to taste this dessert!
Go Katie!
You are a “cooking with alcohol” expert I can see. I’m going to have to try out some of these soon, so if you see something on the blog you’ll know the inspiration came from you! Thanks, Jane!
Katie I bet this would be delicious over zucchini noodles!
I was thinking the same thing the other day. Great minds think alike!