vegetables to add to spaghetti

[coppercone2]

I had less then the usual amount of ground beef, so I added a carrot and two celary sticks into the spaghetti (along with garlic, onion and herbs). Normally I brown ground beef, then fry onions/mushrooms and then garlic (slightly), in a three step pan process, before it gets simmered in sauce.

Anyway, I don't think celery/carrot is a great flavor. Reminds me a bit of sweet peppers, and I don't like those at all if they are in any way cooked. I can eat it this meal I made but its a let down. I noticed I can taste carrot in alot of the pre made lasagna and stuff I buy, but I think its kinda weird and it leads to me cooking my own pasta/lasagna.

The only thing I ever liked to add to spaghetti is either mushrooms (any kind) or bacon. I usually make vegetables on the side that are roasted or something, and to me it tastes alot better. I only add bacon as emergency measure for fast meals, especially if there is no beef. Rarely wine when its around. (and sometimes Italian sausages instead of ground beef, spicy kind)

Are there some other good options for things to add to the 'fry mix' that normally is mainly onions and garlic. I wanted to make some different sauces, not just side dishes.

And this is for red sauce, not white sauce, that is a different story/thread.


I had some success in my meat roasts by replacing solid onion with green onion, it seems to bake OK. Have not tried in spaghetti yet.


Like for carrots, they are clearly completely superior if you roast them as a side dish, instead of mixing it into the sauce. I wish I just roasted the carrots/celery instead. Its just the wrong flavor for a sauce. I thought about using 1/4 of a carrot and celery but I still think I won't like it.

[jpanhalt]

My maternal grandparents and a a few aunts and uncles came from the Po river area in northern Italy.  Netta (an aunt) made her spaghetti sauce with almost no tomatoes.  The ingredients in hers were pork, celery, carrots, onion and garlic.  After they had cooked, she used half & half  and only 1 tablespoon of tomato paste to make a sauce.  Parsley and basil might be added as garnish, and of course cheese.  We went through a lot of cheese.  My mom usually substituted beef for the pork.

[Halcyon]

I literally just made a "vegetable bolognese" last week with leftover vegetables from the fridge that were about to go bad. I have to say, it was probably one of the best tasting pasta dishes I have made, and it's even better the following day. This is my recipe (of course you can add or omit anything you like, but try to keep the ratios of liquid to solid stuff about the same, it's already quite chunky as it is).

INGREDIENTS:

130 grams dried green lentils (sometimes called Puy or French lentils)
1 brown onion, finely diced
2 carrots, finely diced
1 small sweet potato, finely diced (chop the carrots and potato to about the same size; depending on what type of pasta you're using (e.g.: shells) aim for something that fits in the pasta)
400 grams mushrooms, small to medium chop (don't chop them too fine, they'll shrink as they cook; I used half white cup/button mushrooms and half swiss brown, but use anything you have)
5 garlic cloves, finely diced or crushed (add more if you like things super garlicky)
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, roughly chopped (or sub 0.5 tablespoon of dried)
1 tablespoon fresh sage. finely chopped (or sub 0.5 tablespoon of dried)
1 tablespoon (or to taste) of dried chilli flakes
130 grams tomato paste
30 mL (1.5 tablespoons) tamari (if you don't have tamari, use about half that amount of Maggi seasoning, or low-salt soy sauce, but go easy)
250 mL (1 cup) dry to semi-dry white wine (I used Sauvignon Blanc since that's what I normally drink; Pinot Gris or a dry Riesling would also work well)
500 mL (2 cups) chicken stock
250 mL (1 cup) milk
Parmesan cheese (to serve)

METHOD:

1. Rinse the lentils in cold water then boil for 10 minutes in a small saucepan. After 10 minutes, drain and rinse under cold water to halt carry-over cooking. Set these aside.

2. Heat a good glug of olive oil in a large pot, cast iron pan, etc... over medium heat. Gently cook the onion, carrot and sweet potato for about 5 minutes until slightly softened. (If you're adding minced meat, I'd include that at this point as well). Add a big pinch of salt and pepper. (Optional: I also added a pinch of MSG, just to bring out some of the flavours.)

3. Add about half of the mushrooms and reduce down slightly (for about 3 minutes). Add the remaining mushrooms and continue cooking for about 6 or 7 minutes. Go gentle, turn the heat down if things are starting to brown too much. We're going to be cooking this for a while.

4. Add the garlic, chopped herbs, and chilli flakes. Give that a few minutes.

5. Add the tomato paste and tamari. Stir together and cook for a few minutes to open up the flavour of the tomato paste. Add the partially cooked lentils and stir everything together.

6. Add the white wine and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce this for about 4-5 minutes.

7. Add the chicken stock and milk, bring to a gentle simmer, then turn the heat to low and cook uncovered for about 50-60 minutes, or until most of the liquid has reduced. Don't rush, take your time. The heat should be as low as it can go to prevent things from sticking/burning. Stir every 10 minutes or so, as the lentils have a tendency to sink to the bottom of the pot.

8. After about an hour, give it a taste, adjust the seasonings as required, and you're done!

9. Serve with any type of pasta you like. Top with a generous amount of parmesan cheese.


NOTES: You could use just about any vegetables you like. Throw in some leafy greens like chopped spinach or kale, or even corn kernels (frozen or fresh) during the last 5 minutes of cooking. I omitted celery because I hate it, but if you like it, add it in at Step 2.

[jpanhalt]

Ah yes, rosemary. I have learned over the years there are many cultivars of rosemary.  The bush in our backyard in California was silver, not geen, and had a much milder and mellow scent than the pine scent from local grocery stores.  It was huge.  I used to rub it on my hands before going to elementary school.  As I look back on those days, I wonder what my teachers must have thought of their little spic student.  Anyway, I have found dried rosemary that is similar, but never fresh. 

When I can find it, I grind it in a mortar and pestle to use in cooking for a lot of things.  I am not very fond of the sharp.pine taste of most fresh rosemary one finds in the US.

[coppercone2]

I think adding alot of shitake mushrooms makes it kinda sour. I made one with only shitake mushrooms and onion with the same sauce I used before, and this one tastes like it needs some sugar. 

[Psi]

If you add chop up onions, celery and carrots and cook them with a good amount of olive oil you can make a really good base for a lot of things.  It needs to be well cooked though. An easy way is to just blend it all up and then cook in a frying pan on high heat stirring continuously until the color darkens.   It doesnt taste good by itself but it creates a really good background flavour. Something that improves other things when you add it.  It's an excellent base for any soup.

For food to be good it really needs both a background flavour and a foreground flavour.

[jpanhalt]

I think adding alot of shitake mushrooms makes it kinda sour. I made one with only shitake mushrooms and onion with the same sauce I used before, and this one tastes like it needs some sugar. 

Mushrooms are not vegetables.

I use dried porcini exclusively.*  It is hard to find good ones in Cleveland, Toledo, or Philadelphia  (3 places I can hunt easily).  I tried every brand on Amazon.  Most were horrible and/or gritty.  The least expensive "imported" were from China.  The taste was almost like styrene smells.  They were never used.  The gritty ones were also thrown out.  One was acceptable, but not great.  It's supposedly grown and packed in Italy.  I can get the same ones in those other cities.  I usually buy a whole pound and add them to a lot of dishes.  My local supplier gives me a small discount on that quantity.

Beware:  Imported from Italy does not mean grown and prepared there.  Some brands are actually from Turkey or maybe even China.  Ones from France are also supposed to be good, but I haven't found any of those at my sources.

*My dad used to say the bold taste was because they were grown in cow manure.  I don't think that's accurate. 

[paulca]

Interesting.  I usually use onions just to bulk it out, or more tomato and a longer simmer to reduce it.

Then again my bolognese recipe is a bit of a mish mash.  Onion, mince steak, garlic, pepper, salt, mixed herbs, oregano on top, brown, caramelise a little, glaze the pain and then add 2 tins of tomatoes, a table spoon of tomato concentrate and a tiny pinch of sugar to "detart" it.

Simmer for as long as you can stand to be hungry.  Serve with any type of pasta unmixed with hard cheese sprinkles.  If you feel like it garnish the plate with some dried parsley.

Variations on this recipe are:

Monday slop, School dinners.  Don't add the tomato.  Just add beef stock and water.  Reduce a little, add sweatcorn, peas, carrots whatever and then mix in gravy granules until it gets the right consist.... then serve on mash potato with butter, crunchy brocoli and some yorkshite puddings if you can.
Chilli Con-carne.  Less tomato and a tin of kidney beans... of and chilli powder or minced chillis if you have them.
Pepper mince.  No tomato.  Fry the mince to dry and then cool a bit before building up the sauce with "powdered" pepper sauce.  or you can make your own.  Serve with pasta or potato.  Swap beef for chicken.

[jpanhalt]

Then again my bolognese recipe is a bit of a mish mash.  Onion, mince steak, garlic, pepper, salt, mixed herbs, oregano on top, brown, caramelise a little, glaze the pain and then add 2 tins of tomatoes, a table spoon of tomato concentrate and a tiny pinch of sugar to "detart" it.

You can't believe the arguments the ladies in my mom's family had over using oregano and sugar.  My grandmother was solidly against using oregano in anything.  She felt only Sicilians (not meant as a complement) used it.  Geography didn't play a part in whether sugar was used.

[NE666]

Probably a blasphemy amongst at least two cultures but I recently learnt of and quite enjoy the "holy trinity" approach.

Namely; onion (sauté first), celery and green pepper in roughly equal proportions. Lots of garlic, quite a bit of black pepper and just a touch of cumin powder.
 
I find it knocks down the 'mince-ness' of minced beef in such dishes a lot, giving a better balance of flavour with whatever other ingredients you use (e.g. tomato, aubergine/eggplant etc.)

[coppercone2]

that tri-mix is french food

oregano has a strong flavor, the argument is probably that its used by the poor/scams to cover up off-tastes and it was a sign that there is no 'service' in the house hold (servants) to manage food storage/use. i think alot of europeans have a strong view against spicy food, but it also has a preservative effect I think, like salt, but with the oils in the herb. I think thyme has the strongest effect though. May have been a practical necessity pre-refrigeration.

I THINK that it might let meat keep longer too, so if you marinade it with those ingredients, you get more time. Perhaps it also meant you are less likely to give food to the poor if you 'preserve' it with certain spices, as was the common thing for (good) nobility to do, since it could be eaten later instead of going bad

and probably just strait up xenophobia from eight crusades

[Psi]

The onions+carrot+celery cooked in olive oil is the Italian version of the tri-mix.
Most cultures have their own version that is slightly different. eg butter instead of olive oil

[jpanhalt]

@Psi
I agree.  Right now, I am experimenting with "Mayfair" salad dressing (a well-known 1930's hotel in St Louis).  Ii's onion, a little garlic, celery, mustard, and a lot of anchovies (2oz/2 cups) plus eggs (for emulsion) and oil.  The seemingly most authentic version substitutes mayonnaise for eggs and oil.  I like to make my own with eggs, olive oil and corn oil.  In modern times (1960's), the Mayfair hotel was known as the site where Masters and Johnson did their studies on sexuality (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masters_and_Johnson).  I consider it an alternative to Caesar dressing with a different touch.  The hotel has been renamed.  So far, I like it.  I substitute red onion for yellow and add parmesan cheese too.

[Psi]

It's so easy to make a nice soup once you understand how to make some form of the tri-mix.

This video is where I first came across the Italian tri-mix and tried it myself. He uses it as a base for pasta sauce.
Then I started using it as a base for making other soups with great results.

[BradC]

Most cultures have their own version that is slightly different. eg butter instead of olive oil

Made me think of this :

People shy away from Butter because they overheat it.

[Psi]

I think olive oil is healthier than butter, but butter is healthier than seed oil based margarine.
I tend to use olive oil for most things unless it requires high heat.

I also recommend anyone who feels a bit off, try drinking a good quality green tea or matcha tea once a day and see how you feel after 2 weeks.
I noticed a link with drinking green tee each day and feeling better. Your mileage may vary.

[BrianHG]

Replace the minced beef with minced pork filet/tenderloin.  Much less fat and healthier for you.

As for the veggies, my favorite is chopped/minced garlic, onion and mushrooms.

I also like to add plenty of oregano, basil, a few bay leaves, dried chili flakes and freshly ground black pepper.

[PlainName]

I also recommend anyone who feels a bit off, try drinking a good quality green tea or matcha tea once a day and see how you feel after 2 weeks.

Hate to spoil a good idea, but if you take anything at all (that isn't poison) then after 2 weeks you will feel better. If you haven't improved by then you have a serious illness that no amount of any tea will fix.

[Psi]

I also recommend anyone who feels a bit off, try drinking a good quality green tea or matcha tea once a day and see how you feel after 2 weeks.

Hate to spoil a good idea, but if you take anything at all (that isn't poison) then after 2 weeks you will feel better. If you haven't improved by then you have a serious illness that no amount of any tea will fix.

It wasn't so much for health reasons per se, more emotional wellbeing. Which i know sounds a bit woo woo wellness crap but i don't know how else to word it. 

[paulca]

It's like chicken soup.  Or in the area some of my family grew up it was palally? Google says I recall that incorrectly and it's called "Goody".  Boiling bread pieces in milk with sugar and spices.

It's "get better food".  It's not really a treatment for the body, more for the soul.  They tend to be minimal, calming, simple warm foods that are easy to digest and full of energy.  Ideal when you are feeling poorly.

I think the point that was trying to be made ... most minor ailments are handled automatically by the body.  In fact more of the "symptoms" of infection are caused by the body dealing with it itself.  Most things take a week or two for the full immune cycle to complete and come back to normal balance.

Thus, if you had green tea, soup or sugary slop, or you had nothing special, you would still have a 99% of total recovery in 2 weeks anyway.

This accounts for 90% of reported "lore treatments".

It doesn't mean they do not work on the mind and the soul though.