For many, many years I have made spaghetti sauce. Sometimes it is strictly Italian style, and other times it is more like the Cajun Spaghetti Sauce that my mother made. But today I tried something different – mixing a variety of different ingredients to make a delicious sauce I call “Cultural Gumbo” Spaghetti Sauce. Why that name? Because I used vegetables and other things from different culinary cultures and mixed them altogether. Here is my recipe.
“Cultural Gumbo Spaghetti Sauce”
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 link Savoie’s Sausage (cut into very thin pieces)
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño, chopped with seeds removed (optional)
1 Roma tomato, chopped
½ small cabbage, chopped
1 can original Rotel Tomatoes
I regular can stewed tomatoes
1 24oz jar of RAO’s Homemade Pasta Marinara Sauce.
Tony Chachere More Spice seasoning, to your liking
McCormick Perfect Pinch Italian seasoning, to your liking
Olive Oil for browning meat and sausage
Green onion tops and fresh parsley chopped fine.
Parmesan cheese.
Pasta of your choice
Water as needed.
On stove top, brown ground beef and sausage in a little olive oil. Add vegetables a little at a time, and seasonings to your taste. Cook until vegetables soften.
Add Rotel Tomatoes and cook for a few minutes.
Add Marinara Sauce and continue cooking on medium heat until mixture starts to bubble. Reduce heat to low and continue to simmer for one to two hours, or longer as needed. (Years ago I had an older friend tell me the more the tomato sauce simmers, the better it is.) Add water if needed when sauce becomes very thick.
When it is done to your liking, add the green onions and parsley. Serve over your favorite pasta. Top with Parmesan cheese. Enjoy, and happy cooking!
