How does this sound?

"Scott" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

When I make lasagna sauce again I'm going to start it off like this (I got
this idea from a web site):

Use 2 tbs olive oil and 4 cloves garlic in a pan and let the garlic soak
for a while. Then turn on the heat and just when the garlic starts to
sizzle add 1/2 cup vidalia onion, 1 tsp oregano and a little basil and mix
around on med heat for about 5 min. Then add 1lb pork and 1lb beef and
brown...

-ss

Why do you want to cook oregano before the meat? And over cook garlic and
possibly make it bitter? While it sounds like you want to infuse the
flavors, I think you will end up with the opposite.

Scott said:

When I make lasagna sauce again I'm going to start it off like this (I
got this idea from a web site):

Use 2 tbs olive oil and 4 cloves garlic in a pan and let the garlic soak
for a while. Then turn on the heat and just when the garlic starts to
sizzle add 1/2 cup vidalia onion, 1 tsp oregano and a little basil and
mix around on med heat for about 5 min. Then add 1lb pork and 1lb beef
and brown...

Brown the meat first until mostly done then drain. Then add the
other ingredients and brown a little more. Otherwise you're just
draining the flavor along with the fat from the hamburger. I
suppose you could start with really lean hamburger, but there
will still be quite a bit a liquid produced, and you do want some
fat for flavor.

And there's no reason to soak garlic in cold oil.

-sw

Scott said:

When I make lasagna sauce again I'm going to start it off like this (I
got this idea from a web site):

Use 2 tbs olive oil and 4 cloves garlic in a pan and let the garlic soak
for a while. Then turn on the heat and just when the garlic starts to
sizzle add 1/2 cup vidalia onion, 1 tsp oregano and a little basil and
mix around on med heat for about 5 min. Then add 1lb pork and 1lb beef
and brown...

-ss

I doubt frying dried oregano and basil first improves the flavor?
Vidalia onions are sweeter, so I wouldn't go out of my way to buy them
for lasagna when a simple yellow or white onion would work just as well
or better. I'd also start by browning the meat (sausage?) first and
using the fat it renders out to saute the onions in. After the meat was
browned is when I'd add minced garlic, etc..

Edwin Pawlowski said:

"Scott" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

When I make lasagna sauce again I'm going to start it off like this
(I got this idea from a web site):

Use 2 tbs olive oil and 4 cloves garlic in a pan and let the garlic
soak for a while. Then turn on the heat and just when the garlic
starts to sizzle add 1/2 cup vidalia onion, 1 tsp oregano and a
little basil and mix around on med heat for about 5 min. Then add
1lb pork and 1lb beef and brown...

-ss

Why do you want to cook oregano before the meat? And over cook
garlic and possibly make it bitter? While it sounds like you want
to infuse the flavors, I think you will end up with the opposite.

Yeah, that was my thought exactly, Edwin. It doesn't add up.

kili

"Goomba38" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I doubt frying dried oregano and basil first improves the flavor? Vidalia
onions are sweeter, so I wouldn't go out of my way to buy them for lasagna
when a simple yellow or white onion would work just as well or better. I'd
also start by browning the meat (sausage?) first and using the fat it
renders out to saute the onions in. After the meat was browned is when I'd
add minced garlic, etc..

I had an Italian roommate who always fried her dried spices in oil.

Come to think of it, whenever she invited her boyfriend over for dinner,
he'd ask who was cooking. He'd only come if I was cooking.

Steve Wertz said:

Brown the meat first until mostly done then drain. Then add the
other ingredients and brown a little more. Otherwise you're just
draining the flavor along with the fat from the hamburger. I
suppose you could start with really lean hamburger, but there
will still be quite a bit a liquid produced, and you do want some
fat for flavor.

And there's no reason to soak garlic in cold oil.

-sw

That does give me something to think about. I buy lean meat anyways
(80/20) and I'm going to add more oregano and basil later when I start
adding the paste/water. But it was mention earlier that I could overcook
the garlic which is a concern. Last night I did notice that they came
out with chopped garlic in olive oil:
http://www.mccormick.com/productdetail.cfm?id=12311
So maybe there is a benefit in soaking garlic in olive oil. Or could be
just marketing hype.

-ss

Quoted message said:

I doubt frying dried oregano and basil first improves the flavor?
Vidalia onions are sweeter, so I wouldn't go out of my way to buy
them for lasagna when a simple yellow or white onion would work
just as well or better. I'd also start by browning the meat
(sausage?) first and using the fat it renders out to saute the
onions in. After the meat was browned is when I'd add minced
garlic, etc..

I like to heat diced onion on medium in a little olive oil until the
onions start to turn translucent, then add the garlic for 2 minutes
before adding ground beef. I mix in a little pork sausage sans
casings, too. Then comes the oregano, salt and pepper.

BTW, I know lots of folks who insist that if there will be tomatoes
involved they have to be fresh. In my admittedly limited experience,
canned tomato works better for pasta dishes. I don't know why either
and it's entirely possible that more experienced cooks disagree.

--

Regards,
Robert L Bass

=============================>
Bass Home Electronics
941-925-8650
4883 Fallcrest Circle
Sarasota · Florida · 34233
http://www.bassburglaralarms.com
=============================>

Quoted message said:

So maybe there is a benefit in soaking garlic in olive oil.
Or could be just marketing hype.

AFAIK, the only benefit is it lasts longer in the fridge. The
disadvantage is it's not as tasty. Since cooking is all about
taste I crush fresh garlic when I need it. About the only
exception is when I'm in a big hurry and find I've run out.
Then (forgive me) out comes the dried garlic powder.

--

Regards,
Robert L Bass

=============================>
Bass Home Electronics
941-925-8650
4883 Fallcrest Circle
Sarasota · Florida · 34233
http://www.bassburglaralarms.com
=============================>

Scott said:

When I make lasagna sauce again I'm going to start it off like this (I
got this idea from a web site):

Use 2 tbs olive oil and 4 cloves garlic in a pan and let the garlic soak
for a while. Then turn on the heat and just when the garlic starts to
sizzle add 1/2 cup vidalia onion, 1 tsp oregano and a little basil and
mix around on med heat for about 5 min. Then add 1lb pork and 1lb beef
and brown...

-ss

You're making sauce... so what's this [censored]?!?!? duh

Robert L Bass said:

BTW, I know lots of folks who insist that if there will be tomatoes
involved they have to be fresh. In my admittedly limited experience,
canned tomato works better for pasta dishes. I don't know why either
and it's entirely possible that more experienced cooks disagree.

Agree entirely. The only time I use fresh tomatoes for
sauce is when they're at the peak of their season. For the
rest of the year, canned is always better.

--
Reg

Reg said:

For the
rest of the year, canned is always better.

Was there another "choice" 'for the rest of the year'?

Scott said:

Steve Wertz said:

And there's no reason to soak garlic in cold oil.

So maybe there is a benefit in soaking garlic in olive oil. Or could be
just marketing hype.

It's just there to keep the garlic "fresh". The oil will get
infused with the garlic slightly, but if you're just going to
cook it in the oil anyway, there's really no use soaking it for
30 minutes beforehand.

Also be aware that any pre-chopped garlic is considered to be
pretty lame for serious cooking. It's been processed and has lost
a lot of it's original flavor. The only think I find it useful
for is putting on French fries. Use fresh garlic cloves whenever
possible.

-sw