Sunday Gravy

The aroma of the sauce cooking is almost as good as the sauce itself.

 INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 CUP OLIVE OIL
• 1/2 CUP DICED YELLOW ONION
• 1/2 CUP SLICED FRESH GARLIC
• 1.5 LBS OF BONE IN PORK SHOULDER
• 1 LINK SPICEY Italian Sausage - sliced
• 2 cans whole Imported Italian plum tomatoes
• 2 small cans tomato paste
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 tablespoon basil
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon Oregano
• 1 teaspoon crushed. Red Pepper
• 1 teaspoon parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon rosemary
• Pinch of salt and pepper
• For this sauce all spices will be dried spices
• 4 Pre-cooked Meatballs
• (optional - 2 slices of bacon or 1 pigs foot)

DIRECTIONS

Heat olive oil in large pot.  Add sweet onions till they sweat.  Add garlic for 2 minutes.   Add pork- brown on both sides.  Add Sliced Italian sausage.   Add 2 cans of plum tomatoes (first chop for 1 minute in blender).  Add 2 cans of tomato paste.  Add 2 cups water.  Add 8 ounces of red wine and  stir well.  Add Spices.  Stir.   Bring to a boil and then simmer for 2 hours.   Add meatballs and simmer for another hour.

This is the dinner where families sit down together and share stories for hours.

Homemade Italian Recipe for Stuffed Dates

INGREDIENTS

• 4 Medjool Dates - must be Medjool (Large and Juicy)
• 1 Hot Italian Sausage link - remove skin
• 2 strips raw bacon - cut in half
• 2 Roasted Red peppers
• 1/2 Large Plum Tomato - coarsely chopped
• 2 cups Stale Bread- must be stale
• 2 Tbls. Toasted Pine Nuts - to toast , saute in frying pan over medium flame
• 1 garlic clove - diced
• 1 Tbls. fresh parsley - chopped
• 3 Tbls. Aged Balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Sriracha
• 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

HOW TO ROAST A RED PEPPER

Place peppers on grill.  Roast over open flame for approximately 15 minutes, constantly turning.  When they are charred and soft, put them in a pan and cover with aluminum foil.  Remove after 15 minutes - cut in half and remove stem.  Peel skin - it should come off easily.

DIRECTIONS

Put a slit in each date and remove pit.  Stuff with raw Italian Sausage.  Wrap with bacon.  Cook in oven for 20 minutes at 350 or until bacon is crispy.

Romesco Sauce

Place roasted red peppers, plum tomato, bread, pine nuts, garlic clove, parsley, balsamic vinegar, and Sriracha in food processor.  Slowly add extra virgin olive oil. Sauce will be thick.

COOKING

Heat 2 tbls. of olive oil in saute pan, add Romesco sauce.  Heat until hot.  Place cooked stuffed dates on top of Romesco sauce.  Garnish with chopped parsley.