Pasta With Sauce Veracruz

* Exported from MasterCook *

PASTA WITH SAUCE VERACRUZ

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Main Dish Pasta
Sauces

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
4 lg Garlic cloves -- unpeeled
2 lg Yellow onions
2 md Carrots
4 To 6 fresh New Mexican green
-chiles
2 lg Red sweet peppers
2 lb Ripe Roma tomatoes
1 1/2 To 2 tb. olive oil
1 1/2 To 2 c. rich chicken, beef
-or vegetable stock
1 c Sun-dried tomatoes*
2 ts Chopped fresh rosemary
2 tb Chopped fresh sweet marjoram
-or mild oregano
2 tb Chopped fresh Italian
-parsley
1 t Cumin seeds -- toasted
-- coarsely ground
2 ts Coriander seeds -- toasted
-- coarsely ground
2 tb Small capers
1/4 c Tequila -- reposado or anejo
-type
1 t Vanilla extract
1 To 1 1/2 lbs. zucchini
-- thinly sliced
Salt and pepper -- to taste
12 oz Ziti, rigatoni, fettucine or
-linguine**
2 tb Chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 c Toasted pine nuts or walnuts
1/2 c Freshly grated Parmesan or
-Romano cheese (opt'l.)

*Cut into very thin strips (soften in hot water if dry packed).

**Cooked according to package directions.

Wash the fresh vegetables and pat dry. Do not peel or cut. Rub them
with some of the olive oil and place them on a well-oiled baking
sheet. Bake at 450 F. until the skins are browned and the insides
are softened. Remove vegetables from the oven as soon as they're
done, letting the rest cook as long as needed; the onions and garlic
will require 30 to 40 minutes.

While the vegetables are roasting, heat 1 1/2 cups of the stock to
boiling, pour it over the sun-dried tomatoes, and let them stand.
When the vegetables are cool, squeeze the garlic cloves from their
skins, remove the skin from the onions and peppers, and seed and core
the peppers. Roughly chop the vegetables.

Place chopped vegetables in a large skillet that has been coated with
olive oil and heat, stirring often. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and
their soaking liquid, rosemary, sweet marjoram (or oregano), parsley,
cumin, coriander, capers and tequila. Bring to a boil, reduce heat,
and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until very flavorful. Add more
stock if needed to thin the sauce. When nearly ready to serve, add
vanilla extract and sliced zucchini to the sauce, cooking just until
brightly colored. Season with salt and pepper. Serve over the
pasta, tossing lightly; garnish with cilantro, nuts and grated cheese.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

Hill and Barclay write: "Vanilla is the secret ingredient in this
cross-cultural sauce, which is also delicious served with grilled or
roasted meats, poultry or seafood."

From Madalene Hill and Gwen Barclay's "Vanilla: From an Orchid Comes a
Bean with a Rich, Versatile Flavor..." article in "The Herb
Companion." Dec. 1995/Jan. 1996, Vol. 8, No. 2. Pp. 39-40.



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