Categories: Vegetables, Sauces 
      Yield: 6 servings 
  
    1/4 c  Corn Oil 
      1 md Young Eggplant 1 1/2 lb 
      1 md Onion finely chopped 
           Red or Vidalia 
      2 cl Garlic smashed and chopped 
      2 tb Fresh Parsley 
      1 c  Italian Tomatoes cut up 
           2 1/2 cups - 28 oz can 
      1    Tomato Paste  6 oz.can 
    1/2 c  Red Wine 
      4 oz Mushrooms cut up (large) 
      1 tb Fresh Oregano 
      2 tb Fresh Basil 
  1 1/2 ts Salt 
      1 tb Sugar if needed. See Note 
           -OPTIONS 
    1/2 lb Italian Sausage  See Note 
    3/4 lb Ground Meat      See Note 
    3/4 lb Chicken Strips   See Note 
    1/2 lb Pork Cubed       See Note 
  
  : NOTES: Onion, the type of onion will determine the sugar content of 
  the sauce, taste at 1/2 hour to adjust sugar. Eggplant, peel and cut 
  into 3/4 inch or so cubes. Wine, any dry wine will do, but Cabernet 
  Sauvignon is now inexpensive and bold- "Vendange 1992 is what I use." 
  : PRE-PREP: Mince onion, cube eggplant, smash and mince garlic, mince 
  parsley, open cans of tomato and tomato paste, pour some wine for 
  yourself. 
  : METHOD: Heat oil till v hot, add onions and eggplant and 
  stir often, the goal is to sweat nearly all of the fluid out of the 
  vegetables. Add garlic, stir well and give the garlic a minute to blend. 
  Add Tomatoes, stir well, add wine, and tomato paste, mix to blend, add 
  parsley, oregano, and basil. Stir to blend well and simmer uncovered for 
  about 15 minutes stirring often. Add option if desired, simmer for 
  another 15 minutes. Taste and decide if the sauce needs some sugar, 
  (sometimes the eggplant are a bit bitter and sugar is required). Add 
  sugar if required and simmer for another 20 minutes or so. Add salt and 
  stir well, taste the sauce and adjust seasoning at this point. MSN=add a 
  dash of cayenne or other chili powder at the end and stir in to peak the 
  flavors. : The total cooking time is 45 minutes to an hour, of course 
  any sauce will be better the second day. 
  : OPTIONS: Sausage, Pierce and 
  steam the sausage to cook through and to exude some of the fat from the 
  sausage or brown it well and drain the fat. Ground Meat, brown any lean 
  ground meat in a skillet and drain. Chicken Strips, or cubes, grill or 
  brown skinned chicken strips, or use turkey or duck. Pork cubes, grill 
  or lightly brown lean pork chunks. 
  Some folks will not eat Possum or Beaver unless it is made into this fine 
  sauce. 
  ~--