The Recipe: All Purpose Tomato and Beef Sauce

Note the sauce can be made with the ground beef, ground chicken or turkey. This sauce also includes a jalapeno pepper. I often use a jalapeno or Tabasco in cooking to give the flavours a little pop. If the Jalapeno is sautéed down and cooks for a period the heat will not be overwhelming.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 Shallots (diced)
6 cloves of Garlic (minced)
1 normal sized Carrots (diced)
2 Stalks Celery (diced)
1 Jalapeno Pepper (seeds removed, diced)
500 grams of Ground Beef (Chicken)
2 Tablespoons Worchester Sauce
10-15 average sized Cremini or Button Mushrooms (sliced or quartered depending on your mood)
1 ½ Full Bodied Red Wine (I Use a Big Aussie)
Salt
Pepper
2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
28 oz Can of diced tomatoes (you can peel and remove the seeds and guts of your own vine tomatoes, but no need)
1 Can of chicken or beef stock
1 Can of tomato paste
Basil
Oregano
Parsley

1. Using a stockpot with a lid, sauté diced carrots, celery and Jalapeno over medium-high heat for about 5 mintues, stirring frequently (do not let the any of the ingredients blacken or a bitter taste will come out in the finished product).
2. Add diced shallots and season with salt sauté for another 5 minutes, stirring frequiently.
3. Add chopped garlic (try to add garlic on top of other vegetables to ensure you do not crisp the garlic, try to bring up temperature on garlic slowly). Sauté for another 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Add in mushrooms, Worchester and ground beef (I use a lean ground beef and do not drain it, if you wish to drain the fat off the beef you should brown it in a separate pan then add to rest, however this will detract from the flavour of the meat and the sauce). Brown the beef, about 7 minutes (until cooked through).
5. Once the meat is browned add the red wine and let it is absorb into the meat and veggies. After about 1 minutes add the balsamic vinegar, tomato paste, canned tomatoes and chicken stock.
6. Bring contents to a boil, then reduce heat to low and let if gently bubble for 1-4 hours so flavours can mix (the longer you let it go the more the flavours will blend).
7. With about 15 to 30 minutes left add selection of fresh herbs including basil, oregano and parsley. Salt and pepper to taste (if using dried herbs add about half way through the simmer).