Chef Johnny Prep Visits Ms. Smith's Class and Ms. Conn's Class on 9/18

On September 19, Chef Johnny Prep, John Prepolec, visited two fifth grade classes. He made a marinara sauce using ingredients grown in the Marquez Edible Garden and then served it on some pasta.  Along the way he shared a bit of cooking knowledge! The sauce was delicious! We're looking forward to his next visit to Marquez. Meanwhile, I'll visit www.johnnyprep.net to see if there are any other recipes that use ingredients from our garden!

Prep's Light Marinara Sauce

2 Tbsp. olive oil

3/4 cup onions, diced

1 Tbsp. garlic clove, chopped

4 cups tomatoes, large dice

1/2 cup fresh Basil leaves, thinly sliced

1 cup chicken broth or vegetable broth

1 tsp. sugar (or to taste to balance the acid in the tomatoes)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat.  Add the onions and garlic and sauté. Stir occasionally.  Season lightly with salt and pepper.  Cook until onions are clear and translucent.  It is ok if they are a little brown but don’t burn the garlic.

2. Add the tomatoes and the basil and season again lightly with salt and pepper.  Continue to cook until tomatoes start to break down into a sauce, about 5 minutes.  Stir occasionally.

3. Add the chicken and the sugar and continue to cook for 10 minutes ( or more if tomatoes haven't broken down enough) over medium heat.  Stir occasionally and press down on the tomatoes to help them break down into a sauce.  At this point you can use a stick blender or food processor to puree the mixture if you want a smoother sauce.

4. Taste the sauce and adjust the salt, pepper, and sugar to balance the flavor properly. Add only in small portions.