A few weeks ago I made dinner for a guest. I don't usually like cooking for other people. My biggest mistake tonight was not being sure what I wanted to cook. I had all the right ingredients but too many questions. Do I want the onions sliced thick or thin? Should I cut the sausage or cook it whole? Do I want tomato paste or sauce? Do I pair it with pasta or rice? I had too many questions and it seems I chose wrong on all counts.
- I sliced one onion, chopped 3 celery stalks and minced 3 cloves of garlic and sauteed them in olive oil.
- I sliced the sausage in half and then cut pieces. I should have probably left the sausage whole to contain the sausage flavor and juices.
Once I committed to rice I chose to use tomato paste thinking a thicker sauce would be better. I forgot the sausage would itself be a rich flavor and the intense flavor of the paste overpowered the dish. I tried to save it with a 1/2 c white wine, but I really just needed to add water, which I did later.
The flavor was too strong, the pieces of meat were too small and by the end of the meal I was unsatisfied. Unfortunately for our guest, you can't win them all!
