Marinara To Chili

      It's a sneaky kitchen trick -- and it works.

     Last week, I made pasta for dinner one night -- pretty serious pasta, butterfly noodles (farfalle), a 32-ounce jar Michaels of Brooklyn bottled marinara* supercharged with a pound of ground round, a small red onion, a little finely-diced carrot, some fresh red bell pepper and a couple teaspoons of capers.  It was tasty, but that's obviously way more than two spinsters can eat.

     So I froze the remainder.  Two days later, Tam picked up some mild Italian bulk sausage.  I browned it with chili powder and chorizo seasoning, then drained the fat and sauteed an onion, another red bell pepper, a few chopped cherry tomatoes and a little celery in the stewpot.  Once that was done, I added a small can of green chilis and the (thawed) left-over marinara with a couple of bay leaves, figuring I could put in a small can of tomato sauce if needed, or a can of chili beans.  I snipped in three pickled piparra peppers for a bit extra zing.  (My chili runs mild; it's easier to add heat to suit your preference at the table.)

     Within minutes it was pretty obvious that nothing else was needed.  The chili was about thick enough to stand a tablespoon, smelled wonderful and tasted better.  The chili powder moves in on the marinara spice profile and makes itself  at home, to the benefit of both.  We had a fine supper (and there was enough left for the next day's lunch -- but mind that third freeze and thaw cycle, and don't let the chili sit tepid before you freeze it). 

     The maker of the sauce runs an absolutely first-rate Italian restaurant in, yes, Brooklyn.  I won't tell them about making leftover sauce into chili, and please don't you, either. 
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* One of the best premade sauces I know of.  Costs more than the big brands but you can taste the improvement.