Recipes for delicious tomato sauce and a basic marinade

Two of the most important things to know how to cook are a delicious tomato sauce for pasta and a great marinade for meat. Here's a helpful guide to making both:

Once upon a time, housewives and swagmen (transient temporary workers) alike topped off their fireside fare with a generous dollop of tomato sauce. This old Australian recipe is guaranteed to add a pioneering flavour to even the most modern dish.

Ingredients

• 5 kg (11 lb) ripe tomatoes
• 1 kg (2.2 lb) onions
• 3 large green apples
• 150 g (1/3 lb) salt
• 1 L (4 c) white vinegar
• 600 ml (2 1/2 c) sugar
• 2 level dessert spoons
• Mustard powder
• Spices, wrapped in a muslin bag:  2 level dessertspoons whole dried bird's eye
• Chilis:  1 level dessertspoon ground ginger; 1 level dessertspoon whole mace; 5 ml (1 tsp) whole cloves

Cooking Method

• Roughly chop the tomatoes, onions and apples and simmer in a large pot with all other ingredients and the spice bag until the mixture is thick and richly coloured (3 1/2 to five hours, depending on the consistency and ripeness of the fruit).
• Stir the mixture frequently to prevent sticking, especially towards the end of cooking.
• Add some cornstarch mixed with water to thicken if desired.
• Bottle and seal.

One of the secrets to successful barbecuing is the variety and tenderness lent to everyday ingredients by different marinades.

• Marinate red meat and poultry overnight, and seafood and vegetables for a few hours before cooking.
• A good marinade includes an acid (vinegar, wine, sherry, yogurt, lemon juice, lime juice) to tenderize the meat, plus some oil (including flavoursome oils such as sesame oil) and flavourings (garlic, soy sauce, fish sauce, chili sauce, honey, herbs or spices).
• 2 parts olive oil
• 1 part red or white wine
• 1 clove of garlic, chopped or crushed
• Juice of half a lemon
• Black pepper, freshly ground
• Combine all the ingredients and pour over the meat.
• Marinate for 30 minutes to one hour.
• The basic marinade can be varied, by using shallots instead of garlic, or omitting the garlic flavour altogether and substituting herbs such as thyme (for pork and lamb), marjoram and oregano (lamb and beef), sage (pork) or tarragon (chicken).
• A white wine and oil marinade is recommended for chicken and pork as red wine tends to overpower these meats.

Now you know how to make a delicious tomato sauce for pastas and time-tested marinade for your meats. Invite some friends over for a dinner party and impress them with your cooking skills!

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