Magic Broth

This recipe is very loosely adapted from an article in the February 2013 issue of La Cucina Italiana magazine. The original calls for painstakingly made beef broth from scratch, but I think the ready-made kind, along with a couple of flavor additions, works just fine.

I like to keep this broth on hand and pour it over steamed vegetables and cooked pasta or rice.  Mushrooms, kale, and carrots work very well here, and any kind of small-shape pasta makes it a meal.  It also compliments all kinds of tomato-based sauces well when you need a thinner and don’t want to water down the flavor.


Magic Broth

Makes about 5 ½  cups

1 quart beef broth
1 cup tomato sauce
½ cup red wine, plus extra
Bay leaf
1 finely minced clove of garlic
1 finely minced scallion, green and white parts

Combine all ingredients in a stock pot and simmer on medium-low heat for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld.  You can skim our the minced garlic and scallion at the end of cooking time if you want, but I don’t.  Remove bay leaf, turn off heat, and stir in another tablespoon of the red wine.  Serve or allow to cool before refrigerating or freezing.