It is cozily stormy and wintry in my part of Australia today, so it is a perfect time to close my eyes and imagine that I’m back in the warm, lush gardens of the Kroonluchter Atelier De Rode Hoeve outside Amsterdam.
Being the only one in the garden enhanced the sense of utter serenity and stillness I felt as I sat on a rough stone bench by the pond and absentmindedly stroked the soft fur of a kitty who nuzzled my hand and purred loudly.
I smiled at the delightful hodgepodgery of the garden, a modern swing in chrome and black just down the path from a perfectly splendid Scandinavian gate intricately carved and painted a marvelous blue.
I was smitten by the pretty little cottages alight with the glow of dozens of chandeliers hanging inside them.
Wrought iron swans sat gracefully among the reeds while wrought iron geese cavorted in a gently burbling creek.
This was my favorite cottage of all. How I’d love to have one like it in my garden someday, a whimsical blue hideaway perfect for long afternoon naps and cozy afternoons losing myself in a good story.
After such an inspiring day in the fresh air, comfort food is definitely in order. Pasta is always comforting to me, especially with homemade sauce and cheesy garlic bread.
This is one of my favorite sauces, particularly rich and flavorful because I roast the tomatoes with garlic before I puree them and add caramelized onions and savory sausage. Roasting the tomatoes adds time to the cooking process, but it’s absolutely worth it.
I like this dish best with my brother Ryan’s garlic bread: a lovely crusty loaf sliced and spread thickly with a mixture of butter, mayonnaise, grainy mustard, green onion, fresh garlic, and Parmesan cheese. Place slathered bread under the broiler until the topping bubbles and browns. Serve hot.
What is your favorite comfort food on an overcast day?
Roasted Tomato Sauce with Sausage
Ingredients:
20 Roma tomatoes, washed, dried and halved lengthwise
2 Tbsp minced garlic
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
freshly ground pepper
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped fine
1 tsp fresh herbs of your choice, chopped fine (rosemary or oregano or basil)
1 pound good quality ground sausage
sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Line baking sheet with baking paper (tomatoes will stick to aluminum foil).
- In large bowl gently stir tomato halves, minced garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper until tomatoes are coated.
- Place tomatoes on baking sheet cut side up.
- Bake for 45-60 minutes (or longer) until tomatoes are well-roasted and garlic is lightly browned.
- Let cool 5-10 minutes.
- While tomatoes are cooling, heat olive oil in frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and fry, stirring regularly, until onions are almost caramelized.
- Add fresh herbs and cook 1-2 minutes. Pour onion into large saucepan and set aside.
- Return frying pan to heat and add sausage, frying until well-browned. Add to saucepan with onion-herb mixture.
- Pour tomatoes into food processor or blender and blend until smooth.
- Add to saucepan with onions and sausage. Stir to combine and heat to boiling. Lower heat and simmer gently twenty minutes.
- Pour over hot pasta and top with freshly grated Parmesan.
We have had so many overcast and rainy days for the last 3 weeks that comfort foods have been showing up in every kitchen across the province. My favourite…still macaroni and cheese topped with chunky bread crumbs.
Ohhh, I made that two nights ago, Val! 🙂 You’re right – it is the BEST comfort food. 🙂
It’s funny. You call it Scandinavian gate and it has a Hungarian male name on it!!! Kovacs (family name) Gyula (first name)! I’m wandering how this gate get there… 🙂
Oh how funny, Zita! I was told it was Scandinavian and didn’t even think to question it. 🙂 I too wonder where that gate came from. 🙂
It’s funny. You call it Scandinavian gate and it has a Hungarian name on it: Kovacs (family name) Gyula (first name)! I’m wondering how the gate get there… 🙂
delightful hodgepodgery… how I love that phrase and what it conjures up. And this garden is! How beautiful! How do you find these gorgeous settings and places you visit? Wow I am in awe…. and this sauce sounds fabulous and yes I think this dish would comfort on any kind of day. I do sometimes caramelize my onions for my sauces but I’ve never roasted tomatoes…but now I will! Sounds so good!
I honestly don’t know how I find them, Jamie! 🙂 But I’m awfully glad when I stumble upon them, that’s for sure. 🙂 I love this sauce so much and hope you will too! 🙂
The garden and your recipe look heavenly! In fact, I was so inspired by the garden shots that I actually went outside and sat on my balcony to enjoy the fresh outdoors.
Oh that makes me happy, Mary. 🙂 I’m SO glad you got to enjoy nature. 🙂
That pasta looks remarkable and the gardens truly lift the spirit. Soups are my favorite comfort food. One especially comes to mind and that is a yellow pepper soup that is the color of molten gold. Have a wonderful day. Blessings…Mary
Oooo, that soup sounds absolutely wonderful, Mary! And your description of the color is fantastic. 🙂
This is the same garden as yesterday, correct? I have never seen such splendor… incredible… Comfort food? Popcorn – non GMO – with lots of melted salty cultured butter.
🙂
V
It sure is, Valerie. 🙂 It just got better and better. Popcorn is such a perfect comfort food. 🙂 Now I’m craving it. 🙂
Ahh we think alike, in my roasted tomato sauce I use pancetta – meat makes it better.
Oooo, I haven’t tried it with pancetta, Ayngelina. I will definitely have to do that. 🙂
Oh wow Krista, those gardens are gorgeous….I can never get over just how amazing your camera is by the way! I am definitely making your Roasted Tomato Sauce with Sausage…looks absolutely divine!
Thank you so much, dear Tuula. 🙂 It’s a little one, but I love it. 🙂
These photos are so gorgeous Krista, and I must try your roasted tomato sauce with sausage. Looks really yummy 🙂
I’m so glad you like them, Cathy! 🙂 I love this hide-a-way garden. 🙂
What a cute little garden – luv the lil cottage
Isn’t it adorable, Neil? 🙂 I love it too. 🙂
This would have to be my idea of a perfect garden, comfortable and quirky, just loved the images x
I’m so glad it’s “you” too, Lisa. 🙂
What a stunning garden – so eclectic! All I want to know is… where is the pic of the kitty?! ;o) Ans I LOVE sausage meat in a pasta sauce – so comforting!