Complete Comfort Food

Since last week my brother-in-law called me out on being biased toward Asian food (which I guess I am except when it comes to desserts) this week I reviewed a non-Asian cookbook, Complete Comfort Food. And luckily, it was GREAT.

This book is one of the best in this bargain cookbook series AND you can currently get it from Amazon in hardback for $5.20 which is totally worth it.

I made the Spaghetti Bolognese recipe and it turned out quite tasty. I normally prefer a thicker sauce like my mom’s but it was a nice change of paste (har-har).

Spaghetti Bolognese from Complete Comfort Food
(According to the book this recipe will bring back happy memories of flat-sharing and communal eating!)

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 lb ground beef
• 14oz can chopped Italian plum tomatoes
• 3 Tablespoons ketchup
• 1 Tablespoon sun-dried tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 3/4 cups beef or vegetable stock
• 3 Tablespoons red wine
• 1 lb dried spaghetti
• salt and ground black pepper
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to serve

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a medium pan, add the onion and garlic and cook over a low heat, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes until softened. Stire in the mixed herbs and cayenne and cook for 2-3 minutes more. Add the ground beef and cook gently for about 4 minutes, stirring frequently and breaking up any lumps in the meat with a wooden spoon.
2. Stir in the canned tomatoes, ketchup, sun-dried tomato pasted, Worcestershire sauce, oregano and plenty of black pepper. Pour in the stock and red wine and bring to the boil, stirring. Cover the pan, lower the heat and leave the sauce to simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package. Drain well and divide among warmed bowls. Taste the sauce and add a little salt if necessary, then spoon it on top of the pasta and sprinkle with a little grated Parmesan. Serve immediately.

The Verdict
4 1/2 (out of 5) stars. This book is a fantastic deal. For under $6 you get a wide collection of comforty-type dishes ranging from pot pie to soups to crepes. A few ethnic dishes like Chinese Fried Rice and Vegetable Korma are thrown in for good measure. It also includes a dessert section that with drool-inducing dishes like Sticky Toffee Pudding and Marble Chocolate Cheesecake. Each recipes includes a photo of the finished dish as well as several photos of the steps involved. Nutritional information isn’t included but for the price it’s not a big deal to me.