I just sauteed onions and garlic, added tomatoes, sauce, paste, spices,
yum! and set them simmering in my big stock pot to use for my lasagne
tonight--a process I've done many times. But then I just stood there
and thought, do I cover this?? I cannot remember if I do or not!
Maybe I've lost my "winter cooking" brain after a summer of grilling. I
think I cover it for a while and then take it off for a while--but I
don't know the logic of this. I just re-joined this group after
missing it for the last four or five years and I'd like any opinions
the rec food gurus might have on this subject

Shark517 wrote:
> I just sauteed onions and garlic, added tomatoes, sauce, paste, spices,
> yum! and set them simmering in my big stock pot to use for my lasagne
> tonight--a process I've done many times. But then I just stood there
> and thought, do I cover this?? I cannot remember if I do or not!
> Maybe I've lost my "winter cooking" brain after a summer of grilling. I
> think I cover it for a while and then take it off for a while--but I
> don't know the logic of this. I just re-joined this group after
> missing it for the last four or five years and I'd like any opinions
> the rec food gurus might have on this subject

Do you need the sauce to reduce and thicken? If so, then I imagine you
would cook it uncovered until enough liquid evaporates and the sauce
gets the desired consistancy.

If you do not need to reduce, then I would cook it covered. --r3

Shark517 wrote:
> I just sauteed onions and garlic, added tomatoes, sauce, paste, spices,
> yum! and set them simmering in my big stock pot to use for my lasagne
> tonight--a process I've done many times. But then I just stood there
> and thought, do I cover this??

If it's for lasagne, and you want the (parboiled or uncooked) noodles
to soak up sauce, do cover it and keep the sauce runny.

If you want a thick sauce, keep the lid off and let it gently thicken
over low heat.

June

Shark517 wrote:
> I just sauteed onions and garlic, added tomatoes, sauce, paste, spices,
> yum! and set them simmering in my big stock pot to use for my lasagne
> tonight--a process I've done many times. But then I just stood there
> and thought, do I cover this?? I cannot remember if I do or not!
> Maybe I've lost my "winter cooking" brain after a summer of grilling. I
> think I cover it for a while and then take it off for a while--but I
> don't know the logic of this. I just re-joined this group after
> missing it for the last four or five years and I'd like any opinions
> the rec food gurus might have on this subject
>


Intuitively I'd say:

cover if you want slow cooking to meld flavors and tenderize

uncover if you want evaporation/reduction/thickening

gloria p

In article . com>,
says...
> I just sauteed onions and garlic, added tomatoes, sauce, paste, spices,
> yum! and set them simmering in my big stock pot to use for my lasagne
> tonight--a process I've done many times. But then I just stood there
> and thought, do I cover this?? I cannot remember if I do or not!
> Maybe I've lost my "winter cooking" brain after a summer of grilling. I
> think I cover it for a while and then take it off for a while--but I
> don't know the logic of this. I just re-joined this group after
> missing it for the last four or five years and I'd like any opinions
> the rec food gurus might have on this subject
>
>

If you want it to thicken, leave the cover off. Otherwise leave it on
(it will still thicken, but not as quickly). Cover off requires higher
heat for the same simmer rate.

--
Peter Aitken
Visit my recipe and kitchen myths pages at www.pgacon.com/cooking.htm

In article . com>,
"Shark517" > wrote:

> I just sauteed onions and garlic, added tomatoes, sauce, paste, spices,
> yum! and set them simmering in my big stock pot to use for my lasagne
> tonight--a process I've done many times. But then I just stood there
> and thought, do I cover this?? I cannot remember if I do or not!
> Maybe I've lost my "winter cooking" brain after a summer of grilling. I
> think I cover it for a while and then take it off for a while--but I
> don't know the logic of this. I just re-joined this group after
> missing it for the last four or five years and I'd like any opinions
> the rec food gurus might have on this subject

Good luck, Sharon. rfc isn't what it once was. More's the pity.
When I cook splooshy stuff that I want to reduce by evaporation of the
water, I put a splatter screen on top. Covered and porous. Not much
splatsches (I made that up) but allows the steam to escape. HTH.
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.mac.com/barbschaller
http://jamlady.eboard.com