Sarasota's Quick & Easy Vodka Cream Sauce
"A simple quick sauce. Serve this as is over your favorite pasta; or add shrimp, chicken, sausage, or your favorite vegetables. Garnish with some fresh grated parmesan for a very simple quick dinner. And if you don't keep a large bottle of vodka on hand, pick up one of those little bottles (I call them, airline or hotel bottles), it is the perfect amount for 1 serving of this sauce. One can of diced Italian style (flavor) tomatoes, but you can also used crushed if you want a creamier type of sauce vs. the diced tomatoes - ten minutes and on the table. I prefer Vermicelli or Angel Hair, but you can use your favorite pasta."
- Ready In:
- 12mins
- Ingredients:
- 10
- Serves:
-
4
ingredients
- 1 (15 ounce) can diced Italian tomatoes (if you prefer a creamier style of sauce, you can use a crushed tomato vs. canned)
- 1⁄3 - 1⁄2 cup heavy cream (depending on how creamy you like the sauce)
- 1⁄8 cup vodka (a little more or less depending on taste, it doesn't have to be exact)
- 1 large shallot, fine minced (2 small shallots)
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon fresh basil, fine chopped (more to taste, or as a garnish)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- salt
- pepper
directions
- Sauce -- In a medium to large sauce pan heat the olive oil to medium high heat and saute the shallots, garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook just a minute until slightly tender. Then add the vodka (remember to remove the pan from the heat when you add any alcohol), return to the heat and cook for just a minute. Add the tomatoes, and reduce the heat to medium/low. Cook just for 3-4 for minutes and then add in the heavy cream, basil, salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve -- The sauce is done. You can add shrimp (they can cook in the sauce in just 4-5 minutes). You can also add in cooked chicken or sausage. For me, I like the sauce as is.
- Garnish -- Fresh grated parmesan and crusty bread is perfect to me.
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Reviews
-
We loved this sauce,quick,easy and so flavourful.Thanks.
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
SarasotaCook
Sarasota, Florida
<p>Growing up in Michigan, I spent my summers at my cottage in the Northern part up by Traverscity. On a lake, big garden which had all the vegetables you could imagine. My mom taught school, so summers were our vacation time. Gramps and I fished all the time so fresh fish was always on the menu, perch, blue gill, walleye and small and large mouth bass. At age 5 I learned how to clean my own fish and by 10 I was making dinner, canning vegetables and fruits, making pies and fresh breads. Apples fresh picked every fall, strawberries in June and July, Cherries at the Cherry Festival in Traverscity. So fresh foods always were a big part. Mom worked as a teacher during the year so dinner was more traditional with pot roasts, meatloaf, etc, but it seemed we always had fresh fruits and vegetables as part of the meal. Mom also didn't use as many spices as I do, but times were different back then. <br /> <br />So ... My motto is ... There is NO Right and NO Wrong with cooking. So many people thing they have to follow a recipe. But NO ... a recipe is a method and directions to help and teach someone. Cooking is about personal tastes and flavors. I love garlic ... and another person may not. I like heat ... but you may not. Recipes are building blocks, NOT text ground in stone. Use them to make and build on. Even my recipes I don't follow most times --They are a base. That is what cooking is to me. A base of layer upon layer of flavors. <br /> <br />I still dislike using canned soups or packaged gravies/seasoning ... but I admit, I do use them. I have a few recipes that use them. But I try to strive to teach people to use fresh ingredients, they are first ... so much healthier for you ... and second, in the end less expensive. But we all have our moments including me. <br /> <br />So, lets see ... In the past, I have worked as a hostess, bartender, waitress, then a short order cook, salad girl in the kitchen, sort of assistant chef, head chef, co owner of a restaurant ... now a consultant to a catering company/restaurant, I cater myself and I'm a personal chef for a elderly lady. I work doing data entry during the day, and now and then try to have fun which is not very often due to my job(s). <br /> <br />I have a 21 year old who at times is going on 12, aren't they all. Was married and now single and just trying to enjoy life one day at a time. I'm writing a cookbook ... name is still in the works but it is dedicated to those people who never learned, to cook. Single Moms, Dads, or Just Busy Parents. Those individuals that think you can't make a great dinner for not a lot of money. You can entertain on a budget and I want people to know that gourmet tasting food doesn't have to be from a can of soup or a box, and healthy food doesn't come from a drive through. There are some really good meals that people can make which are healthy and will save money but taste amazing. So I guess that is my current goal. We all take short cuts and I have no problem with that - I do it too. I volunteer and make food for the homeless every couple of months, donating my time and money. I usually make soup for them and many times get donations from a local grocery stores, Sams Club, Walmart etc, with broth, and vegetables. It makes my cost very little and well worth every minute I spend. Like anyone, life is always trying to figure things out and do the best we can and have fun some how along the way.</p>
