Spice suggestions for peas and pork recipe?

[Dirk101]

A while ago I tried a recipe involving peas and pork ham in tomato sauce, with carrots, onions, mushrooms and salt and pepper to taste. As with my previous sour cream sauce thread, I liked the recipe, but I keep feeling that something is missing, and that it could use some spices. So I've come to ask for your guidance again as to what spices or herbs you think could work with the recipe.

Any and all suggestions are welcome and appreciated.

 

[Rocklobster]

Hmmm. Ham, tomatoes and mushroom combination? I would play it safe and go with an herb like oregano, basil or thyme. I know some people put cinnamon in their tomato based sauces, but I'm not crazy about that. It works for them though.

 

[GotGarlic]

I don't think I've ever heard of a recipe with ham and tomato sauce. When I start a tomato sauce of any type, I saute the onions and garlic in olive oil for about 5 minutes first, then add any other veggies that need sauteeing, like mushrooms and bell peppers. Then add tomatoes and whatever else and let it simmer for 20-30 minutes.

Starting off any recipe by sauteeing aromatics (commonly onions, shallots, garlic, carrots, celery, bell peppers - not all in one recipe ) deepens the flavor of the finished recipe.

 

[no mayonnaise]

Might seem crazy but curry could actually wake it up nicely if done right. I'm thinking of the idea of adding curry to split pea soup which often has ham or something similar in it so the flavor profile might translate well to a tomato sauce. I'd try blooming a bit of curry paste in some oil before adding liquid ingredients. There's not really much in that list of ingredients that don't work with curry.

 

[Dawgluver]

I recall some Italian recipes using pancetta in tomato sauce. Not quite ham, but similar. Maybe fennel seed cooked with the aromatics, along with oregano, basil, and the above ideas.

 

[Dirk101]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone, I've noted them all down. Basil was actually what I was already considering, and now that you've recommended it twice it's what I'm going to try first.

GotGarlic, I already sautee the vegetables, though I've never tried sauteeing mushrooms since I only have a jarred variety available, not fresh. Perhaps the flavors would be deeper if the vegetables were of better quality, but the ones available around here are average at best. That's also why for the tomato sauce I use jarred tomato paste instead of actual tomatoes, I find that it helps the flavor more.

 

[no mayonnaise]

Oyster mushrooms are exceptionally easy to cultivate if fresh mushies in your area aren't so fresh.
Many edible mushrooms you can grow outside in a patch and will produce for years if maintained which is also very easy to do. You really only need to worry about slugs and snails as far as pests go.
Just a thought.

 

[Dirk101]

Thanks for the tip. Unfortunately I live in an appartment block, but it's still something useful to know.

 

[no mayonnaise]

They grow indoors easily as well. It all depends on how much you like mushrooms I guess.
but they're one of my favorite foods and I'd resort to cultivation at home if jarred mushrooms were all I could find but that's just me though.

 

[Mad Cook]

A while ago I tried a recipe involving peas and pork ham in tomato sauce, with carrots, onions, mushrooms and salt and pepper to taste. As with my previous sour cream sauce thread, I liked the recipe, but I keep feeling that something is missing, and that it could use some spices. So I've come to ask for your guidance again as to what spices or herbs you think could work with the recipe.

Any and all suggestions are welcome and appreciated.

In England sage is one of the herbs that go with pork but take it easy as sage can be a bit "in your face". Chinese five spice powder and star anise go with pork too. Basil with anything tomato-y

 

[Mad Cook]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone, I've noted them all down. Basil was actually what I was already considering, and now that you've recommended it twice it's what I'm going to try first.

GotGarlic, I already sautee the vegetables, though I've never tried sauteeing mushrooms since I only have a jarred variety available, not fresh. Perhaps the flavors would be deeper if the vegetables were of better quality, but the ones available around here are average at best. That's also why for the tomato sauce I use jarred tomato paste instead of actual tomatoes, I find that it helps the flavor more.

Whereabouts in Europe are you? I can't think of anywhere that doesn't have fresh mushrooms.

In the absence of decent fresh tomatoes the canned variety with a pinch of sugar and an optional *blob of tomato puree/paste usually works in sauces.

(* A blob is, as everyone knows, a technical cookery term - a little less than a splodge and a little more than a smidgen)

 

[Mad Cook]

Thanks for the tip. Unfortunately I live in an appartment block, but it's still something useful to know.

In this bit of Europe (ok then off-shore Europe)we can buy complete mushroom rowing kits in a bucket which you can keep in any cool dark corner such as under the stairs or in a cupboard. They aren't expensive and don't need a lot of attention. Pick them today for button mushrooms, leave them a day or two longer for Portobello mushrooms.

 

[Dirk101]

Thanks for the advice, Mad Cook. I actually hadn't thought of canned tomatoes until now.

As for where I'm from, I have been asked before on these forum and I keep politely declining an answer for personal reasons, but I'll say that it's not England .