MOG

Not very pretty, is it?

For the invention and ingredients that went into it, I might have expected something more photogenic. However, it tasted good, and isn't that the most important part after all?

Chilebrown, that most generous of meat men, had gifted us with some lovely, ripe yellow heirloom tomatoes, the kind that shade to a lovely salmon pink at the center. We had some purchased mushroom ravioli in the freezer, the first serving of which had been underwhelming, so I set out to create a sauce that would, at best, enhance and, at worst, at least cover up the rest of those ravioli.

As so many recipes do, this one started with MOG - what would we do without mushrooms, onion and garlic? Browned the mushrooms nicely in a wide pan, added the slivered garlic and chopped onion. Set those aside while I chopped and sizzled three thin slices of prosciutto, in the same pan. Returning the MOG to the pan, I added the two ripe yellow tomatoes, chopped coarsely, fresh oregano from the garden and just a splash of merlot we had left over in the fridge.

When all that had made friendly overtures, I added a generous dollop of creme fraiche and a handful of cherry tomatoes of several colors, cooking it all together while most of the cherry tomatoes burst and added their flavor to the sauce, leaving just a few colorful standouts whole. When I tasted it, it was a tad bland, so I mentally thanked Chilebrown again for introducing me to Hoppin' Jalapeño hot sauce, which I shook liberally into the mixture.

The result was a creamy, pale tomatoey sauce with a hint of heat and a rich flavor that did a fine job of livening up those bland ravioli, even if it wasn't very pretty.