One can always find excellent canned organic tomato sauces and I recommend that they be used whenever time is short. But for a tomato sauce with bite, this is the one I make. MAKES 4 CUPS
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 leek, white and green parts, sliced 4 large cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 tablespoon finely chopped candied ginger 1 carrot, shredded
• 1 parsnip, shredded
• 8 ounces mushrooms, chopped
• 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes and liquid
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary 1 or 2 drops hot sauce, optional
1. In a saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Sauté onion and leek for 5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, carrot and parsnip and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Vegetables should be soft.
2. Stir in tomatoes and liquid and simmer gently for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add parsley, basil, rosemary and hot pepper sauce. Cook for 1 minute longer.
3. Use immediately or cover tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Author of 12 cookbooks including her latest, Everyday Flexitarian (Whitecap Books, 2011), Pat Crocker is a culinary herbalist and green cook.
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