Summer is a wonderful time to make a tomato sauce because in most areas we can get homegrown fresh delicious tomatoes. You may not believe this but all these luscious tomatoes grown here in Northern Sonora in hothouses are shipped to the States. Every time we go up to Tucson we find all these vine ripened tomatoes and hot house tomatoes. I always look at where produce comes from and guess what…these tomatoes come from Mexico. We also have a large garden but the season is just about over.
This tomato sauce is great on spaghetti and other pastas as well as potatoes and spaghetti squash. This is my adaptation of a recipe from the New McDougall Cookbook.
4 pounds tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic (more or less depending on your love of garlic) minced
1 tablespoon fresh oregano or 1 1/2 teaspoon dried
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon coriander
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (Just a note…this is a really an easy herb to grow in a window box or other container.)
Good sprinkling of Kirkland’s Organic No-Salt Seasoning (This is not necessary but adds a bit of extra flavor.)
Freshly ground pepper to taste.
Place everything into a large saucepan except the fresh basil and pepper. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes stirring occasionally. Remove the bay leaf and add the basil and pepper.
