"Block 45" Tomato Sauce

This is the second time I've made this sauce, and each time it's made me feel like I'm cheating on my mother-in-law's tomato sauce recipe. You know, the kind that sits on the stove for hours on end? Well, this one takes under 30 minutes, plus it TASTES like you slaved over it all day!

The original recipe is another great one from my Power Foods cookbook. Obviously tomatoes are the "power food" featured. They're loaded with lycopene, which is known to reduce the risk of certain types of cancers and macular degeneration. Cooking tomatoes actually increases their lycopene content because more is released as the cell walls break down. For many years the health benefits of tomatoes went unnoticed--because the tomato plant is part of the nightshade family, a line of poisonous plants, many assumed that tomatoes were poisonous too. Turns out only the stems and leaves are toxic. And one last fun fact: because lycopene is fat-soluble, this sauce is best consumed with an extra drizzle of olive oil or some mozzarella cheese.

I've dubbed this recipe "Block 45" Sauce, after the Pinot Noir I've used each time I've made it. Obviously you can use whatever sort of red wine you have on hand. Here's the recipe:

1/4c extra-virgin olive oil
1 red onion, minced (I used a regular yellow onion, since that's what I had)
8 garlic cloves, minced
2 14-oz cans diced tomatoes with juice
1/4c plus 2tbsp dry red wine
1tsp dried oregano
1tsp dried basil
Coarse salt

1. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until softened, about 7 minutes
2. Stir in remaining ingredients plus 1/4tsp salt. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 8-10 minutes. Season with another 1/2tsp salt, or to taste. Serve immediately or let cool completely before storing. Sauce will keep for up to 5 days in fridge or up to 1 month in an airtight container in the freezer.*

The first time I tried this, I followed the recipe exactly, but ended up having to puree the sauce a bit because it was so chunky. This time I used a can of crushed tomatoes along with a can of diced tomatoes, which turned out much better. As with any recipe, the quality of the ingredients will affect the taste of the overall product. I strongly recommend using organic tomatoes, particularly Muir Glen Fire-Roasted if you can get them. This time I served the sauce with some multigrain rotini pasta, though I think it's best suited for thin spaghetti. Apparently it's also great over fish or grilled chicken. What will you try it with?

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