basic sauce

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups chopped celery
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 2 cups chopped green bell pepper
• 2 cups chopped carrot
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 4 (14.5 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes with liquid, chopped
• 4 cups water
• 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika (optional)
• 1 pinch saffron (optional)
• 1 pinch dried oregano, or to taste (optional)
• 1 pinch dried basil, or to taste (optional)
• 1 pinch dried thyme, or to taste (optional)
• 1 orange, zested (optional)
• 1 (8 ounce) bottle clam juice (optional)
• 1 cup white (optional)
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 6 1-pint canning jars with lids and rings

Recipe

Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ready Time: 2 hrs 15 mins


• heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. stir in celery, onion, green bell pepper, carrot, and garlic; cook and stir until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
• stir tomatoes with their juice, water, chicken bouillon cubes, and bay leaves into the vegetable mixture.
• stir in red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, saffron, oregano, basil, thyme, orange zest, clam juice, and white .
• bring the sauce to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the flavors have blended, at least 1 hour. season to taste with salt and black pepper.
• allow the sauce to cool completely.
• to store, pour into pint glass canning jars, cover with lids and rings, and place into freezer. sauce can be frozen up to 3 months before using.