Tomato and Carrot Marinara Sauce

By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN

If you’re trying to eat less meat but miss chunky tomato sauce, you’ll appreciate the finely diced carrots in this one.

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 pound carrots, peeled and finely diced (1/4 inch dice or smaller), or finely chopped in a food processor fitted with a steel blade (1 1/2 cups)

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 pounds tomatoes, seeded and grated, or peeled, seeded and chopped; or 1 (28-ounce) can chopped tomatoes, with juice

1/8 teaspoon sugar

1 sprig of fresh basil, if available

Salt to taste

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (optional)

1. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, wide nonstick skillet or saucepan. Add the carrots. Cook, stirring, until tender, five to eight minutes. Add the garlic. Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds to a minute until the garlic begins to smell fragrant. Add the tomatoes and their juice, the sugar, basil sprig, salt, tomato paste and oregano. Stir, and turn up the heat. When the tomatoes begin to bubble, lower the heat to medium, and cook, stirring often, until thick and fragrant, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the basil sprig, and wipe any sauce adhering to it back into the pan. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Variation: Substitute 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme for the basil.

Yield: 2 1/4 cups (about eight servings).

Advance preparation: The sauce will keep for four to five days in the refrigerator and freezes well.

Martha Rose Shulman can be reached at martha-rose-shulman.com. Her latest book, "The Very Best of Recipes for Health," was published recently by Rodale Books.