This is a micro-lesson on creating a richly flavoured base tomato and onion sauce that you can add veggies and pulses to - and meat if you choose. Since pulses themselves don’t have a lot of flavour and can feel quite dry and boring, they key is plenty of onions in the base. And plenty of olive oil since pulses don’t contain any fat. And fat is your friend when it comes to flavour. Good fats, like olive oil, is your friend when it comes to supporting good health.

Ingredients

•  2 medium onions, finely sliced
•  1 tbsp tomato concentrate
•  1 tin chopped tomato
•  3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
•  Your favourite dry herb (e.g. basil, parsley, oregano, or herb mixes like Herb d’Provence or Italian herb mix.)
•  Sea salt, to taste
•  Brown sugar or date syrup, to taste

Note: If you want to boost the umami savouriness then use some brown miso in place of some of the salt.

Method

1. Sweat the onions in the olive oil with some sea salt. The salt helps break down the onion.
2. Add small splashes of water along the way if and when it starts to catch.
3. Sweat until they’ve got a deep golden colour and have reduced in volume by about 80 percent.
4. Add tomato concentrate and sweat whilst stirring for 2-3 mins.
5. Add tinned tomatoes and herbs. Cook under lid for 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
6. Add a cup or so of water. Cook with min. 20 minutes ideally 45-60 under lid stirring occasionally. 
7. Top up with water as needed.
8. Taste and adjust with sea salt, sugar or syrup.

Suggestions for Use

You might make this on a weekend. Freeze in portions. Then on a busy Wednesday you take it out of the freezer, heat it up under lid with a little water. Whilst that’s happening you sauté some peppers and aubergine. Add those to the sauce with some kalamata olives and green lentils. If you wanted to use some meat you might have sautéed some Salsiccia along with the peppers and aubergine. Serve with your favourite pasta or toasted whole grain sourdough. Maybe you’d also made a quick slaw with red cabbage, carrot and broccoli thinly sliced and raw-marinated with lemon juice, sea salt and balsamic. Dressed with olive oil and tossed with crushed walnuts and sliced apple.. or maybe dates.. or dried cranberries.. etc.

What I’m describing here is a typical example of how I cook using principles I teach. And how I get lots and lots of veggies, pulses, whole grains, fruit and veggies into varied, flavour packed meals.

The benefit aside from eating delicious, healthy food that doesn’t take huge mental effort not time to prepare is the emotional satisfaction that comes from home cooking