Moroccan Ras el Hanout-Spiced Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
2 ounces salt pork, diced or 2 slices thick-cut bacon
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced peeled carrots
1/2 cup diced celery
4 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons flour
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup golden raisins
1 tablespoon ras el hanout
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Melt butter in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat. Add salt pork; cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered, about 10 minutes.
Add bell pepper, onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until aromatic, about 1 minute.
Whisk in flour. Cook, whisking constantly, until pale golden in color with a lightly nutty aroma, 3 to 4 minutes.
Stir in tomatoes, broth, raisins, ras el hanout, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, covered, 45 minutes. Remove from heat. Remove and discard thyme and bay leaf. Let sauce cool, uncovered, about 20 minutes.
Working in batches, carefully transfer mixture to a blender and blend until smooth (you can use an immersion blender instead, but it may not be as smooth). Stir in salt and black pepper.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
108 Calories 6g Fat 13g Carbs 3g Protein