The red sauce (AIP)

Here it comes, red and ready and it is going to fool you

I have been reading good things about the NOMATO sauce. I miss tomatoes, I really am, I admit but I do not miss the joint pain that follows. Today was the day to try this 'fake tomato sauce' for the first time. I must say, I am impressed. My husband was impressed. My child wasn't impressed though.

I have used M. Trescott's Nomato Sauce (page 135) as an inspiration to create this fool-you no-tomato sauce that looks just like to real one. The colour and the consistency is perfect. My husband got suspicious only because he knows that I do not eat nightshades. So what's in it? - he asked - Jerusalem artichoke, sweet potato, apple, parsnip, almond? Nope, none of them were used to make the sauce. He was puzzled and I teased him for a while. Here is how it's made, aka my take on the no-tomato-sauce. Psst, it can be VEGAN.

You will need (makes 8 servings):
2 large onions
2 generous tbsp coconut oil
2 fat garlic cloves
1 cm fresh ginger
a good pinch of turmeric powder
0.5 cm fresh turmeric (optional)
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
4 carrots, medium
2 cooked beetroots, medium
4 ladle of bone broth / veg broth for a VEGAN version
a good pinch of fine Himalayan rock salt

1 tsp apple cider vinegar (optional)
1 tbsp olive oil (optional)

1. Melt the coconut oil, add the thinly sliced onions and gently fry on medium-low heat until lightly golden.
2. Add the bay leaf, the finely chopped ginger, fresh turmeric and garlic. Fry for a minute or two to release the aromas.
3. Add the dried herbs: parsley, thyme, oregano, basil. Stir to combine, then add the turmeric powder.
4. Add the thinly sliced carrots. Stir to combine. Cook on low heat for 3 to 4 mins, then add the bone broth. Bring to boil. Reduce the heat to minimum, cover with a lid and gently cook for 20 to 25 mins.
5. Peel and grate the beetroots and add to the carrot-base. Cover with the lid again and gently cook on the lowest setting for about 15 mins or so.
6. Let it rest under the lid for 5 more mins. Fish out the bay leaf and immerse a hand held blender and puree it into a smooths sauce. Season with olive oil and apple cider vinegar (optional). Ready to serve!

For the simplest lamb mince you will need (serves 2 to 3):
2 large onions
2 generous tbsp lamb fat (fished off the top of last night's broth)
1 cm fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves
1 bay leaf
400 g minced lamb
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano

1. Melt the fat, add the thinly sliced onions, cook until lightly golden.
2. Add the bay leaf, finely chopped ginger and garlic. Season with the dried thyme and oregano.
3. Add the minced lamb. Stir to combine and cook for a few minutes (stirring) until the meat is starting to brown.
4. Cover with the lid and pressure cook for 15 mins. Discard the bay leaf.

For the green bed of veg you will need (serves 2 to 3):
250 g curly kale
3 young courgettes

1. Pull the kale leaves off and roughly chop them. Put them in a wide and tall pan.
2. Add a good splash of filtered water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to minimum. Cover with a lid and gently soften the leaves.
3. Julienne the young and tender courgettes (or use a spiralizer like I have planned to but I was lazy and thought a julienne peeler is much easier and quicker to clean).
4. The kale leaves only need a few minutes, just to soften them really, so turn off the heat, add the julienned courgettes, put the lid back and let the thin courgette strings soften on the remaining heat. Ready to serve!

To serve: Divide the greens onto two or three plates, add a generous ladle of the lamb mince on top, finally add some sauce to enjoy this tasty trio of veg, meat and condiment. Enjoy!