Lean ground bison updates this classic, long-simmered sauce with rich flavor. Serve over your choice of pasta, zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash for a low carb dinner. Extra freezes great, so if you have time, double the batch. You can substitute ground beef for the bison. Got time? Simmer up to 2 hours.
2teaspoonsdried Italian herb blend or use basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary
1poundground bison 10% fat
¾cupdry white wineoptional
½teaspoonsea salt
¼teaspoonground black pepper
128 ouncecan whole or crushed tomatoessee note below for fresh tomatoes
115 ouncecan diced tomatoes
16 ouncecan tomato paste
¼teaspoonground nutmegor more
1largebay leaf
1cuphalf and half or canned coconut milk
¼teaspoonred pepper flakes (pizza pepper)
Instructions
Cook the Vegetables
To a large heavy pot (5 quart) over medium heat, add olive oil. When oil is hot add the onion, celery and carrot. Turn heat down to medium low and cook the vegetables slowly until soft, about 3-5 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add the garlic and dried Italian herbs and cook 1 minute longer.
Add Meat and Continue
Add the ground bison and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Cook until it is no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes. Add the wine and cook until wine is reduced, 3-4 minutes. Add salt and pepper, then stir in the tomato paste and your tomatoes. Add nutmeg, bay leaf and milk. Turn the heat up and bring sauce almost to a boil, then turn down to low and cover.
Simmer for Flavor
Simmer sauce 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until thick and rich. Serve over pasta or noodles of choice. Extra sauce freezes well.
Notes
For Fresh TomatoesTo substitute fresh tomatoes for canned, start by peeling the tomatoes. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Set up an ice bath by filling a large bowl with half ice and cold water. Slice a small X into the bottom of the tomato (to make peeling easier). When water is boiling, place a few tomatoes at a time into the water for 1 minute, then plunge immediately into the ice bath. Tomato skins should peel right off. With a sharp paring knife, cut out the core. When all tomatoes are peeled, pulse in a food processor or blender to break them up into a sauce. You should get approximately 4 cups of total diced tomatoes.