Not Technically Red Sauce (No corn, yeast or tomatoes--and not actually red)

     Commercially canned tomato products generally contain citric acid made from corn or soy and may contain traces of yeast or mold (see Tomato Products, Canned in the Glossary). Fresh tomatoes from the grocery story are generally coated with wax containing corn, soy or dairy products and have likely been gassed with ethylene gas made from corn. 

     This recipe evades all these problems with tomatoes by replacing them with a different tart, somewhat fruity vegetable. The sauce doesn't taste like tomatoes, but it is surprisingly tasty. Try it on pizza.

The rhubarb in this batch of sauce was mostly
green. The color would be deeper with bright red rhubarb.

  

     1/4 c. olive oil or other oil to which you are not allergic (See Oil 

          in the Glossary)

     2 celery stalks, chopped

     2 carrots, chopped

     1 onion, chopped

     salt (See Salt in the Glossary)

     2 cloves of garlic, crushed

     3 c. chopped rhubarb stems

     1 Tb. basil (See Spices in the Glossary)

     oregano (See Spices in the Glossary)

     Heat the oil in a pan. Add the celery, carrots, and onion. Sprinkle with a bit of salt. Saute gently on medium heat, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent. Do not brown. Add the garlic and cook for one more minute, stirring constantly. Add the rhubarb, basil, oregano and one cup of water. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook on low heat until the vegetables are quite soft. Blend thoroughly, adding a small amount of water if necessary, and adjust salt to taste. If you prefer to "cut the acidity" in spaghetti sauce you may want to add a spoonful of sugar.