Peel the carrots, trim the ends, and finely chop them (you can use a food processor or a knife). Do the same with the onion—finely chop or process it. Place both in a large skillet or pot and add about 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil.

Turn the heat to high and sauté, stirring often, until the vegetables are soft and have released their moisture. They should reduce by about half and get a little browned on the edges. This takes about 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Blend the chicken liver until smooth and set aside.

Add the ground beef to the same skillet or pot over high heat. Break up the meat with a spatula or spoon. As it cooks, it will turn gray and release a lot of liquid (not fat). Keep stirring and breaking up the meat.

Continue cooking until most of the liquid has evaporated and the beef starts to brown in its own fat. You’ll hear it sizzling. Some browned bits may stick to the bottom of the pan—that’s okay. Once the meat is fairly dry, gradually add a little broth or water at a time, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom with a sturdy spatula. Keep adding broth and scraping until all the bits are loosened and the liquid reduces.

Add enough broth to almost cover the meat. Stir in the blended chicken liver. Mix well and cook over high heat, stirring, until the mixture boils and the liver is cooked. Lower the heat, then add 1 can of tomato paste and the sautéed vegetables.

Stir well, then add the crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes. Mix again. (You can use any brand of canned tomatoes you have on hand.)

Stir everything together. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often so the bottom doesn’t burn.

Add the dried oregano, dried thyme, black pepper, and garlic salt (if you don’t have garlic salt, use garlic powder mixed with salt). Don’t season too strongly yet, since the sauce will simmer for 3 hours and flavors will concentrate. Adjust seasoning later if needed.

Add the chopped cilantro and basil. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce to the lowest heat, cover, and simmer for 2 hours. Every 15 minutes, uncover and stir the bottom to prevent sticking. (If the sauce gets too dry, add more broth as needed so it doesn’t burn.)

After 2 hours, uncover and stir in the balsamic vinegar. Mix well, cover, and simmer for 1 more hour, stirring the bottom every 15 minutes to prevent burning.

When time is up, uncover and taste the sauce. Add more salt if needed, or adjust seasoning when you use the sauce in other dishes. If the sauce is too thin, simmer uncovered and stir until it thickens to your liking. Once it’s the right consistency, turn off the heat. Your Bolognese sauce is ready!

You can use this sauce in many dishes. Let it cool, then portion into zip-top bags (about 12 ounces or 350 grams per bag, enough for 1-2 servings). Freeze for long-term storage. I’ll share more recipes using this sauce soon.