Ragu' alla Bolognese - Authentic Italian Meat Sauce

This is another one of those classic recipes that are subject to endless variations. Every household has their secret for the perfect meat sauce, and everyone prefers their own version over any other. Even I have at least two different ways of doing it: one is stronger and involves a lot of red wine, and one is milder and it includes milk. I have recently discovered that the official recipe includes milk too, so I am publishing this one. The official recipe though is made with different kinds of meat that are not easily available in the States and it takes a lot longer to make. As usual I chose a simpler version that you can do any day. It is not a quick recipe, you still have to let the sauce simmer for at least one hour, but once you started you just have to let it cook, so it is not a very elaborate one and I think anyone can easily replicate it at home. It is not a light or healthy recipe either. If you want a lighter version try getting a cut of meat with less fat and substitute the sausage with ground pork. If you decide to do so add more pepper and paprika,as you will lose a lot of the flavor.

Ingredients

1 lb. of ground beef ( 85/15)
2-3 Sweet Italian Sausages
1 medium yellow onion
2 medium carrots
2 medium celery ribs
1 large can of tomato puree (1lb 12oz)
1 cup of milk
1 clove (optional)
1 bay leaf (optional)
paprika (optional)
salt
pepper (optional)
olive oil

PREPARATION

Finely chop the vegetables and put them in a large pot with enough olive oil to coat them. Cook over medium heat until the vegetables are soft and the onion is translucent.

Take the casing off the sausages and add the meat to the vegetables. Stir until it's browned.
Add the ground beef to the pot and stir until it's browned.

Add the tomato puree and bring to a simmer.

Add the clove, the bay leaf, paprika and pepper. ( I marked them as optional just because you shouldn't feel like you can't do this sauce without them, but it definitely tastes better with them!)

Add salt and partially cover with the lid. Let simmer stirring every once in a while for at least 1 hour.The goal is to have the sauce and the meat really come together, while the tomato sauce itself will reduce in size.

Once you think the sauce is ready, add the cup of milk and stir. Cook for another 5 minutes and turn off.

For a perfect dish serve over fettuccine, sprinkled with freshly grated Parmesan cheese or use it to make the perfect Lasagna.

Potato Gratin with Mushroom and Aged Cheese

This recipe takes time, but it doesn't take much skill and it has a very tasty result that can satisfy even the most hardcore meat eaters. It is not a "light" recipe, but eating less meat makes sense for many reasons besides health, one of which is protecting the environment. With Meatless Mondays becoming a global movement supported by VIPs like Oprah and by awesome people like me, this recipe it's a great way to skip the beef with happiness. Let's face it, whenever you combine potatoes with cheese and cream you get something comforting and satisfying that makes you feel warm and happy inside. This recipe moreover has mushrooms: mushrooms are among the foods rich in "umami", one of the five flavors, a japanese word used to describe the earthy, savory quality of foods like smoked meats ( think bacon and smoked salmon!), truffles and aged cheeses. So think of mushrooms and aged cheeses ( like the Gruyere in this recipe) as a wonderful substitute for bacon and that meaty flavor that your meat-eaters family members crave.

INGREDIENTS

6 large potatoes

3 large leeks

1 pint of heavy whipping cream

1.5 pound of mixed mushrooms ( I used pre-cut  Portabella and white mushrooms)

1 cup of grated aged cheese (I used Gruyere if you want to save some money use an aged cheddar )

2 garlic cloves

salt

pepper

PREPARATION

Peel and cut the potatoes into thin slices ( about 1/8 of an inch thick). You can use a slicer if you have one.

In a large pot pour the whipping cream and add the potatoes. Bring to boil and then simmer on medium heat for about 15 minutes.

Turn on the oven at 375 degrees.

While the potatoes cook, cut the white and light green part of the leeks and add to a large skillet with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, cook until softened.

Add the pre-cut mushrooms , add salt and cook for about 15 minutes, until soft.

Add the garlic to the mushrooms and cook for another minute. Season with salt and pepper.

Uncover the potatoes and cook an extra 3 minutes stirring to make sure it doesn't stick to the bottom.

Brush a large baking dish with oil.

Put half the potato mixture on the bottom of the baking dish, then add a layer of the mushrooms, than top with the other half of the mixture.

Top with the cheese.

Cook covered with tinfoil for 30 minutes, then uncover and cook for another 20 minutes or until the top is brown.

Rest 10 minutes before serving.

Pork Roast with Hard Cider

I have found this recipe on an old edition of BonAppetit ( pretty much my food bible these days, I know..) and it turned out very good. I followed the recipe exactly, but I do think that there might have been a simpler way to achieve the same result, so for those of you who don't want to dirty a million different bowls and plates to do one single recipe and that don't want to spend 1 hour just doing prep work, here is my shortened and simplified version of it! The result is really worth it, if you want a slightly leaner version don't use the bacon and just cook the vegetables in a tablespoon of olive oil instead. Also choose a lean cut of pork. I used pork shoulder ribs and it was way too greasy, I think I would have preferred something leaner, like a pork loin diced into 1 inch cubes. I used Woodchuck regular Hard Apple Cider but I would like to try it also with their Granny Smith Cider, which should be more tangy.

INGREDIENTS

30 frozen pearl onions,  slightly thawed

5 slices of bacon cut crosswise into 1/4 inch thick strips

3 and 1/2 pound of pork stew meat (pre-diced)

1 medium onion

1 medium parsnip

1 box of fresh sage

2 cups of low salt chicken broth

1 12oz bottle of hard apple cider

1 and 1/2 pound of baby red potatoes

2 large Granny Smith Apples

2 tablespoons of butter

2 tablespoons of flour

1 tablespoon of Dijon Mustard

PREPARATION

Take the pearl onions out of the freezer, put them under running  cold water to thaw.

Put the bacon in a large pot and cook until slightly browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and put on some paper towels to dry.

In the bacon grease, pour the onion and the parsnip and cook covered for about 15 minutes ( until the vegetables are softened)

Add the meat and stir until the meat is browned.

Add the broth and the hard cider and return the bacon to the pot, then cook covered for about 1 hour, until the meat is soft.

While the meat is cooking, wash and brush the potatoes and cut them in half.

Add the pearl onions and the potatoes. Cook covered for another 30 minutes.

While the potatoes are cooking, wash the apples, peel them, core them and dice them.

Add the apples to the mix and cook another 20 minutes, until the potatoes are completely cooked.

In a small bowl mix the butter and the flour creating a paste.

Add the flour paste and the mustard to the pot and simmer uncovered until thickened.

Serve with your favorite hard cider!