Homemade Ragu

 So I have been a bit AWOL these days. Life has gotten really busy really fast. But it has been busy in a good way. I got a new job which I have been enjoying. And now I am trying to balance many other tasks these days. I won’t bore you with all of the details. The main thing is that I am back and I am going to do my best to keep blogging.

Some of you may remember my last blog was a review on a gnocchi recipe. When I made that recipe, I paired it with this beautiful ragu sauce. It is packed full of flavour from juicy beef, vegetables and savoury herbs. A harmony that creates an orchestra in your mouth. A sauce that you could eat on its own without any pasta, but what fun is that?

Ingredients

• ·         1 lb of lean ground beef
• ·         1 carrot finely chopped
• ·         1 celery stalk finely chopped
• ·         1 onion finely chopped
• ·         2 cloves of garlic, minced
• ·         ½ cup of red wine
• ·         1 large can of tomato sauce
• ·         ¼ cup of water
• ·         1 tbsp dried rosemary
• ·         1 tbsp ground black pepper
• ·         Salt to taste
• ·         Sprinkle of dried bay leaves
• ·         Small handful of fresh basil, finely chopped
• ·         1 tsp onion powder
• ·         1 tsp garlic powder
• ·         1 tbsp Italian seasoning
• ·         1 tsp dried thyme

Preparation

First, in a large sauce pan on medium heat, throw in your onions, garlic and beef. Cook this until the meat is brown, then add in the carrots and celery. Now cook until all vegetables are softened. Please make sure you stir regularly so that nothing burns at the bottom of the pan.

Next, toss in the spices and seasonings, then stir until they are evenly incorporated. Once this is done, pour in the tomato sauce, red wine and water. Again, mix until all ingredients are evenly distributed.

Now comes the hard part. Waiting! Turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for at least 30 minutes. Ensure that you stir the pan every 5 minutes or so to protect the ingredients from burning. And when the timer is up, the sauce should be ready to serve over a gorgeous plate of silky pasta.

NOTE: make sure you taste the sauce before serving. Some people like their sauces to be really peppery or more salty. You can adjust the seasonings to your own liking.

Taste Test

Here is one thing I love about this recipe! How easy it is to cook up. Yes there may be quite a few ingredients you will need. But, you basically just throw everything into a pot and wait for the magic to happen. No extra steps with cooking something in the oven, no overnight prepping. It’s all very straight forward. And even though this recipe is so simple to make, your guests will look at the dish and think you slaved over it for hours. Go ahead, let them think that!

Okay, now for that first taste. When you take that first bite you should detect rich, meaty goodness from the lean ground beef. It is important to use lean verses extra lean because you want the fat to give it extra flavour. Next, you should notice the lavish taste of the herbs. I adore rosemary. I would describe its taste to be woody, aromatic and slightly peppery. This herb goes great in any sauce, meat or bread recipe. Furthermore, the vegetables should have absorbed the essences of the other seasonings, as well as the fruitiness from the wine and the caramelized sweetness from the garlic and onions.

In general, this ragu sauce will taste rich, peppery, savoury and delicately sweet. It is a hardy dish that will please your guests and family when paired with any type of pasta. I hope you have just as much fun making this dish, as I did. And never be afraid to experiment! Enjoy!