Marinades and Sauces

 

Ragu alla Bolognese

Makes about 6 cups

This recipe makes enough sauce to coat 2 pounds of pasta. Leftover sauce may be refrigerated for up to three days or frozen for up to one month. Eight teaspoons of gelatin is equivalent to one (1-ounce) box of gelatin. If you can’t find ground veal, use an additional ¾ pound of ground beef.

Ingredients

• 1cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1cup beef broth
• 8teaspoons unflavored gelatin
• 1 onion, chopped coarse
• 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped coarse
• 1 celery rib, chopped coarse
• 4ounces pancetta, chopped fine
• 4ounces mortadella, chopped
• 6ounces chicken livers, trimmed
• 3tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4pound 85 percent lean ground beef
• 3/4pound ground veal
• 3/4pound ground pork
• 3tablespoons minced fresh sage
• 1(6-ounce) can tomato paste
• 2cups dry red wine
•   Salt and pepper
• 1pound pappardelle or tagliatelle pasta
•   Parmesan cheese, grated, for serving

Instructions

• 1. Combine chicken broth and beef broth in bowl; sprinkle gelatin over top and set aside. Pulse onion, carrot, and celery in food processor until finely chopped, about 10 pulses, scraping down bowl as needed; transfer to separate bowl. Pulse pancetta and mortadella in now-empty food processor until finely chopped, about 25 pulses, scraping down bowl as needed; transfer to second bowl. Process chicken livers in now-empty food processor until pureed, about 5 seconds; transfer to third bowl. 
• 2. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add beef, veal, and pork; cook, breaking up pieces with spoon, until all liquid has evaporated and meat begins to sizzle, 10 to 15 minutes. Add chopped pancetta mixture and sage; cook, stirring frequently, until pancetta is translucent, 5 to 7 minutes, adjusting heat to keep fond from burning. Add chopped vegetables and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until rust-colored and fragrant, about 3 minutes.
• 3. Stir in wine, scraping pan with wooden spoon to loosen fond. Simmer until sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in broth mixture and return to simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook at bare simmer until thickened (wooden spoon should leave trail when dragged through sauce), about 1½ hours.
• 4. Stir in pureed chicken livers, bring to boil, and remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste; cover and keep warm.
• 5. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Reserve ¾ cup cooking water, then drain pasta and return it to pot. Add half of sauce and cooking water to pasta and toss to combine. Transfer to serving bowl and serve, passing cheese separately.

Technique

• Building a Meaty, Satiny-Textured Bolognese

  1. COOK the ground meats; add depth by sautéing the chopped mortadella, pancetta, and sage in the rendered fat.
  
• 2. ADD the soffritto and sweat it until softened and then add concentrated tomato flavor in the form of tomato paste.
  
• 3. DEGLAZE the pot with wine; stir in the broth plus the bloomed gelatin to develop luxurious silky texture.
  
  
• 4. STIR in the pureed chicken ­livers for subtle but rich taste.

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Cranberry Chutney with Apple and Crystallized Ginger

Makes about 3 cups

If using frozen cranberries, thaw them before cooking.

Ingredients

• 1teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 shallot, minced
• 2teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
• 1/2teaspoon salt
• 2/3cup water
• 1/4cup cider vinegar
• 1cup packed brown sugar
• 12ounces (3 cups) fresh or frozen cranberries
• 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1/3cup minced crystalized ginger

Instructions

• 1. Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat until just shimmering. Add shallot, fresh ginger, and salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until shallot has softened, 1 to 2 minutes.
• 2. Add water, vinegar, and sugar. Increase heat to high and bring to simmer, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add 1½ cups cranberries and apples; return to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until cranberries have almost completely broken down and mixture has thickened, about 15 minutes.
• 3. Add remaining 1½ cups cranberries and crystallized ginger; continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to burst, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to serving bowl and cool for at least 1 hour before serving. (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.)

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Spaghetti with Mushroom and Tomato Sauce (Quick Mushroom Ragu)

 

Use a spoon to scrape the dark brown gills from the portobellos.

Ingredients

• 1ounce dried porcini mushrooms, rinsed well
• 1cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 4ounces pancetta, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2pound portobello mushrooms (2 large), stems and gills removed and discarded, caps cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 cups) (see note)
• 3tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 medium garlic cloves, peeled and sliced thin
• 1tablespoon tomato paste
• 2teaspoons minced fresh rosemary leaves
• 1(14.5-ounce) can whole tomatoes, roughly crushed by hand
•   Table salt and ground black pepper
• 1pound spaghetti
•   Grated Pecorino Romano, for serving

Instructions

• 1. Place porcini and broth in small microwave-safe bowl; cover with plastic wrap and cut several steam vents in plastic with paring knife. Microwave on high power 1 minute, until broth is steaming. Let stand until mushrooms soften, about 10 minutes. Lift mushrooms from broth with fork and finely chop. Strain broth through fine-mesh strainer lined with large coffee filter into medium bowl. Set aside mushrooms and broth.
• 2. Heat pancetta in 12-inch skillet over medium heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until rendered and crisp, 7 to 10 minutes. Add portobellos, chopped porcini, olive oil, garlic, tomato paste, and rosemary; cook, stirring occasionally, until all liquid has evaporated and tomato paste starts to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add reserved chicken broth, crushed tomatoes, and their juices; increase heat to high and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• 3. While sauce simmers, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large Dutch oven. Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta; cook until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving ½ cup cooking water, and return to pot. Add sauce to pasta and toss to combine. Adjust consistency with reserved pasta water and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, passing Pecorino separately.