BOLOGNESE SAUCE

(RAGU)

SERVES 12

3 LARGE UNPEELED CARROTS

4 MEDIUM RED ONIONS

3 STALKS CELERY 

(THIS TRIO IS ALWAYS REFERRED TO AS “THE TRINITY” IN COOKING)

12 MEDIUM TO LARGE RIPE TOMATOES 

2 LBS. GROUND PORK

2 LBS. GROUND BEEF

½ CUP EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

16 OZ. TOMATO PASTE

8 OZ. RED WINE

BOUQUET GARNI:

SELECT 4 OR 5 FRESH HERBS AND TIE TOGETHER WITH KITCHEN STRING TO FORM A BOUQUET BUNDLE.

CLASSIC CHOICES: ROSEMARY, SAGE, BAY LEAVES (LAUREL) BASIL, THYME OR PARSLEY.

DROP THIS BOUQUET INTO THE SAUCE AT BEGINNING OF SIMMER PROCESS.  LOOSELY TIE STRING TO POT HANDLE SO THAT YOU CAN REMOVE THE BUNDLE EASILY.

REMOVE BOUQUET BUNDLE PRIOR TO SERVING.  IF HERBS BEGIN TO DISINTEGRATE REMOVE THE BUNDLE TO KEEP PIECES OF HERBS FROM FLOATING INTO THE SAUCE. 

SALT & PEPPER TO TASTE

DICE TRILOGY INTO VERY FINE PIECES.  YOU CAN USE FOOD PROCESSOR TO FINELY DICE CARROTS & CELERY, BUT ONION SHOULD BE DONE BY HAND.  FINE DICING OF ONION IN PROCESSOR CREATES TOO MUCH LIQUID.

BLANCH TOMATOES IN BOILING WATER FOR 1 MINUTE AND REMOVE SKIN.  CUT SMALL “X” ON BOTTOM OF EACH TOMATO BEFORE BALANCING TO KEEP THEM FROM SPLITTING.  CUT IN QUARTERS.  IF YOU PREFER, YOU CAN LEAVE SKINS ON TOMATOES AND SKIP BLANCHING STEP.

USING A LARGE SKILLET THAT IS NOT TEFLON COATED SAUTE TRILOGY IN OLIVE OIL UNTIL GOLDEN.  ADD SALT & PEPPER TO TASTE HALF WAY THRU SAUTE.  ADD THE TOMATOES.

ADD UNCOOKED MEAT TO VEGETABLES AND COOK ON MEDIUM HEAT.  AFTER MEAT IS COOKED THRU ADD TOMATO PASTE & RED WINE.  ADD ENOUGH WARM WATER TO JUST COVER THE INGREDIENTS.

SIMMER ON MEDIUM HEAT AND CONTINUE TO ADD WATER AS NEEDED WHILE YOU REPEATEDLY REDUCE YOUR RAGU.  DO NOT STIR TOO OFTEN AS YOU WANT TO CREATE A GLAZE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE PAN.  OCCASIONALLY DEGLAZE THE PAN BY SCRAPING THE BOTTOM (REMEMBER THE “STICKLEY”).  DO NOT COVER THE POT.

ADD BOUQUET GARNI. 

SIMMER FOR 4 - 6 HOURS IN THIS PROCESS, ADDING WATER AS NEEDED FOR CONTINUED REDUCTION.  IF YOU PREFER YOU CAN COOK YOUR RAGU A DAY AHEAD FOR 4 HOURS AND THEN FINISH COOKING THE DAY OF SERVING FOR 2 HOURS.  YOUR RAGU WILL HAVE A REDDISH/BROWN COLOR.

IF YOU CHOOSE TO SUBSTITUTE RABBIT, BOAR OR GAME MEATS, COOK WHOLE PIECES THAT HAVE BEEN SKINNED AND DEBONED. ADD ONE MATURE BAY LEAF, ROSEMARY OR SAGE WHEN USING GAME MEATS.