This is the real deal: beef ragu with tomatoes (not tomato sauce that happens to have a little beef in it). Delicious, and one of my favorite recipes to cook AND eat.
-1T olive oil
-3T butter
-1/2 c. finely diced onion
-2/3 c. finely diced celery
-2/3 c. finely diced carrot
-3/4 lb. ground meat–meatloaf blend (beef+pork+veal). Omit veal if that’s how you roll.
-1 c. milk (not less than 2%)
-1 c. dry white wine
-1 1/2 c. canned plum tomatoes and juice (Cento are good)
-1/2 c. minced mushrooms
-1 beef bullion cube or 1 c. beef broth
season to taste:
-hot pepper flake
-minced garlic
-minced shallot
-chopped fresh parsley
-chopped fresh basil, if you have it
-S&P
-dash nutmeg, optional
1. Fry onion in butter and oil over low heat. Add garlic, shallot, carrot and celery
2. Add meat, pinch of S&P, cook until pink.
3. Add milk, let bubble away.
4. Add wine and bullion, simmer til evaporated.
5. Crush the tomatoes and add to the sauce, along with the mushrooms. Season to taste.
6. Simmer for at least 45 min.
Serve with a hearty pasta such as tagliatelle or rigatoni. Or go classic American with spaghetti.
