Bolognaise Sauce Recipe
January 10, 2006 at 11:06 AM
by Ashleigh
I've been messing about with my recipe for bolognaise sauce, which has remained pretty much the same for years now. I wanted to add more vegetables to it, and my inspiration for the 'messing about' was Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and his excellent tv series, River Cottage. You can link through to his site here.
I have always felt strongly about knowing where our food comes from, and having grown up on a farm its something which is close to my heart. I would love nothing better than to own a small-holding and grow my own chickens, vegetables and fruit. Perhaps in a few years! However, I digress from my bolognaise recipe.
My basic recipe previously was to brown the minced (ground) beef very well in a large non-stick frying pan, add finely chopped onions and garlic, a can of tomatoes, a splash of worcestershire sauce, a hefty splash of sweet soy sauce, salt and pepper and a generous helping of italian herbs (at least 1 tablespoon of dried mixed basil, marjoram, oregano and thyme). I also add a stock cube (my favourite brand is Oxo) but any good stock cube will work and about 250 ml of warm water, and then simmer for about an hour over a low heat on the stovetop.
Yesterday, I decided to do it differently and try to make it more economical and more vegetable intensive. This is my new recipe:
Ingredients:
- 1 kilo lean minced beef, try and find the best you can buy - if not organic then shop at a butcher who knows where the meat comes from.
- 2 large shallots, finely chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
- 500g large winter carrots. peeled and grated
- 2 cans of chopped plum tomatoes - try and get italian tomatoes and don't buy the cheapest ones, or your bolognese will be bitter
- 125 ml red wine
- 125 ml vegetable stock (from a cube)
- 4 tablespoons mixed dried italian herbs (note the increase) - in the summer I would use fresh herbs and then would need to double the quantity again
- 1 small can tomato paste
- generous splash of worcestershire sauce
- generous splash of sweet soya sauce
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Preheat your oven to 180C (350F). You need a frying pan and a ovenproof casserole with a tight-fitting lid. You could also use this recipe for the slow-cooker.
- Using the small chopping bowl on your Magimix or food processor chop the shallots and garlic together finely. Remove the bowl and then use the fine grating attachment to grate the carrots.
- Meanwhile, heat a heavy based frying pan on the maximum temperature on your stovetop. You want the beef to sizzle when you add it to the pan. If it doesn't brown immediately it will go grey and soggy and taste horrible.
- Add the beef to the pan once its preheated for a few minutes. You don't need to add oil at all. Brown the meat quickly on all sides. If your pan is small, then do this in two batches!
- Once browned tip in the shallots, garlic and grated carrots. Mix thoroughly and add the carrots. Keep stir frying the mixture to allow the carrots and onions to make contact with the bottom of the pan.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and heat through until just simmering.
- Transfer to the ovenproof casserole and place in the oven for 2 hours. After the first hour reduce the heat to around 150C. Once the cooking period has ended you can switch the oven off and leave the casserole in the oven to cook gently for longer, if you are making the bolognaise well ahead of time. Just make sure that it hasn't run out of liquid before you do this. As long as the lid of the casserole is tight-fitting you should have no difficulties.
- Once you're ready to serve/freeze/etc taste and readjust the seasoning and sweetness if you wish. The carrots add a juicy sweetness to the bolognaise, are invisible (great for kids!), and bulk it out.
From this recipe you should get 2 kilograms of bolognaise sauce, which I seperate as 2 x 500 g portions, 4 x 250 g portions and then freeze keeping one out for tonight's dinner. And voila, the basis for tasty home-made meals for 6 dinner times, sorted, with only a couple of minutes work. I use my portions for 2 x cottage pie, 2 x lasagne and 2 x pasta sauce, but how you separate it and what you do with it is up to you!
You can also hide other vegetables in your bolognaise - finely grated parsnips or turnips would work well!
Comments
Ashliegh, a belated Very Happy Birthday to you! I hope you had a great day and passed your drivers test. I also love the photo of your kitty - cute and good taste
Hi Ash, firstly Happy Birthday and good luck with the driving test! I add mushrooms to my bolognaise sause and do not add a stock cube, just water, ( too much salt) and with worcs and soy sauce I would think that you would have enough 'taste' after it has cooked for a while! Just my opinion of course! ;-)
January 10, 2006 3:10 PM