Rice with seasonings

Egg omelet with asparagus

Spaghetti Bolognese

Radish

Stir fry beef

Nimono

Orange

Egg omelet : beat eggs and pour into skillet, while it is cooking, add boiled asparagus across the middle of the eggs, then roll it up

Spaghetti Bolognese : chop onion, celery, carrot very finely. stir fry ground beef with vegetables and add tomato paste, white wine, salt, pepper, worcestershire  sauce. when it is cooked, add basil, oregano, paprika powder, rosemary and cook for a while.  boil pasta and drain, add olive oil a bit(for not stick each pasta). mix pasta and sauce.

Stir fry beef : cut beef thinner, fry on the pan and add Japanese soy sauce and sugar and sake.

Nimono : boil Shiitake dashi and Katsuo dashi, put satoimo(taro potato), renkon(lotus root), takenoko(bamboo shoot) and carrot. (vegetabled are already pre-cooked)  add Japanese soy sauce and Mirin

This is Today’s Obento!

Whenever I ask Jenny what I should cook for guests, her #1 answer, no matter what time of day or night, is “Bolognese.” Sure, it’s tasty, but there are many reasons why Jenny likes me to do it. Ten in fact…

My Bolognese–pardon me, ragù alla Bolognese–is a slow cooked pot of meat with carrots, celery, garlic, onion, tomato paste (not much) and red wine (lots). Salt and pepper are the only added seasonings, yet whenever it pops out of the oven, three or more hours after going in, it has this unexpected tanginess that complements the carmelized winey meat paste people tend to think of.

It’s simple, something like this (minus the lard), from Saveur’s amazing Issue #110, which–along with Bill Buford’s Heat–provides the best ragù rationale an Italo-curious food person like me could ask for. I prep it on the stove and then stick it in the oven at 350º for as long as it needs to look dark and foreboding, while filling the house with a smell that is the exact opposite.

So, now that you know how my approach, what are the 10 reasons Jenny loves for me to make it when people come over?

1. You can pretty much make it with stuff already in your fridge and freezer.

2. It screams homemade: Nothing out of a jar tastes remotely like it.

3. It forces you to plan ahead. It’s not just one of those things you think you can whip up right before guests arrive.

4. A little goes a very long way. It’s a sauce, so you think you’re not making very much, but there’s plenty in the bottom of the pot when everyone’s served.

5. For this reason, there are always leftovers. Even three stray spoonfuls will do fine for tomorrow’s lunch.

6. It’s “healthy.” That is, if you substitute beef and pork with venison, buffalo, or dare I even suggest it, ground turkey, then fatten things up for the slow braise with heart-friendly olive oil. (I’m not just talking out of my ass here: The Bolognese shown up top there is one I recently made with buffalo meat, and last summer we did one with venison as well. The key, I find, is managing that fat level. If it glistens, it’s gold.)

7. You can smother it with cheese, and it only gets better.

8. It’s highly scalable. Unlike a steak, with its imposing set portions, or like sushi, which won’t keep if it doesn’t get eaten, this stuff can be doled out or held back depending on demand alone.

9. It’s monolithic. I’ve made Japanese or Indian dinners where I’m prepping like three main dishes and five more sides. Only thing you need to serve with a Bolognese is a salad.

10. Well, a salad and homemade pasta. Yes, making Bolognese gives me an excuse to bust out the Kitchen-Aid mixer accessories, and press out some homemade pasta. (OK, you caught me–that is actually one of the things Jenny doesn’t like about it, as I always make homemade pasta after people arrive, and I tend to make a damn fool out of myself for half an hour before strands of what can be loosely classified as pasta start to roll out of my machine. More on homemade pasta at a later date.)

Note: My apologies for such a corny headline, especially so soon after “Gnocchi Gnotes.” These temptations, like good ragù alla Bolognese over homemade noodles, are so hard to resist.

Bolognese

Zutaten: 4 Personen
Olivenöl
1 rote Zwiebel, geschält & fein gehackt
2 Knoblauchzehen, geschält & fein gehackt
3 Lorbeerblätter
1 frischer Rosmarinzweig
500 g Hackfleisch
1,6 kg Dosentomaten
Meersalz
frisch gemahlener schwarzer Pfeffer
Parmesan am Stück, zum Reiben

Einen Schuss Olivenöl in den Topf geben und die Zwiebeln mit dem Knoblauch etwas 10 Minuten sanft darin dünsten, bis sie weich sind und etwas Farbe abgenommen haben. Die Lorbeerblätter, den Rosmarinzweig, das Hackfleisch und die Tomaten hinzufügen. Gründlich umrühren, zum Kochen bringen und anschliessend bei niedriger Hitze im verschlossenen Topf 2 Stunden sanft köcheln lassen. Sollte die Sauce ansetzen, giessen Sie gleich einen Schuß heisses Wasser dazu und rühren gründlich um. Zuletzt kräftig mit Salz und Pfeffer würzen und mit einer Zange die Lorbeerblätter und den Rosmarin rausnehmen und wegwerfen. Mit einem ordentlichen Schuss Olivenöl abrunden, nochmals abschmecken und servieren. Darauf gehört unbedingt frisch geriebener Parmesan, und zwar reichlich!
Das Reiben am besten den Gästen überlassen.

Salve a tutti da Andrea Bolgnese e benvenuti nel mondo di Single Chart
la classifica dei più ascoltati in Italia!!
CLICCA QUI E SCOPRI LE RADIO CHE CI MANDANO IN ONDA E GLI ORARI DI PROGRAMMAZIONE

E ADESSO BUONA VISIONE CON I VIDEO DELLE PRIME 10 POSIZIONI!!

update: 24/11/2009

posizioni!!!!

Busy busy busy…
Things have been a little busy…
We just made Mushroom Risotto and Lasagna with Bolognese sauce. I have to say it was pretty good! That was the most recent cooking labs. For dessert I made chocolate Mousse and biscotti.
Now we have 3 projects to finish- 2 on Japan and one on Israeli couscous… Due in one week…
But school is good!!
Thought I would let my readers (if I have any:P) know what’s going on
I can’t wait for strawberry shortcake!!!!!!! But I still hate baking
Well, hope u can’t wait for my next post!!

inviato da: Radio35
Il palinsesto “Autunno-Inverno 2009″ vede la partenza di due nuovi appuntamenti su Radio35, la webradio nata nel settembre 2009 che – all’insegna dello slogan “Cult & Trash” – propone i piu’ grandi successi (e insuccessi) della musica italiana ed internazionale dagli anni 60 ad oggi, le nuove proposte, i brani introvabili, gli indimenticabili, le meteore, le sigle dei programmi TV e dei cartoni animati.

“Casa Roberto” e’ il primo dei due nuovi appuntamenti. In una sorta di Blog radiofonico, Roberto apre il microfono e – oltre a commentare i brani in onda dando notizie e curiosita’ sui cantanti – ci porta a casa sua e ci parla di tutto quello che gli accade: la vita “di coppia” col suo gatto Teo, i rapporti con i vicini di casa, il lavoro, il commento agli articoli di attualita’ e alle sue trasmissioni televisive preferite ecc. ecc. Non mancano gli interventi degli ascoltatori con i sondaggi, la lettura delle mail, le dediche, le richieste, i saluti.

Se vi sentite “audio-voyeur” questo e’ il programma giusto per voi, una sorta di “Grande Fratello” radiofonico condito da humour e da quel poco di intelligenza limitata – purtroppo – ai 16 Mega della scheda di memoria situata nel cervelletto di Roberto……

Data la sua natura di Blog radiofonico, il programma non ha un orario fisso di messa in onda. Gli interventi avvengono praticamente tutto il giorno, e a volte anche di notte………

Il secondo appuntamento in partenza su Radio35 ha invece una collocazione oraria ben precisa: ogni martedi’, mercoledi’ e giovedi’ alle 15,40 (in replica alle 22,40) Andrea Bolognese presenta “Single Chart”, la classifica settimanale dei 15 brani piu’ venduti in Italia.

La classifica e’ suddivisa in tre blocchi: il martedi’ pomeriggio Andrea ci fa scoprire le posizioni dalla numero 15 alla numero 11, il mercoledi’ dalla numero 10 alla numero 6 e – per finire – il giovedi’ scopriamo la vetta della classifica con le posizioni dalla numero 5 alla numero 1.

Radio35 vi aspetta sul sito www.radio35.net dove potrete trovare il player per l’ascolto, il Blog e maggiori informazioni sui progetti in corso.

Milano, 20 novembre 2009

I made the Bolognese Sauce of Paula from Bell’Alimento.  It’s very good.  Thanks Paula

The most important thing I can tell you about this recipe is…Just Do It!

I know everyone has their favorite Bolognese recipe, this is mine…not to be confused with my second favorite, Bolognese Ragù I make for my Lasagna Béchamel/Bolognese. My Godmother, Evelyn used to make this every couple of weeks.  I used to stand next to the stove on a step-ladder to help her….And whenever I could, I’d help MYSELF to a spoonful, or dip a piece of bread in to scoop it up!

The pork spareribs and sausages give this sauce the MOST wonderful flavor.  Give yourself a few hours to cook it — the longer the better!  Whatever you do, DON’T keep dipping in to eat it all afternoon, though you’ll be tempted!  Otherwise you’ll have no appetite when you finally sit down to dinner…Trust me — been there, done that!

I tell you, you’ll die when you taste this sauce!

Bolognese

1 lb. boneless Country style spare ribs
1 package (usually 5-6) hot Italian sausages
1/2 cup Extra virgin Olive oil

2 28-ounce cans Crushed tomatoes – San Marzano whenever possible
2 6-ounce cans tomato paste
3 cups dry Red wine
1 large brown onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon oregano leaves
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
1 bay leaf
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon sugar
Water – you’ll have to judge

Meatballs

1 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive oil
1 teaspoon crushed oregano leaves
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup tomato sauce (I usually use a ladle-full of the Bolognese I’m cooking)
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
a pinch of nutmeg
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

.

In a large stockpot, pour about 1/4 cup Olive oil and add the Country style spare ribs.  Brown well on all sides.  Remove to a platter to rest.  Then add the sausages and brown them well on all sides.  Remove them to rest with the ribs.  Add the rest of the Olive oil and add the chopped onions and garlic and saute until golden brown.

Add the wine to deglaze, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pot.  Add the 2 cans of crushed tomatoes, the tomato paste, remaining wine and all the seasonings and stir.

Return the spare ribs and sausages to the pot and add 1 cup of water and bring the sauce just to a boil, then turn the heat to LOW, cover the pot and let it cook for at least 2 1/2 hours.  Check on the sauce periodically and give it a stir.

Prepare the meatballs

In a deep skillet, lightly saute the onions and garlic.  Remove from heat and pour into a steel bowl and let it cool. Add the ground beef and ground pork, and the rest of the ingredients and mix well.  Form into approximately 3-inch balls.  Return to the same skillet the onions were sauteed in and brown well on all sides – in batches, so you don’t crowd the pan.  When they’re browned, remove from the heat and let them rest.

Back to the sauce

After the sauce has cooked, reach in with some long tongs and remove the ribs to a bowl and let them cool slightly.  Transfer them to a cutting board and with two forks, gently shred the meat. This will be VERY easy, because the ribs should be falling apart after cooking for 2 1/2 hours.

(Note: If you aren’t able to find boneless Country spare ribs and are using ribs with the bone in them, remove and discard.)

Return all of the shredded pork to the pot, along with the browned meatballs and continue to cook for another 30-45 minutes or so – prepare the pasta.

I use either Fettuccine, Tagliatelle or Pappardelle for this dish – It’s a hearty sauce and should be served with a hearty noodle!

I also like to sprinkle chopped Italian parsley (instead of basil) on this sauce with a little parmesan cheese.  I hope you love this as much as we do here at Chez Carlson!  Cheers!

]]> http://giovedingrasso.wordpress.com/2009/11/12/da-lincremento-di-autonomazione-a-la-gnocca-e-sempre-la-gnocca/ Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:41:35 +0000 dadanna http://giovedingrasso.wordpress.com/2009/11/12/da-lincremento-di-autonomazione-a-la-gnocca-e-sempre-la-gnocca/

Eccomi qua a scrivere la mia prima recensione per giovedingrasso. Non avendo mai scritto qualcosa di “pubblico”, l’emozione è tanta, ma munita di coraggio inizio a raccontare di quella bellissima serata trascorsa al LAGHETTO DEI CASTORI il 15 ottobre scorso.
Ma partiamo dall’inizio. Tutto è cominciato per me e la mia dolce metà il 18 giugno 2009 quando, invitati da Biljana e Martino ad unirci a  “lor signori”, essendo di buona forchetta, accettammo l’invito. Novellini osservammo l’andazzo e ciò ci piacque moltissimo, tanto da sperare in un nuovo appuntamento culinario. Aspettammo, aspettammo fino a quando arrivarono le mail che ci avvertivano della imminente serata. L’ultima comunicava che qualcuno ci sarebbe venuti a prendere alle 20.15. Arrivò Johnny che ci condusse per la prima volta nel magico regno di via Malvolta. Lì aspettammo Laura che tornava da non so dove, ma so che Gianluca, Alice e Biljana erano passati a prenderla in stazione. Tutti, compreso Martino col fratellino Simone e cognatina Samantha, ci incontrammo nel punto X. C’era una super decisione da prendere: dove andare a mangiare? E sì miei cari lettori, avevamo prenotato in due posti diversi:
opzione n°1: Trattoria Sandoni (per camionisti); opzione n°2: Laghetto dei castori. Se non ricordo male solo in nostro caro compagno Johnny voleva andare alla trattoria Sandoni. Messo a tacere il dissidente, la decisione fu presa e partimmo alla volta dell’opzione n°2, località Pianoro direzione Zocca. Arrivammo nello spiazzo antistante la trattoria.

trattoria lago dei castori bologna

Era una serata fredda ed umida il locale era circondato da un lato dal laghetto e dall’altro da vegetazione. Entrammo nel locale: un posticino semplice e quasi del tutto pieno. Salutammo e mentre ci portavano al nostro tavolo Luca udì una signora anzianotta che osservandoci commentò: “ MA GUARDA UN PO’, VENGONO ANCHE I GIOVANI QUI!”. Contenti della nostra giovinezza, ci sedemmo tanto affamati e subito iniziammo a parlare di molte cose. Alice stupì tutti con una semplice osservazione: “Siamo tutte coppie!”. Quindi fui prescelta per raccontare l’evento. Stupita chiesi il taccuino che però era rimesto a Bologna in via Malvolta. Biljana mi diede un foglio strappato dalla sua agenda e una penna, iniziai a prendere appunti. I nostri discorsi iniziarono con questa enigmatica e incomprensibile espressione: “Incremento di autonomazione”. Quindi arrivò il proprietario, il quale ci elencò ciò che prevedeva il menù della serata. C’erano tante pietanze appetitose, ma alla fine votammo per le seguenti:

PRIMI: strichetti radicchio e salsiccia e tortelloni pomodoro e burro
SECONDO: crescentine, squacquerone, tagliere di salumi (salame felino, prosciutto crudo, cotto alle erbe, pancetta, ciccioli, pancetta di testa), verdure al forno e sottaceti.
DOLCE: torta alla crema con gocce di cioccolata ricoperta di panna e… (non compresa nel prezzo, si festeggiava il compleanno di Samantha).
VINO: Sangiovese (podere Moncencello) ovviamente scelto dalla coppia Alice-Gianluca (momentaneamente priva del Signor Montante, il quale proprio in quel momento si trovava alla toilette).
AMARI: brodo di giuggiole, mandarinello, banancello e ciocconcello (mancava solo il violoncello).

Deciso cosa mangiare, iniziammo a parlare di tantissime cose.
Parlammo delle molte personalità decedute in quei giorni tra cui Mister Lascia o Raddoppia Mike, il Castagnetti allenatore di nuoto, il cantante dei Boyzone; fummo tutti d’accordo sul fatto di come sia brutta ed inquinata Taranto (chiedo scusa ai tarantini, ma non si presenta proprio bene); ritornammo sull’argomento tanto amato dai pescaresi: i giochi del mediterraneo. Quindi fummo (quasi) tutti d’accordo sul giudicare CIAO la mascotte dei mondiali di calcio ‘90 orribile. Ma l’argomento che coinvolse tutti nacque da Alice. E a partire dalle marchette che le pischelle odierne fanno nei bagni delle scuole arrivammo a parlare di tradimento (meglio sapere o no?), ma alla fine un dubbio è rimasto: nel bagno della Kitchen si può? A chiudere la discussione ci pensò qualcuno dicendo: speriamo tanto che Minnie tradisca Topolino con Macchia Nera!
Non parlammo solo di sport e cultura, ma anche di cinema, di vero cinema, di veri attori con la A maiuscola, di ALVARO VITALI e LINO BANFI. Ovviamente tra i due ha vinto Lino, il vero Lino, quello dei vecchi tempi del commissario Lo Gatto e dell’allenatore del pallone (altro che Nonni Liberi e Padri delle spose lesbiche!).
Tra un discorso e l’altro bevemmo vino e mangiammo tanto. Laura mi consigliò di chiedere ad ognuno i voti delle pietanze, ed eccoveli qua:

Strichetti radicchio e salsiccia: Gianluca: 6,5; Alice: 8; Biljana: 6+; Martino: 7+; Samantha: 6,5; Simone: 7,5; Johnny: 7,5; Laura: 7; Anna: 7; Luca: 7,5. MEDIA: 7,10.

Tortelloni ripieni di ricotta ed erbe al pomodoro e burro: Gianluca: 5,5; Alice: 6; Biljana: 7+; Martino: 6,5; Samantha: 6,5; Simone:6,5; Johnny: 6,5; Laura: 8; Anna: 8; Luca: 7-. MEDIA: 6,75.

Vino: Voto dei degustatori 6,5 (in altre parole accettabile)

Le crescentine, anzi lo gnocco, anzi la gnocca, piacque parecchio (talmente tanto che mi sono dimenticata di chiedere i voti). Anche i liquori non erano da meno, tanto che quando sorseggiammo il brodo di giuggiole (io non ho ancora capito cose siano le giuggiole) andammo in brodo di giuggiole giungendo alla conclusione che Epicuro non è mai stato in brodo di giuggiole.

La serata volgeva verso la fine, festeggiammo con una buona torta il compleanno di Samantha e guardandoci intorno ci accorgemmo che non c’era più nessuno tranne i proprietari che giocavano con le carte napoletane (o forse erano piacentine?).
Dopo esserci fatti, come da rito, una foto con i proprietari, passammo alla cassa. Pagammo 25 euri a testa.
Avevo ridato la penna a Biljana, riposto il mio foglietto in borsa con l’idea di concludere questa recensione con la frase iniziale (incremento di autonomazione) che per me ancora restava un mistero, quando la proprietaria mi suggerì un finale alternativo. Felice dei nostri entusiastici commenti sulle ottime crescentine, esclamò: “Ragazzi, si sa, LA GNOCCA E’ LA GNOCCA!” . E con questo ho detto tutto.

Alla prossima mangiata!

giovedingrasso 9 al lago dei castori

Ok, so there’s a lot of rumours about Spaghetti Bolognese.. The dish that we call Bolognese isn’t technically Italian, as far as I know – rather it’s a Western adaptation. The closest equivalent would be what the Italians call Ragu, but don’t quote me on this as I’d hate to upset an Italian about food!
Bolognese is one of my main comfort foods, and never fails to deliver.. here’s my version.

Ingredients:
olive oil
2 onions, diced
a stick of celery, diced
a larg carrot, grated
two cloves of garlic, chopped
2 – 3 bay leaves
2 stickes of fresh rosemary
500g beef mince, or a combination of pork and beef mince
a glass of red wine (or white if you don’t have red)
2 x 400g tins of diced tomatoes
a sachet of tomato paste
a cube of beef stock, dissolved in boiling water
a tbs of sugar
a tbs of red wine or balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper
a large handful of fresh parsley, chopped

To serve:
80g of pasta (spaghetti!) per person
parmesan cheese
garlic bread and/or a green salad if desired

Method:
1. Heat 2 tbs of olive oil in a large stewing pot (preferably one with a thick non-stick base) over a medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrot, celery, rosemary and bay leaves, and stir. Turn the heat down and put a lid on the pot; cook gently for 10 – 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Don’t allow the veg to burn – if you think it’s too hot put a splash of boiling water in, to stop it from burning.
2. Take the lid off the pot, turn up the heat and add the mince. Stir until meat is browned. Add the wine, and stir for a couple of minutes. Add the tinned tomatoes, tomato paste, as much of the beef stock as you think it needs, stir and bring to the boil.
3. Turn the heat down, add the sugar, balsamic vinegar, a bit of salt and pepper, and stir again. Put the lid on, slightly ajar, and simmer for 2 – 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Take the lid off for the last hour or half an hour, to allow the liquid to reduce.

I usually cook this for at least 3 hours, as I think it allows the beautiful rich flavours to develop, and it makes the house smell lovely. If, however, you are pushed for time, simply use less of either the wine, stock, or tinned tomatoes – if there is less liquid, you won’t need to simmer it for so long. I wouldn’t cook it for less than an hour though.

4. Stir through the finely chopped parsley, and season to taste. Serve with pasta and parmesan cheese, and garlic bread or a side salad if desired.

When I make this for Leon and I, we usually eat two servings and then I put 6 servings in the freezer! So I guess that means it Serves 6 – 8.

Emily – November 2009

La bolognese Xtel, specializzata in soluzioni per l’automazione dei processi commerciali, dopo l’apertura dell’ufficio in Spagna ha ulteriormente potenziato le sue attività all’estero annunciando la nomina di Paolo Restagno, proveniente da Oracle, a international sales director e responsabile per l’espansione delle vendite nei Paesi dell’EMEA.

Quarant’anni, piemontese, una laurea in Economia all’Università di Torino, Restagno ha oltre dieci anni di esperienza nel mondo del software e nello sviluppo dei mercati esteri.

‘L’esperienza pluriannuale di Restagno nella conquista dei mercati internazionali sarà di grande valore nel nostro percorso di espansione all’estero e nella conquista dei gruppi internazionali del largo consumo in Europa’, ha commentato Alessandro Bosi, managing director di Xtel.

Il nuovo ThinkPad T400s di Lenovo può gestire l’input simultaneo di ben quattro dita

Fonte:
http://www.cwi.it/notizia/18863/2009-09-24/Paolo-Restagno-guidera-l-espansione-della-bolognese-Xtel-in-Europa.html

Bolognese (dog)
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Moorhey Bolognese Dogs
Ultimately our Bolognese dogs’ health is very much important to us and we … EMAIL. Go to Top of Page. Moorhey Bolognese Dogs. Web Design – Designs by Sandee …

Salve a tutti da Andrea Bolognese ed ora ce la cantiamo con i più Video delle canzoni più ascoltate su Radio Diva Fm!!
la Single Chart che si vede qua e si ascolta su:

Radio Diva Fm ad Adria 94.90 mhz bassopolesine 101.800 mhz streaming http://www.radiodiva.it
martedì dalle ore 17,20 alle ore 17,40
mercoledì dalle ore 17,20 alle ore 17,40
giovedì dalle ore 17,20 alle ore 17,40
venerdì dalle ore 18,00 alle ore 19,00
vi aspetto!!!

update: 27/10/2009

posizioni!!!!

10 Laura Pusini – Con La Musica Alla Radio

CONTINUA A LEGGERE:
da oggi su Radio Diva Fm una nuova Single Chart

I’ve decided that this week is going to be slow cooker week in the foodie household, starting with Vegan Lentil Bolognese.. and oh wow, this recipe was good! And I don’t just mean that in the being polite to the cook kind of way, I mean that in the oh my goodness I need another bowl even though I’m so full I can barely move kind of way. Bolognese was always one of my favourites when I was a kid and it’s one of those dishes that I have really missed as a vegetarian (that and the Hainanese Chicken Rice I used to love to eat when I was in Singapore – Anyone got a good vegan substitute for that recipe?). Well, I will no longer be pining for the bolognese of my past because I’ve definitely found a replacement for this particular comfort food.

The inspiration for this recipe came from “Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker” but I’ve modified it quite a bit.

Note: Although I used fettuccine in this recipe I actually prefer to use a shell pasta, that way the lentils are cupped in the pasta and more evenly distributed throughout the meal.. with fettuccine or other long pasta then you are likely to end up with a pile of lentils on your plate at the end.

Vegan Lentil Bolognese

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 medium leek, minced
2 carrots, minced
2 celery rib, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small red chili, minced
1 800g can of crushed tomatoes
1 cup dried brown lentils, picked over and rinsed
2 tablespoons tomato paste dissolved in 1 cup of hot water
Pinch of mixed spice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
Fettuccine or other pasta of your choice
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese or soy Parmesan to serve

Method:
1. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the leek, carrot, celery, chili and garlic. Cover, and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the wine and simmer for 2 minutes.

2. Transfer the vegetable mixture to the slowcooker. Add the tomatoes, lentils, tomato paste mixture, mixed spice and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 7 hours (couldn’t be easier!!!)

3. When ready to serve, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally. Drain well.

4. Just prior to serving, stir the parsley into the sauce. Place the cooked pasta in a serving bowl, top with the bolognese and serve immediately with the cheese (or not, it’s just as good without it!).

Tomorrow I’m pulling out the slow cooker again but I’m not sure yet whether I’ll make White Bean Cassoulet, Minestrone, or Irish Stew, they are all on the menu for the coming week.. any requests?

I used to live with a vegan. It’s really not as bad as it sounds.

I used to be vegetarian myself so don’t tend to feel cheated if I’m sitting down to a meal that doesn’t contain meat, which is one of the reasons why, although no longer bound by anyone’s self-imposed dietary constraints, I still make this vegan version of bolognese sauce every so often.

Okay, so it’s not a patch on the real ragù, the meaty slow-cooked sauce we Brits have developed a tradition for serving with spaghetti, even though it’s better suited to a thicker pasta to give the meat something to cling to. Tagliatelle is what they tend to use in the sauce’s birthplace Bologna, which also happens to be my girlfriend’s hometown, hence the need to be making vegan bolognese (of all things) in the first place.

What I like about this dish is that it’s a lot quicker to cook than the traditional bolognese sauce, with a cooking time of up to a half an hour vs. many an hour for a flavoursome meat sauce. With the vegan version you’ve got a few more herbs doing the work for you in terms of developing the taste. I also like this recipe because the lentils have a stick-to-your-ribs quality — which is great for warming up as the nights draw in — without weighing on your stomach the way meat can.

On this occasion I went with some super-wide strips of artisanal pasta with coloured lines running through it, courtesy of my mother. Very special occasion, even if it was just a regular Saturday afternoon. It worked well, but then you can’t really go wrong if you’re using something thicker than spaghetti (even penne will do) and you’ve gotten the lentils cooked just right. Having eaten a fair few vegan meals in my time, this really is one of the most flavoursome dishes I’ve come across. And the credit goes to my girlfriend for developing the recipe.

Vegan tagliatelle alla bolognese

Printable recipe

Serves 4

• Four shallots, finely chopped
• One large or two small cloves of garlic, finely chopped/crushed
• One large or two small carrots, grated
• Two celery sticks, finely chopped
• A handful of fresh sage, finely chopped
• A handful of fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• One tin of chopped tomatoes
• 100g red lentils
• 500ml vegetable stock
• A little tomato paste
• Salt and pepper to taste
• A little olive oil
• A splash of red wine
• 450-500 g tagliatelle (or another shape of pasta that will hold the thick sauce — tortiglioni, penne, conchiglie, zite etc.)

Shallow fry the garlic in oil on a low flame until the garlic turns golden. Add the shallots, carrots and the celery, turning the heat up a little, and allow them to cook together for a bit. Then add the sage and rosemary. Allow everything to cook until the vegetables soften.

Add the lentils with stock. After a minute or so, add the chopped tomatoes. Bring the flame up to medium. After about ten minutes, you can put the pasta on to cook in salted boiling water. Keep stirring the sauce, adding vegetable stock to the lentils and vegetables mix if it starts drying out. Add salt and pepper if you think it’s needed and tomato paste if necessary.

The sauce should take around 20 minutes in total to cook. Towards the end of its cooking time, add a bit of red wine and bring the flame higher to let it cook off. Drain the pasta when it’s al dente, throw it in with the sauce and mix it all together.

Serve accompanied by a Tuscan or Emilia-Romagna red, for example San Giovese Superiore or Montepulciano.

It’s funny how growing up we can swear up and down that we don’t like a particular item. I remember my Grandma would make bean soup at least twice a winter. It was her home cooking comfort food. I HATED IT. I would complain, moan, and groan everytime I came home from school and saw it on the stove. The only factor that saved absolute meltdown from those beans was her cornbread. I would love that stuff up. But today is not about beans, it’s about bolognese.

Since my Grandma passed away I have tried desparately to reclaim her flavors. She wasn’t one to write down her secrets because everytime she would make something it was different (something I am guilty of as well). Her pasta sauce was similiar to that. Sometimes it had hamburger, sometimes pork, sometimes beef that she’d cook until it shredded, and sometimes vegetables. Sometimes there was wine, sometimes stock. . . it was one of those rich, deep, super cooked sauces. Growing up I wasn’t always appreciative of those deep flavors. Maybe it was too herbacious for my young palette, but since she’s been gone it is something that I strive for in my bolognese.

The first time I made Anne Burrell’s pasta bolognese I honestly believed I’d NEVER EVER make it again. It took two hours of stirring just to get it “crusty” enough for Anne’s liking. It was tons of stirring and then SIMMERING forever. I had it ALL over the stovetop (understandable, most of my food ends up that way) and I was sick and tired of it before I had even tasted it. But once I took that first bite–this sauce is the closest I’ve ever come to my Grandma Shirley’s deep, dark, pasta sauce. It is delicious. It is something you want to take a full Sunday to do but it is SO worth it. Tonight we are having the long lost last package of this sauce from the last batch I made. It freezes beautifully and honestly, if you are going to spend 6+ hours making something you better have some lefts overs. Am I right?

Here is Anne’s recipe with my notes. Honestly, just take the time and do it! Like risotto it is just as much about the process as it is the actual food.

Pasta Bolognese – Anne Burrell

3 ribs celery, cut into 1-inch dice

—–

In a food processor, puree onion, carrots, celery, and garlic into a coarse paste. In a large pan over medium heat, coat pan with oil. Add the pureed veggies and season generously with salt. Bring the pan to a medium-high heat and cook until all the water has evaporated and they become nice and brown, stirring frequently, about 15 to 20 minutes. Be patient, this is where the big flavors develop.

Add the ground beef and season again generously with salt. BROWN THE BEEF! Brown food tastes good. Don’t rush this step. Cook another 15 to 20 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and cook until brown about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the red wine. Cook until the wine has reduced by half, another 4 to 5 minutes.

Add water to the pan until the water is about 1 inch above the meat. Toss in the bay leaves and the bundle of thyme and stir to combine everything. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally. As the water evaporates you will gradually need to add more, about 2 to 3 cups at a time. Don’t be shy about adding water during the cooking process, you can always cook it out. This is a game of reduce and add more water. This is where big rich flavors develop. If you try to add all the water in the beginning you will have boiled meat sauce rather than a rich, thick meaty sauce. Stir and TASTE frequently. Season with salt, if needed (you probably will). Simmer for 3 1/2 to 4 hours.

During the last 30 minutes of cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat to cook the spaghetti. Pasta water should ALWAYS be well salted. Salty as the ocean! TASTE IT! If your pasta water is under seasoned it doesn’t matter how good your sauce is, your complete dish will always taste under seasoned. When the water is at a rolling boil add the spaghetti and cook for 1 minute less than it calls for on the package. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.

While the pasta is cooking remove 1/2 of the ragu from the pot and reserve.

Drain the pasta and add to the pot with the remaining ragu. Stir or toss the pasta to coat with the sauce. Add some of the reserved sauce, if needed, to make it about an even ratio between pasta and sauce. Add the reserved pasta cooking water and cook the pasta and sauce together over a medium heat until the water has reduced.Toss or stir vigorously. Divide the pasta and sauce into serving bowls or 1 big pasta bowl. Top with grated Parmigiano. Serve immediately.

(This was my dinner! Garlic parmesan knots, some sauteed kale with garlic, and pasta bolognese. YUM!)

————

Anne gives really great instructions in this recipe. I think that one of the biggest tips that I take from it is about SALT. We are so scared of salt, especially with health concerns like high blood pressure and all of the crud that we put in our system. But honestly if you are eating high quality delicious homemade food and using kosher salt or sea salt it is OK to not worry as much. Really, go crazy with it. Because water is such a HUGE part of this sauce you honestly do need to season it liberally. This makes a HUGE pot of sauce and I usually have enough to freeze two batches and still sauce the pound of pasta called for. Do not add the cheese to the sauce you intend to freeze.

… ist ein Seelentröster, einfach so zu Spaghetti oder irgendwelchen anderen Nudeln, etwas Parmigiano darüber gerieben und ein wohliges Gefühl greift Raum im Innern…

Mein Grundrezept für die vegetarische Bolognese (mit der ich schon in der Lasagne eingefleischte [sic!] Fleischesser foppen konnte…) geht so:

Ich gebe mittelgrobes Sojagranulat in einen Suppenteller, mache Wasser dazu, sodass alles Granulat genässt ist, aber nichts schwimmt. Ich schneide 2-3 milde Peperoni (Dolce) und eine Viertel scharfe Peperoni in kleine Stücke und gebe sie hinein.

Derweil häute ich 2-3 Schalotten, schneide sie in kleine Würfel, gebe einen Klacks Butter (ich nehme die von Schrozberg) und Olivenöl (ich nehme eines von Naturata) bei mittelhoher Temperatur in eine Pfanne. Wenn die Schalotten einigermassen angeschmurgelt sind, ist auch das Granulat soweit, ich drücke mit dem Pfannenwender das meiste Wasser raus und gebe das Granulat auf die glasigen, aber allenfalls gering gebräunten Schalotten.

Wenn das Granulat dann unter gelegentlichem Wenden und Durchmischen anfängt Braun zu werden, Ablöschen mit 0,2- 0,3 l kräftigen Rotwein. Blubbern lassen. In der Pfanne sieht es nun lila aus, nicht wundern..

Während das nun so vor sich hinblubbert und ich abundzu noch etwas Wein nachgiesse, habe ich eine Möhre geschält und in 2 mm dicke Scheiben geteilt, diese in 2 mm dicke Längsstreifen geteilt und diese wiederum zu 2 mm dicken Würfel gemacht. Ich betone hier die Masse so genau, weil es sich gezeigt hat, dass geriebene Möhren das ganze Gericht kaputt machen und zu grosse und zu kleine Möhrenstücke auch. Kein Witz. Macht einfach 1.5 -3 mm dicke Würfel und alles wird gut

Die Möhrenwürfel schmeisse ich in das Geblubber und rühre 2-3 EL Tomatenmark (ich nehme das von Alnatura oder Naturata) gut hinein (wenn ich geschmackreiche frische Tomaten zur Hand habe, so stückle ich die oder püriere sie und verwende sie an Stelle des Marks), stelle die Temperatur runter und lasse mit einem Deckel drauf blubbern (es spratzt sonst die Tomatensosse ringsumher an Wand und was da steht).  Ich schneide rote Paprika in Streifen/Stücke und wenn das in der Pfanne einigermassen eingeblubbert ist, schmeisse ich die Paprika dazu und fülle alsbald mit einem Glas oder Dose Schältomaten oder mit passierten Tomaten auf (zB von Naturata, oder selbsteingekochte).

Alle paar Minuten umrühren. Salz, gemahlener Pfeffer, frisch gestossener/gemörserter schwarzer Pfeffer (ich nehme beides, weil es unterschiedlichen Geschmack hat, der sich ergänzt),  Oregano, Basilikum (wenn frisch, dann frisch, sonst von guter Qualität getrocknet, etwa Sonnentor, Herbaria oder Lebensbaum), edelsüsser Paprika, scharfer Paprika, ggf. Chilipulver.

Abschmecken, Gewürze ausbalancieren. Einen guten Schuss Sahne dazu (für die Grammzähler ginge auch ein kleinerer Schluck Milch) oder Crème fraîche.

Letzteres variiert ganz nach dem, was nun passiert. Mit einem Schuss Sahne beende ich das Rezept, wenn hier Schluss ist und die Sosse so auf Nudeln kommt und nur noch Käse darübergeraffelt wird.

Creme fraiche oder Sauerrahm (geht nur, wenn auf Niedrigtemperatur gekocht wird, sonst flockt es) hingegen kommt zum Einsatz, wenn das Rezept weitergeht, etwa zur Lasagne:

Zur Lasagne brauchen wir die Bolo wie eben vorgestellt und eine Béchamelsosse, die auch ganz schnell geht: etwas Butter bei mittelniedriger Temperatur in Topf geschmolzen, etwa die gleiche Menge Mehl dazu, durchrühren mit Topfschneebesen, mit ordentlich tauglichem Weisswein ablöschen (lies: reingiessen und kräftig rühren), rasch mit Milch aufgiessen , stetig weiterrühren, damit es nicht anbrennt. Wenn’s anbrennt, ists zu spät… Ich mache das deswegen parallel zur Bolo bei niedrigen Temperaturen und lasse mir Zeit…, Salz, Pfeffer, etwas Gemüsebrühpulver dazu, möglichst frisch geriebene Muskatnuss (vorgerieben geht freilich auch), ein Spritzer Zitronensaft, etwas gutschmelzenden Käse (mittelalter Gouda beispielsweise), ggf. noch mit Weisswein, Salz und Pfeffer abschmecken.

Für die Lasagne fülle ich in Portionsformen (ich nehme die von Le Creuset) schichtenweise die Sossen mit Lasagnenudelplatten ein (ich nehme derzeit bevorzugt die Dinkellasagneplatten von Naturata), also eine Schicht Bolognesesosse, darauf eine Kelle Béchamel, eine Lage Nudeln usw.usw.

Obenauf Mozzarella und Parmesan (ohne den ist der Mozzarella langweilig) und ein weiterer schmelzender aber geschmackvoller Käse, zum Beispiel ein Remeker oder ein Bergkäse (der Mozzarella gibt ja eigentlich nur die Konsistenz…) Und rein damit in den gut vorgeheizten Ofen bei ungefähr 175° Celsiux.

Sobald der Käse gut geschmolzen ist und braune Spuren aufweist, ist die Lasagne fertig.

Weitere Varianten ein andermal…

~~

Zum Abschluss noch einmal dies zum Kauf von Bioprodukten, im besten Falle Demeter-zertifizierten Produkten: Jedes Essen schmeckt so gut, wie seine Zutaten es sind. Es hilft das beste Rezept nicht, wenn die Zutaten nix taugen. Wenn das Paprikapulver modrig ist, der Käse geschmacksneutral und die Tomaten mit Haut versehenes Hollandwasser, dann kann natürlich auch der tollste Ofen nix zaubern… Deswegen nur ordentliche Zutaten nehmen und beispielsweise auch für die Sossen nur einen Wein verwenden, den man auch mit Freude trinken würde. Eine Wein enthaltende Sosse, die schmecken soll, muss einen guten Wein haben, Fusel mutiert niemals im Ofen zum Grossen Gewächs….

Lasagne

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Ingredients 

1. Bolognese Sauce (1 cup)
2. Spaghetti (63g)
3. Cheddar Singles (1)
4. Butter 
5. Parsley Flakes
6. Sherry (1t)

Preparation

1. OK, first I am going to assume you have already made the bolognese sauce ahead of time (my Bolognese Sauce Recipe is here ). If not, make the sauce first.
2. Half fill a large pot with water and heat to a boil with a pinch of salt and a knob of butter. When it is boiling (and not a second before) put your spaghetti in. Dried pasta comes in packs of 500g and these make 8 servings, so that’s why I have a funny quanity like 63g. The spaghetti is long, hard and brittle and it can’t fit in the pot in one go. Hold your pasta in a bunch and wet one end in the boiling water first, then put the other end in. This helps the pasta cook evenly.
3. Cook until the pasta is al dente (i.e. slightly hard), keeping in mind it will continue to soften even after it is strained. Some people advocate flushing in cold water to stop the cooking process but I normally just compensate by cooking the pasta a tad less. I don’t really like the pasta to get cold.
4. While the pasta is cooking, you should heat up your sauce in a saucepan.  Add 1t of sherry and 1 slice of processed cheese to enhance flavour. The singles are perfect for this purpose as their  inferiority to good cheese allows them to melt easily into the sauce. This is the one step that will make your spaghetti bolognese special.
5. Arrange the spaghetti on your serving plate, mix in a second knob of butter and sprinkle in some parsley flakes. That little bit of green makes all the difference in presentation.
6. Finish off by spooning the sauce onto the centre of the pasta in a circle. At the dining table itself, coarse grate a generous amount of Parmigiano-Reggiano over the entire plate.

Ingredients

1. Minced Beef (500g)
2. Carrots (2 medium)
3. Onion (2)
4. Celery (¾ head)
5. Mushrooms (2 cups)
6. Garlic (8 cloves)
7. Stewed Tomatoes (2×14.5oz cans)
8. Tomato Paste (1×6 oz can)
9. Oxo Cubes (2)
10. Worcestershire Sauce
11. Sherry
12. Bay Leaves
13. Oregano
14. Basil

Preparation

1. Start by cutting up your vegetables into quarter inch cubes. Since vegetables come in difference sizes to clarify, you should end up with the same amount of diced carrots, onions, celery and mushrooms, i.e. 2 cups each as pictured. Also peel your garlic and put it through a press to mince it.
2. In a big pot over a low fire (all the way in this recipe), brown the minced garlic in 3T of olive oil. When the pot is hot enough to sear, add your minced beef. Continue stirring the beef as it cooks, breaking it up with a wooden spatula (square shaped is the best).
3. When the beef is thoroughly cooked, pour in the stewed tomatoes and tomato paste (potent stuff so take note this recipe calls for a small 6 oz can as pictured). In one cup of hot water, mash up 2 Oxo cubes to create your stock, and then add this to the pot as well.
4. When your tomato-beef mixture is boiling, add your diced vegetables and 8 bay leaves. Simmer for an hour. If the heat is right, there should be no sticking at the bottom of the pot but you should still stir occasionally. There should be no need to add any more water as the vegetables will release water as they disintegrate.
5. At the end of the hour, add 2t salt, 1T pepper, 1T paprika, 4T sugar, 1T worcestershire sauce, 1T oregano, 1T basil and bring to a second simmer for another hour. Then cover and remove from the fire to allow the sauce to thicken. It is best if the sauce is left overnight, but in any case a few hours. After the thickening, taste to see if any additional seasoning is required.
6. This recipe (intentionally) makes a lot of sauce and you should probably be prepared to store some away in the freezer for later use. When serving, remove bay leaves (they should still be intact), and reheat the amount you need with a dash of sherry.
7. For a richer sauce and depending on the actual dish using the sauce, I sometimes mix in a dollop of marscapone as a finishing.

Notes

• Why is it sometimes called Bolognaise Sauce?
  That’s the French name for the same thing, you know like parmesan instead of parmigiano.
• Why don’t we use fresh tomatoes?
  Cause then we’d have to blanch, peel and de-seed them, and then we’d end up with stewed tomatoes anyway.
• Only recently have I discovered how close this recipe is to the traditional way ragù alla bolognese is to be made, as decided by the good peoples of Bologna, Italy. What the difference? Not too much. This recipe leaves out the pancetta (a type of bacon) and red wine but includes mushrooms.

Pasta Bolognese
by Chef Joseph W. DiPerri, The Culinary Institute of America

In an effort to find a tasty meal to try for dinner and have left overs to carry for lunch I came across this recipe, for those of you who don’t eat red meat I’m sure you can substitute with ground poultry (chicken & turkey). That’s what I’ll most likely use

What You’ll need:

• 2 (28-ounce) cans whole tomatoes with juice or crushed tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 ounces pancetta or 6 slices bacon, finely chopped
• 1/4 pound ground pork (not lean)
• 1/4 pound ground beef chuck (not lean)
• 1/4 pound ground veal
• 1 small onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 carrot, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound small pasta such as orecchiette or rotini
• Garnish: Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preparation:

• If using whole tomatoes, in blender or food processor, purée tomatoes with juice. Set aside.
• In large, heavy pot over moderate heat, heat oil until hot but not smoking. Add pancetta and sauté until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Add beef, pork, and veal and sauté, breaking up meat with back of spoon, until browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Add onion and carrot and sauté until vegetables are tender, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Stir in red wine and simmer, scraping up browned bits stuck to bottom of pan, until liquid is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, cream, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to moderately low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened and brick-red in color, approximately 30 minutes.
• In large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until almost tender. Drain well and toss with sauce. Serve with grated cheese.