Sunday Bolognese (THM S)
Bolognese is basically an Italian meat sauce. It has a different flavor than traditional marinara, and usually has some vegetables in it as well. I call this my "Sunday Sauce" because you can make it on Sunday, and it tastes just as good (or better!) on Friday.
This sauce comes together in one, big pot on your stove top, and it's low-maintenance (lots of simmering, not a ton of stirring).
When I make Bolognese, I always make extra for freezing. It's perfect with Dreamfields Noodles, spiralized squash/zucchini, eggplant steaks, Lazy Lasagne (Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook page 140), or any other Italian fare you can dream up. My kids love this sauce, and will eat anything I put with it.
Start with 1 1/2 - 2lbs ground beef. I used 85% lean, but you can go for whichever variety your family likes best. Sauté it with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and some dried basil. When the meat begins to brown, start breaking it up with the back of a wooden spoon or spatula. When the meat is mostly cooked, add the shallots, garlic, celery, grated carrot, and onions. I use a fine hand grater to get small strings of grated carrot. The best thing about using a hand grater, as opposed to a box grater, is that you can hover it over the pot and grate straight down into it. No extra step of transferring it from the cutting board to the pot. Plus, when it's cut that small there's no need for peeling.
When the vegetables begin to soften, de-glaze the pan with one heaping cup of red wine. Don't fall for the "cooking wine" tricks here - you want to use something dry, bold in flavor, and that you would enjoy drinking. If you don't enjoy the taste of it uncooked, then you really won't like it once it's reduced and concentrated. I used a Côtes du Rhône because I still had some left over from my Coq Au Vin, and it was just enough for this recipe. The Côtes du Rhône gave my sauce a bold, deep flavor, and I highly suggest it if you can find it in your grocery store. (I found mine at Costco for around $10).
Finally, add the whole can of crushed tomatoes with their juice and a touch more salt and pepper. Place the lid on your pan, and let it simmer on medium heat for about 10-12 minutes. Then remove the lid and continue simmering until sauce is reduced and thickened.
Turn off the heat, taste and adjust for seasoning, then add one large handful of fresh chopped parsley.
What you end up with is a bold, hearty, sauce that's slightly fruity from the red wine. It's perfect to use right away, or you can cool and package it up for Italian night later in the week (all it will need is some heat). Like I said earlier, this sauce only gets better with time, so there are no disappointing leftovers here.
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