parsley

We were surprised when we didn’t find this recipe here on the blog, since it’s something we make a couple times a year. With a little searching, it turns out we had posted it “way back when”. It was not our best work…I hope you find this updated, refreshed post much more appealing!

This is a “go big, or go home” recipe. It’s a bit of work and is best when left to simmer all day. We’ve adapted it to our biggest stock pot*, by tripling the recipe. We like to stock our freezer with this sauce, for a quick meal or to make an extra special lasagna. Use the best ingredients you can afford, including imported Italian tomatoes…they do make a difference.

* Le Creuset #34, 13.25 quarts. Weight is 21 pounds. Not sure how many more years I’ll be able to toss this baby around the kitchen!

Bolognese Sauce

Adapted from Food & Wine, September 2003, 25 Favorite Classics, by Marcia Kiesel

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

3 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, finely chopped

1 medium carrot, finely diced

1 medium onion, finely diced

1 celery rib, finely diced

1 pound coarsely ground beef chuck

1 pound coarsely ground pork

1/4 pound mortadella, cut into 1/4-inch dice (optional)

1 small can tomato paste

1 cup dry white wine

Two 28-ounce can Italian whole tomatoes, chopped, juices reserved

1 1/2 cups beef stock

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

2 tablespoons chopped basil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup heavy cream or 1/2 and 1/2

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

In a medium enameled cast-iron casserole, melt the butter in the oil. Add the garlic, pancetta, carrot, onion and celery and cook over moderately low heat until the onion is golden, about 5 minutes.

Add the ground beef and pork and cook over moderate heat, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until no pink remains, about 8 minutes.

Stir in the mortadella and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring, until reduced by half, about 3 minutes.

Add the tomatoes with their juices, the stock, nutmeg and 1 tablespoon each of the parsley and basil and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until very thick. I like to simmer this sauce at least 4 hours.

Reduce heat to very low, stir the cream and the remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley and 1 tablespoon of basil into the meat sauce. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.

We like to serve this over pappadrelle or buccatini pasta, alongside a tossed salad and great Italian bread. Buon appetito.

This is one of our favorite, quick week night meals. You probably have most of the ingredients in your pantry. It is especially good when you have oregano, parsley and basil available from the garden but dried herbs will do in a pinch! We first posted this about a year ago. We decided to post it again with new photos. I hope you agree, the photos are improving!

Ingredients

6-8 servings

36-48 ounces canned clams, drained, juice reserved

2 cups dry white wine

1 large white onion

8 cloves of garlic

juice of 1/2 of a lemon – about 2 Tablespoons

1 teaspoon dried oregano – or 2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped

1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes (or more to taste)

1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

1/2 cup fresh basil chiffonade*

1/2 cup good quality, peppery olive oil

fresh ground black pepper

kosher salt

optional – 3-4 per serving fresh, clean steamer clams in shell

fresh grated parmesan for serving

additional minced parsley for garnish

linguine, prepared according to directions

Drain the clams in a colander with a bowl beneath it to catch the clam broth. Set both aside.

Dice the onion and mince the garlic cloves, and set aside.

Chop the parsley, oregano and basil, and set aside.

Warm the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy bottom sauté pan. (It is a lot of oil, but it is the base for the sauce.) Add the onion and garlic and sauté gently about 5 minutes. Add in the oregano and the red pepper flakes. Sauté another 5 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper.

Add the white wine. Bring to a simmer and reduce about 5 minutes. Add the reserved clam broth and the lemon juice. Simmer gently for 10 minutes.

Stir in the basil, oregano and chopped parsley. If you are adding fresh clams, place them in the pan now. Yes – there are some mussels in the picture. Dave keeps thinking he does not like mussels. I cooked a few as a “test”. He still thinks he does not like them! Is there anybody else out there that likes clams but not mussels?

Start your pasta water. Once pasta water comes to a boil, add the reserved clams into the sauté pan. Reduce the heat to very low. Do not simmer the sauce after you have added the canned clams, you want to just warm them. (Overcooking will make them tough and chewy.) I am sure you know to NOT eat any clams or mussels that did not open up, right?

Adjust the sauce for seasoning. You may need a little more salt or pepper. To serve, place a portion of fresh hot linguine on a plate or bowl. Top with the sauce and garnish with fresh grated parmesan cheese, chopped parsley and the steamed clams, if using. Serve with a tossed salad and crusty baguette bread top sop up the broth.

Bolognese…. for days

Quick Clam Linguine