Short Rib Ragu Bucatini

Short Rib Ragu Bucatini

Nothing Short Of Spectacular!

Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 9+ hours

Ingredients

Bucatini pasta

2 1/2- 3lbs boneless short ribs

1 sweet onion, diced

2 large carrots, diced or sliced

1 celery stalk, small dice

2 cups veal demi-glace

2 cups red wine

3 cup of Marinara sauce or Passata

7 cloves garlic, whole

1 tbsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp Herb de Provence

3 bay leaves, whole

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 tbsp sugar

olive oil

grated Parmesan cheese, garnish

minced parsley, garnish

salt

pepper

Cooking Tools

Large slow cooker

Stock Pot

Large frying pan/skillet

Directions

Salt and pepper short ribs, in a large skillet with a coating of olive oil on medium high heat, sear and brown short ribs on all sides. Place all the browned short ribs in the slow cooker, add; onions, carrots, celery, demi-glace, red wine, marinara sauce, garlic cloves, seasonings, sugar, salt & pepper.  Save the tomato paste towards the end of cooking.  Slow cook on high for about 8-9 hours. After the 9 hour cooking time, remove short ribs and shred, but leave some large chunks, place back in cooking liquid and then add the tomato paste to thicken, remove bay leaves and discard. Continue to cook the ragu, also in the meantime cook pasta to al dente.  Drain pasta completely and add to the sauce in the slow cooker and toss until pasta is coated, cover and let cook 10 more minutes for the sauce to penetrate the pasta.  Dish pasta and garnish with grated Parmesan cheese and minced parsley. You may also drizzle with some olive oil.

Serves 6

Serve With Some Crusty Bread and Red Wine!

Red Wine Beef Stew

Red Wine Beef Stew
Comfort Food In The Time Of Covid!
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cooking Time: 8+ hours

Ingredients

2-3 lbs. stewing beef, large chunks

4-5 carrots, peeled, chunks

12 baby yellow potatoes, skin on

2 celery stalks, medium slices

2 medium onions large chunks

5 garlic cloves, sliced thin

1/2 cup frozen peas

2 cups red wine

3 cups beef bone broth

1 tsp Herb De Provence

2 tbsp cornstarch

1/2 cup cold water or broth

2 tbsp vegetable oil

salt

pepper

Cooking Tools

Large frying pan

Slow cooker

Directions
Heat oil in frying pan on medium high heat.  Salt and pepper beef chunks and brown meat on all sides.  Don't cook the beef all at once, cook in batches. Remove meat and place in slow cooker.  Add wine to the fry pan that you browned the beef in. Deglaze the pan with the wine and then pour wine into the slow cooker over the beef.  Place all the vegetables, potatoes except the peas into the slow cooker, then add seasonings and beef bone broth. Set slow cooker on high for 8 hours. In the last hour of cooking, make a slurry with the cornstarch and water and pour into the stew and blend well, add in the frozen peas.  Serve with cooked rice or buttered noodles.
Serves 4

Pappardelle Bolognese

Pappardelle Bolognese 
This Recipe By Far, Is My Favorite Bolognese Sauce!
Difficulty: Moderate
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 7-8 hours

 

Ingredients
Pappardelle pasta for 6
1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb. ground veal
1/2 lb. ground pork
1/4 lb. chicken livers
5 cups marinara sauce
1/2 cup red wine
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 onion, minced
1 cup carrots, minced
1/2 cup peppadew, minced
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
3 whole bay leaves
1 tbsp fresh oregano, minced
1 tbsp fresh thyme, minced
salt
pepper
Parmesan cheese

 Cooking Tools
Slow cooker
Skillet
Food processor

Directions
In a skillet on medium heat, add; butter and chicken livers.  Cook chicken liver until nice and crispy, almost black and fully cooked, about 20 minutes.  Remove chicken liver and set aside.  De-glaze pan with 1/2 cup of red wine, scraping all the bits and piece from the bottom. Take skillet with the red wine reduction off the heat and set aside.  Place the cooked chicken livers into a food processor and pulse until the livers are finely minced. In the slow cooker on medium-high heat, add; chicken livers, red wine reduction, beef, veal, pork, marinara sauce, garlic, onions, carrots, peppadew, vinegar, sugar, olive oil, bay leaves, oregano and thyme.  Mix all ingredients together, the meat will break down.  Slow cook for at least 7 hours, salt and pepper to taste, towards the end of the cooking.  Cook the pasta, drain.  Toss pasta in the Bolognese sauce, don't over dress the pasta. Grate fresh Parmesan cheese on top. Cook's Note: You do not have to cook the ground meats, before placing in the slow cooker, but if you prefer to do so, the meat will be chunky and not break down as well.
Serves 6

Rustic Ham And Beans With Cornbread

Rustic Ham And Beans With Cornbread
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients
1 bag of dry navy beans ( soak overnight in water)
4 cups chicken broth, add more broth if needed
2 cups water
2-3 ham shanks
salt
pepper

Directions
Place dry beans in large bowl, add cold water and fill few inches above beans and set out overnight to hydrate.  Drain beans into a colander then add beans to slow cooker and then add chicken broth, water and nestle ham shanks in the beans and broth. Use more broth if needed to cover ham.
Cook beans on high for 9 hours, salt, pepper to taste.  Serve beans over corn bread.

Corn Bread
Ingredients
1 box of Jiffy cornbread mix
1/2 tsp salt 
1 (14 ounce) can creamed corn
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
2/3 cup melted butter
2 eggs, beaten

Directions
Combine all ingredients and pour into a greased cast iron pan or baking dish.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 40-45 min.
Serves 6