Jamie Olivers Stracotto Beautiful Slow Cooked Beef Ragú Recipes

BEEF CHEEK RAGù

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 160ºC/325ºF/gas 3. Cover the porcini with boiling kettle water and leave to rehydrate. Season the beef cheeks with sea salt and black pepper, then brown them in a large casserole pan on a high heat with a splash of oil, turning until well coloured all over. Meanwhile, slice the pancetta into lardons. Peel the celery, onions and carrots, then chop into rough 1cm dice. In a pestle and mortar, crush the cloves with 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, then peel and pound in the fresh garlic.
• When brown, push the cheeks to one side of the pan and reduce to a medium heat. Add the pancetta and cinnamon, stirring until the pancetta is lightly golden. Drain the porcini, reserving the liquor, then roughly chop and add to the pan with the veg. Tie the herbs together, then stir in with the garlic mixture. Fry for 15 minutes, or until soft, stirring occasionally.
• Pour in the wine, let it reduce by half, then pour in the reserved porcini water (discarding just the last gritty bit) and the passata. Fill the passata bottle with water and pour into the pan. Cover with a scrunched-up sheet of wet greaseproof paper and a lid. Cook in the oven for 4 hours, or until the meat is outrageously tender and the sauce has thickened. Taste the sauce and season, if needed, then serve up however you wish.

JAMIE OLIVER'S STRACOTTO: BEAUTIFUL SLOW-COOKED BEEF RAGú

Steps:

• Place the meat in a fairly snug-fitting casserole pan on a medium-low heat with 2 tablespoons of oil, turning with tongs, while you peel the onions, carrots and garlic, trim the celery and fennel, then roughly chop it all to make a soffritto - it cooks low and slow so there's no need to be too precise. Stir into the pan, tie the rosemary and sage together and add, then season with sea salt and black pepper. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes, or until starting to caramelize, stirring the veg and turning the meat occasionally. Turn the heat up to high, pour in the wine, stir in the tomato purée, and let the wine cook away. Pour in the stock, bring to the boil, then place a double layer of scrunched-up wet greaseproof paper on the surface. Reduce to a low heat and cook for around 3 hours, or until the meat is meltingly tender, turning and basting occasionally. Season to perfection. Lift the meat out on to a board, carve it into thin slices, and spoon over enough of that incredible sauce to keep the meat nice and juicy. Toss the rest of the sauce (reduce on the hob, if needed) with freshly cooked tagliatelle, and finely grate over a little Parmesan, to serve. Double win. CALORIES 360kcal FAT 20.6g SAT FAT 7.2g PROTEIN 30.6g CARBS 8g SUGAR 6.2g SALT 0.7g FIBRE 2.6g Jamie Cooks Italy by Jamie Oliver is published by Penguin Random House © Jamie Oliver Enterprises Limited (2018 Jamie Cooks Italy), photography: David Loftus.

JAMIE OLIVER'S PAPPARDELLE WITH BEEF RAGU

Steps:

• Season beef with salt and pepper to taste. Place an uncovered pressure cooker or oven-proof Dutch oven over medium-high heat, and add olive oil. When oil is hot, add beef. Stir until beef is well browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add rosemary and sage sprigs, onion, garlic, carrot and celery. Reduce heat to medium-low and sauté until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add Chianti and continue to simmer until liquid has reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Add tomatoes and their juices, and if using pressure cooker, 1/2 cup water. Secure lid and pressure gauge of pressure cooker, and follow manufacturer's instructions to bring contents of pot to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 45 minutes. If using Dutch oven, simmer, covered, in a 275-degree oven, or on the stove over low heat, for 3 to 3 1/2 hours.
• Place a large pot of lightly salted water over high heat to bring to a boil. Remove pressure cooker from heat, or Dutch oven from oven. After pressure has dropped in pressure cooker, follow manufacturer's instructions to remove lid. Using two forks, finely shred meat and vegetables. Discard herb stems. Loosely cover pan and return it to low heat to keep warm.
• Add pappardelle to boiling water. As it cooks, scoop out 1/2 cup water and reserve. Cook pasta to taste, then drain well. Return pasta to pot, and add butter and 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano; mix gently until butter has melted. Add a little reserved cooking water to loosen.
• To serve, lift pasta into each of six shallow bowls. Spoon beef ragù over top. Sprinkle each bowl with a pinch of orange zest and rosemary, and a spoonful of cheese.