This dish will suit the weather perfectly for this weekend...
I also have some venison (local) in stock that could be used instead of beef for something different!
--Ian
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 500 g minced beef
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 stems of silverbeet, leaves and stalk coarsely chopped
- 1 carrot, coarsely chopped
- 1 onion, coarsely chopped
- 1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp coarsely chopped thyme, plus extra to serve
- 1 fresh bay leaf
- 1 cinnamon quill
- 1 tsp dried chilli flakes
- Pinch of grated nutmeg
- ¾ cup red wine
- 2 400g cans chopped tomatoes
- 1 cup beef stock
- 8 swiss brown mushrooms or button mushrooms, thickly sliced
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, or to taste
- 400 g rigatoni
- Finely grated parmesan and crusty bread, to serve
Method
- Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add beef and brown well, breaking up with a wooden spoon. While you’re doing this, blitz the silverbeet stalks, carrot, onion, celery and garlic in a food processor, then stir into beef along with herbs and spices. Add wine, bring to the boil and reduce by half (1-2 minutes), then add tomatoes and stock, bring to the simmer and cook for about 15 TO 20 minutes until well-flavoured. Stir through silverbeet leaves and mushrooms in the last couple of minutes cooking along with vinegar.
- Meanwhile, cook rigatoni in a large saucepan of generously salted boiling water until al dente, drain and toss through ragu. Serve hot scattered with parmesan and extra herbs and with crusty bread.
