Mushroom Venison Ragout Sauce
All this fabulously rich sauce needs is a bed of broad noodles, such as pappardelle or fettuccine.
This makes enough to tuck extra away in the freezer for another meal or to use when making lasagna.
Servings: 12
Ingredients:
2 pkg (14 g each) dried porcini mushrooms
4 oz (125 g) salt pork or pancetta
2 tbsp (25 mL) olive or vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped
2 inner stalks celery with leaves, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 lb (1 kg) ground venison, elk or moose
1/2 tsp (2 mL) pepper
1/4 tsp (1 mL) each ground cloves and nutmeg
1/3 cup (75 mL) tomato paste
6 cups (1.5 L) chopped cremini or white mushrooms (1 lb/500 g)
1/2 cup (125 mL) finely chopped fresh parsley
1 bay leaf
1-1/3 cups (325 mL) dry red wine
1/4 cup (50 mL) gin or 5 juniper berries, crushed (optional)
4 tsp (20 mL) chopped fresh thyme (or 1 tsp/5 mL dried)
2 tsp (10 mL) salt
Preparation:
In bowl, soak porcini mushrooms in 2 cups (500 mL) hot water until softened, about 30 minutes. Reserving soaking liquid, drain mushrooms and finely chop. Set aside.
Rinse salt pork; soak in cold water for 15 minutes (do not rinse or soak pancetta, if using). Drain and mince.
In Dutch oven or stock pot, heat oil over medium heat; fry pork until lightly browned and fat is melted, about 4 minutes. ¡Add onions; fry, stirring often, until softened, 6 to 7 minutes.
Add celery, carrots and garlic; sauté over medium-high heat until onion is golden, 5 to 7 minutes. ¡Add venison, pepper, cloves, nutmeg and reserved porcini mushrooms; sauté over high heat until meat is no longer pink, about 8 minutes.
Push meat to side of pan. Add tomato paste to centre; fry until darkened, about 2 minutes. Stir in fresh cremini mushrooms, parsley and bay leaf, incorporating meat; sauté until mushrooms are softened, about 4 minutes.
Stir in wine, and gin (if using); cook, stirring, until almost no liquid remains, about 8 minutes.
Stir in thyme, salt, porcini soaking liquid and 1 cup (250 mL) water; bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low; partially cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 2 hours. Discard bay leaf. (Make-ahead: Let cool for 30 minutes. Refrigerate, uncovered, in airtight container until cold; cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.)
This makes enough to tuck extra away in the freezer for another meal or to use when making lasagna.
Servings: 12
Ingredients:
2 pkg (14 g each) dried porcini mushrooms
4 oz (125 g) salt pork or pancetta
2 tbsp (25 mL) olive or vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped
2 inner stalks celery with leaves, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 lb (1 kg) ground venison, elk or moose
1/2 tsp (2 mL) pepper
1/4 tsp (1 mL) each ground cloves and nutmeg
1/3 cup (75 mL) tomato paste
6 cups (1.5 L) chopped cremini or white mushrooms (1 lb/500 g)
1/2 cup (125 mL) finely chopped fresh parsley
1 bay leaf
1-1/3 cups (325 mL) dry red wine
1/4 cup (50 mL) gin or 5 juniper berries, crushed (optional)
4 tsp (20 mL) chopped fresh thyme (or 1 tsp/5 mL dried)
2 tsp (10 mL) salt
Preparation:
In bowl, soak porcini mushrooms in 2 cups (500 mL) hot water until softened, about 30 minutes. Reserving soaking liquid, drain mushrooms and finely chop. Set aside.
Rinse salt pork; soak in cold water for 15 minutes (do not rinse or soak pancetta, if using). Drain and mince.
In Dutch oven or stock pot, heat oil over medium heat; fry pork until lightly browned and fat is melted, about 4 minutes. ¡Add onions; fry, stirring often, until softened, 6 to 7 minutes.
Add celery, carrots and garlic; sauté over medium-high heat until onion is golden, 5 to 7 minutes. ¡Add venison, pepper, cloves, nutmeg and reserved porcini mushrooms; sauté over high heat until meat is no longer pink, about 8 minutes.
Push meat to side of pan. Add tomato paste to centre; fry until darkened, about 2 minutes. Stir in fresh cremini mushrooms, parsley and bay leaf, incorporating meat; sauté until mushrooms are softened, about 4 minutes.
Stir in wine, and gin (if using); cook, stirring, until almost no liquid remains, about 8 minutes.
Stir in thyme, salt, porcini soaking liquid and 1 cup (250 mL) water; bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low; partially cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 2 hours. Discard bay leaf. (Make-ahead: Let cool for 30 minutes. Refrigerate, uncovered, in airtight container until cold; cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.)