Beef and Porcini Ragu

Name: Beef and Porcini Ragu
Total time: 5 h 15 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 30 grams dried porcini mushrooms; 1 kilogram beef shin; 50 grams plain flour; 1 onion; 1 carrot; 2 sticks of celery; 250 grams chestnut mushrooms; 3 tablespoons tomato puree; 200 milliliters red wine (optional); 300 milliliters beef stock; sprig of rosemary; 50 grams salted butter; salt and freshly-ground pepper; olive oil

The smell of my mum’s beef stew wafting through the house is the best smell you can come home to. It’s a scent that punctuates my life, through childhood all the way through to coming home to visit now, and one that brings me immense comfort. It’s one of the first dishes she taught me to cook, and has inspired my deep love of a slow braise. In my own home, I make a dish that starts like my mum’s beef stew, but evolves into an earthy ragu. I like tossing it through with pappardelle or dolloping it on top of wet, parmesan-rich polenta. Big batches are best so you can freeze a few portions, for days when you need quick comfort.

All_Our_Kitchens

Total5 hrs 15 min

Servings8

Difficultymedium

PastaDinner / Supper

Ingredients

30 gramsdried porcini mushrooms
1 kilogrambeef shin
50 gramsplain flour
1onion
1carrot
2sticks of celery
250 gramschestnut mushrooms
3 tablespoonstomato puree
200 millilitersred wine (optional)
300 millilitersbeef stock
sprig of rosemary
50 gramssalted butter

salt and freshly-ground pepper
olive oil

Instructions

1
Heat your oven to 170°C /150°C fan/Gas Mark 3.
2
Soak your porcini mushrooms in 300ml boiling water.
3
Cut your beef shin into large pieces. Toss the pieces in your flour and a big pinch of salt, then brown in batches over a high-heat in a frying pan.
4
Finely dice your onion, carrot, celery and chestnut mushrooms.
5
Heat a little oil in a casserole dish, then tip in your onion, carrot and celery. Cook gently for 20 mins until softened.
6
Add your mushrooms and cook for 10 more mins until darkened. Add your tomato puree, and cook for another 5 minutes.
7
If using, pour in your red wine and let it reduce down by two thirds.
8
Remove your porcini mushrooms from the liquid and finely chop them. Add these to the pan, along with your beef, porcini stock and beef stock.
9
Bring to a simmer, then season with salt and pepper. Add your rosemary and pop in the oven for 4½ hours.
10
Lift out your rosemary sprig. Shred your meat, add the knob of butter, then season to taste.
11
Serve it up with pappardelle or soft polenta.