Beef Ragu with Roasted Tomato Sauce

I made this for our New Years Eve Dinner.  Making the Tomato Sauce is what makes this special.  The flavour will vary greatly depending on the Tomatoes you use so get the freshest, best tasting you can!  the dried porcini mushrooms were wonderful and give a lovely earthy flavour to the sauce.  Use this sauce over your favourite pasta.  From Food and Drink Autumn 2003.

TOMATO SAUCE
1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms
1/2 cup hot water
6 beefsteak tomatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
10 anchovy fillets, drained (optional)
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
2 tbsp slivered basil
Salt and freshly ground pepper

BEEF RAGU
2 tbsp olive oil
500g coarsely ground lean beef
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 oz diced pancetta
1 cup Baco Noir (or your favourite red wine)
3 tbsp chopped Italian parsley

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Soak mushrooms in hot water for 30 minutes.  Strain, separately reserving mushroom soaking liquid and mushrooms.
3. Slice tomatoes thickly.  Oil in an ovenproof baking sheet with 1 tbsp oil.  Place tomatoes on sheet.  Top with anchovy fillets, garlic and herbs.  Season with salt and pepper.  Pour over remaining 3 tbsp olive oil.
4. Bake for 20 minutes.  Cool slightly and puree in food processor, leaving sauce slightly chunky.  Measure 2 cups sauce, reserving remainder for another use.
5. While tomatoes are baking, heat oil in large skillet or saute pan on high heat.  Add half of beef.  Season beef with salt and pepper.  Place pancetta in skillet and saute for 2 minutes.  Fry until browned on the outside, about 2 minutes.  Remove meat and fry second half.  Drain any fat.
6. Pour in wine and bring to boil, scraping up any little bits on the base of the skillet.  Return meat and stir in mushrooms and their soaking liquid and tomato sauce.  Bring to boil, reduce heat to medium low, cover and cook for 30 minutes.  Uncover and cook 15 to 20 minutes longer or until sauce is rich and thickened slightly.  Season well with salt and pepper.  Stir in parsley.

Serves 4

Meatballs in Tomato Sauce with Fresh Basil

This is a really great recipe.  I try to use fresh herbs whenever possible, they are worth the splurge!
Serve this over pasta or with crusty Italian Rolls.  From Food and Drink Winter 2001

MEATBALLS:
500 g lean ground pork
500 g lean ground beef
500 g lean ground chicken or turkey
1 egg
1 cup fresh Italian or French bread crumbs
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tbsp finely chopped bresh basil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

SAUCE:
2 tbsp olive oil
4 large garlic cloves, minced
2 28 oz (796 ml) cans crushed or diced tomatoes
1 large bay leaf
1 tsp dried leaf oregano
1 tsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 450F.  Grease a large sided baking sheet or coat with cooking spray.  Combine pork, beef and chicken in a large bowl.  Add egg, bread crumbs, water, Parmesan, oregano, basil, salt and pepper.  Work mixture using your hands until thoroughly combined.  Form mixture into small balls about 1 inch in diameter.  Place slightly apart on baking sheet.  Bake in two batches if necessary.  Bake 15 minutes or until meatballs are lightly browned.
2. To make sauce, heat oil in a large pot.  Add garlic.  Saute 2 minutes or until fragrant.  Add tomatoes (including liquid), bay leaf, oregano, sugar and salt.  Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Add meatballs plus juices from baking tray.  Reduce heat and simmer 1 to 1/2 hours or until sauce is thick.  Remove bay leaf and discard.  Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 days or freeze if making ahead.
3. Stir basil, Parmesan and black pepper into hot sauce.  Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.  Serve with pasta or stuff meatballs into crusty Italian Rolls.

Serves 8

Fast Spicy Mexican Lasagna

Loved this one!  Tortillas replace the noodles and salsa is a nice change from pasta sauce!

Preparation time:  30 minutes
Cooking time:  15 minutes
Baking time:  35 minutes
Makes:  8 to 10 servings

3 onions
1 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 cups salsa
14 oz tomato sauce
2 tsp ground cumin
2 crushed garlic cloves
1 1/2 lbs (750 g) ground chicken or turkey
2 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 large green peppers
340 g pkg tortillas, about 6 inches wide
1 cup light or regular sour cream
2 cups grated Monterey Jack or mozzarella cheese about 250 g

1. To prepare sauce, chop 2 onions.  Heat oil in a large wide saucepan set over medium heat.  Add onions and cook, stirring often, until soft about 5 minutes.  Stir in salsa, tomato sauce and cumin. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, then remove from heat.
2. To prepare filling, chop remaining onion and place in a large frying pan with garlic, chicken, chili powder, salt and black pepper.  Set pan over medium heat and cook, stirring often with a fork to keep chicken crumbly, until chicken loses its pink colour, about 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, chop green peppers.  Stir into cooked chicken and remove pan from heat.
3. Preheat oven to 375 F.  Lightly oil bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking dish and spread with a thin layer of sauce.  Cut 5 tortillas in half and arrange so they cover bottom of dish, laying cut edges of tortillas against sides of dish.  Overlap as needed and cover centre of pan as well.  Spread with about 1 cup of sauce.  Top with half of the chicken mixture.  Spread with sour cream.  Slice remaining tortillas in half and form another layer.  Spread with remaining chicken mixture then sauce.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Bake in centre of preheated oven until cheese is golden, about 35 to 40 minutes.  Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting.

Quick Chili

1 1/2 lbs (750 g) round or sirloin steak
1 to 2 tbsp butter or olive oil
4 onions, chopped
6 large crushed garlic cloves
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp each of cinnamon and dried leaf oregano
1/2 tsp each of salt and pepper
1/4 tsp cloves or allspice
28 oz can diced tomatoes
7 oz can tomato sauce
10 oz can beef broth, plus 1/2 cup water
6 sweet bell peppers, preferably red, green and yellow
1 bunch fresh coriander or parsley
2 (19oz) cans red kidney beans, drained

• Cut steak into 1/2 in cubes.  Melt butter in a large wide saucepan set over medium high heat.  Add meat and stir often until browned.  Add onions, garlic and seasonings.  Stir frequently until onions have softened, about 5 min.  Stir in tomatoes, sauce, broth and water.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer until beef is tender, about 20 to 30 min.  Stir often.  Meanwhile, coarsely chop peppers and coriander.  When beef is tender, stir into chili along with beans.  Taste and add salt if you wish.   Continue cooking, uncovered, until peppers are cooked as you like, about 10 to 15 min.  Chili can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen.

Eggs Poached in Tomato Sauce

Brunch, breakfast or dinner - you choose what you want to use this for!

1 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 tsp hot Asian chili sauce or hot sauce to taste

1 - 28 oz (796 ml)  tin plum tomatoes, pureed

1/2 tsp salt and pepper or to taste

1/2 cup water if necessary

4 eggs

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

4 slices focaccia

2 tbsp olive oil

1/4 tsp salt

1. Heat oil in large deep skillet.  Add onions and garlic and cook gently on medium low heat until fragrant, but do not brown.  Add hot sauce and cook a few minutes.  Add tomatoes, bring to a boil and cook gently on medium heat, until sauce thickens, about 15 minutes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add water if sauce becomes too thick.
2. Add eggs to tomatoes and cook (poach) until whites are opaque but yolks still runny 5 to 7 minutes.  Cover partially while cooking.
3. Meanwhile brush bread with olive oil and season lightly with salt. Grill bread until marked in a grill pan, panini maker or int the oven on a baking sheet for 10 minutes in a preheated 400F oven.  Bread should be crusty on the outside but chewy in the centre.
4. Serve eggs and sauce on or with grilled bread.  Sprinkle eggs with parsley.