January 01, 2006
Tuscan Meat Sauce
Tuscan Meat Sauce
Ingredients:
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
5 ounces chicken livers, diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh sage
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 pounds ground meat, preferably 1/2 pound each veal, pork and lamb
1 1/2 cups red wine
2 1/2 cups veal or chicken stock
1 1/2 cups chopped canned tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1 cup heavy cream, optional
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
1. Put olive oil in a deep skillet and turn heat to medium-high; add onion, celery and carrot and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to become tender. Add chicken livers and sage, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until liver pieces lose their red color.
2. Add ground meat in bits, along with more salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, again until redness is gone. Add the wine, raise heat to high, and cook until wine is almost all gone, about 15 minutes. Add stock, tomatoes and basil. Bring to boil, then adjust heat so mixture simmers gently. Cook about 45 minutes, until mixture is dark and rich.
3. Just before serving, stir in optional cream. Serve over tagliatelle or other pasta, topped with freshly ground black pepper and Parmesan cheese.
Yield: 8 servings
Source: The New York Times
