Friday, August 31, 2012

Authentic Bolognese Sauce

This morning, before my daughter left for school she asked if I would make her her favorite Bolognese for dinner tonight. She is so tired and hungry by the time she gets home at 4:30. Instead of eating junk food, I always make sure dinner is ready by the time my children get home from school. As soon as they walk in, they go straight upstairs and do their homework. By 6 pm they are ready to eat!
I have to say, dinner was délicieux ce soir!



Serves 6 people

Bolognese sauce:

4 tablespoons Olive oil
2 tablespoons Butter
1 lb ground Sirloin
1/2 lb ground Veal
1/2 lb ground Pork
(or 2lbs ground Sirloin if you don't like Veal or Pork)
Salt and pepper
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 large carrot, finely diced
1 celery stalk, finely diced
1 cup white wine
1 cup whole milk
1 large can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 lb of you favorite pasta (I used Linguine)

In a large heavy bottom pot, heat olive oil and butter.
Add onion, celery and carrot.
Cook over medium heat until translucent - about 10 minutes.
Add the meat, stir well to avoid big lumps. Cook until browned.
Add salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Add wine - cook until it's half way evaporated - about 8 minutes
Add milk - cook further more - 5 minutes.
Add tomato paste.
Add can of tomatoes and cook uncovered for at least 2 hours over slow heat.
If at anytime the sauce becomes dry, add 1/2 cup of water as needed.
Cook pasta according to package
Mix pasta with the bolognese sauce.
Sprinkle some parmesan ... and enjoy!






Thursday, August 30, 2012

Strawberry and Blueberry Galette


This is a wonderful, easy and delicious recipe. It's also a lot of fun to make it with your children.
My daughter really likes to help me in the kitchen. She's only 11 but might have a future in the culinary world ... hopefully, in Paris! But for now, all I can do is to instill in her a love for cooking and baking.

So here's what we made together. Enjoy!  





Pâte Brisée (Recipe Michel Roux)

  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup unsalted butter - cut into small pieces and softened
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Pinch of sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon cold milk
  • Mound flour on your work surface and make a well in the center. Place butter, salt, sugar, and egg in center of well and mix together using your fingers. Slowly incorporate flour into butter mixture, using your fingers, until a slightly sandy dough forms
  • Using your fingers, slowly incorporate milk until dough begins to come together
  • Using the palm of your hand, knead dough until smooth, 4 to 5 times. Roll dough into a ball, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use. 




 Berry Mixture:
1 box of strawberries - washed and cut in half
1 box of blueberries - washed
1 tablespoon butter - cut into small pieces
3 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon honey
Egg wash  - 1 egg mixed with one tablespoon milk

Set oven to 350 degrees
Mix the berries, sugar and honey in a bowl - set aside.
Roll out the dough. 
Place the berries in the middle of the dough. 
Place butter over the berries.
Fold the edges of the dough. 
Brush the dough with egg wash
Sprinkle with some sugar
Bake for about 40 minutes.
Enjoy!



 
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