Bolognese is a meat-based sauce that originated in the Bologna, Italy.  So how is this different from the meat sauces we are use to eating here?  Bolognese is not a tomato forward sauce.  It is a meat forward sauce.  It also calls for milk, something that is not typical in many recipes for ragu here.  

A thicker pasta is needed to hold on to the sauce. Traditionally, it is paired with tagliatelle pasta but fettuccine or rigatoni work well too.  

The mix of meats and vegetables makes the sauce hearty and comforting.  It is a great weeknight meal but is also great for a Sunday Supper.  If you have meat lovers, they will love this dish.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons of olive oil
3 tablespoons of butter
1 carrot, finely diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 celery stalk, finely diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 pound of pork, ground
1 pound of veal, ground (use beef if you can't find veal)
1/4 pound of pancetta, small cubed or minced
6 oz. tomato paste
1 cup of milk
1 cup of wine, red or white
Salt & pepper to taste
Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and butter.  Add the onions, celery, garlic and cook over medium heat until the vegetables are soft but not brown.

Next add your pork, veal and pancetta.  Stir and mix the meats breaking them up into smaller pieces.  A trick I use to break up ground meat is a potato masher.  While the meat is cooking, give it a few smashes with the potato masher.  It will crumble more evenly.  

Once browned, add the tomato paste, milk and wine and simmer over medium-low heat for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.  Season with salt and pepper.

The sauce will thicken and the flavors will intensify as it cooks down.  Remember to always add your al dente cooked pasta to your sauce pot before serving.  By doing this the pasta finishes cooking in the sauce and has time to absorb the flavor.  The starch from the pasta also thickens or tightens up the sauce.  Finish the dish with grated cheese. 

I always double this recipe and freeze half so I can have Bolognese whenever I get the craving.

Filet mignon is one of my favorite cuts of beef.  I always buy an entire filet and cut up my own steaks.  It is a little less expensive to do it this way and it gives you the choice of how big you want your steaks to be.  If you have ever done this, you will know that there is a "tail" on the filet.  The filet is thicker at one end and narrows down to a thinner portion. That thinner portion is the "tail".  In most restaurants they tuck and tie this "tail" portion to make another steak.  I like to just cut it off and freeze it.  I use this portion for stir fry and kabobs.  

I don't' have a recipe for the kabobs but I have listed what I use to season the meat.  You can also add any veggies you want to the kabobs.  This time I used peppers and onions but zucchini, mushrooms, tomatoes, whatever you like.  Just remember to try and cut your meat and veggies approximately the same size.  The cooking time will be more even.  If your veggies are going to cook longer or shorter than the meat, just put all the meat on one skewer and the veggies on their own skewer.  Once grilled, squeeze some fresh lemon juice over the kabobs to brighten them up.

Filet of beef, cut into chunks
Garlic, chopped
Lemon, zested
Fresh rosemary, finely chopped
Fresh oregano, finely chopped
Fresh thyme, finely chopped
Salt & pepper
Olive oil, drizzle 

You can add as much or little as you like of the garlic and herbs to the meat.  I tend to go a little heavy on them.  Some of the flavor will mellow on the grill.  

​If your like me, you probably grew up eating that San Francisco treat.  You know the box with the cable car.  The rice and vermiccelli with the packet of mystery herbs and spices.  Don't get me wrong, it was delicious but what was in that packet, I'm not sure.  Until I went to culinary school, I didn't know that pilaf was not only a rice dish but also a cooking method.  Usually, to make pilaf you toast the rice and then add your boiling cooking liquid.  It is then covered and baked in the oven.  I love the taste of rice pilaf but don't always want to heat up my kitchen to bake the pilaf.  I prefer using a stovetop method.  I find it is much easier and comes out perfect every time.  

​1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup of onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 bay leaf
2 cups of long-grain rice, rinsed (I prefer basmati)
1/4 cup of white wine, opional
2 1/2 cups of stock (chicken, beef or veggie)
Salt & pepper to taste

Heat the butter and olive oil in a sauce pan.  Add the onion and bay leaf and saute until tender and transluscent.  Now add the garlic and saute another minute.  You are adding the garlic after the onion so the garlic doesn't burn.  

Next add  you rice and stir so that each grain is coated in the oil/butter mixture.  Continue to stir and toast the rice in the pan but do not let the rice brown.  In goes the wine, if using, and let it sizzle just a minute to burn off the alcohol.  You want the flavor the grains or rice not make them taste boozy.  

Pour in your stock and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer, cover and continue to cook on the stovetop for 12-14 minutes.  When all of the liquid has evaporated, remove the bay leaf, fluff with a fork, taste for salt & pepper and serve.  

One of my favorite things to cook on the grill is skirt steak.  It is a long and flat cut of beef that comes from the plate area.  It is known for its flavor but can also be tough.  Marinades, like this Chimichurri sauce, help tenderize the meat and add tons of delicious flavor. This tougher cut should be cooked rare to medium-rare, rested once cooked and removed from the grill, and sliced across the grain before serving.  

Chimichurri Sauce
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 medium jalapeno pepper, stemmed and seeded and coarsely chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
¼ cup roughly chopped red onion
2 cups packed fresh cilantro leaves
1 cup packed fresh Italian parsley leaves
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons packed fresh oregano leaves
½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
 
2 lbs. skirt steak
 
In a food processor combine the garlic, jalapeno, onion and pulse until finely chopped.  Then add the cilantro, parsley vinegar, lemon juice, oregano, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper flakes and pulse until finely chopped.  Gradually add the oil in a steady stream through the feed tube and process until well blended but some texture still remains, about 1 minute. Reserve ¾ cup chimichurri for the marinade.  Transfer the remaining chimichurri to a small bowl for serving.  Cover and refrigerate.  Allow the chimichurri to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
 
Place the skirt steak in a large resealable plastic bag and pour the ¾ cup reserved chimichurri.  Turn the bag and massage the chimichurri into the meat.  Place the bag in the refrigerator for 2 to 4 hours.  Allow the steaks to stand at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes before grilling.
 
Prepare the grill for high heat (450 to 550 degrees).
 
Remove the steak from the bag and season with salt and peppers. Discard the chimichurri in the bag. Grill the steaks over direct high heat with the lid closed until desired doneness, 4 to 6 minutes for medium-rare, turning once or twice. Remove from grill and let rest for 3 to 5 minutes. Cut the meat across the grain into thin slices and serve warm with the remaining chimichurri.