If you joined our virtual tasting with Remy yesterday, thank you! Here’s the recipe for her lamb ragu that she was cooking. Paired perfectly with our Nebbiolo! Here’s Remy with her new addition, Judah, learning new skills before our session.
Olive oil
crushed garlic I used about 3 largish cloves- sauté – do not brown
brown ground lamb – I used about a pound
add chili flake and fennel seed or crushed star anise maybe a little whole cumin seed
chop porcini that were rehydrated in wine (I used Lagrein)- add to the sauce
good sauce takes time – you have to build the flavors – just like wine – you can’t just put them all in at the same time.
After a few minutes add the wine reserved from the porcini soak
stir and taste – adjust spices – not for salt yet
maybe zest some orange rind in – my wines tend to love orange…and fennel in different forms.
you could also have added some fennel to sauté or carrots for sweetness back before the lamb
add some more of the cooking wine – only cook with good wine
add in some chopped tomatoes – not a lot but enough to redden your sauce
taste it again – keep tasting it while you are cooking it
my sauce was a little lean last night so I threw in about 2 tablespoons of butter
drink a glass of wine and chit chat while the sauce cooks
heavily salt your pasta water
cook your pasta to a perfect al dente
use tongs to move the pasta into the sauce pan thereby bringing some of the pasta water with it
taste
plate and finish with chopped herbs – parsley and basil – citrus zest lemon or orange – grated parm and chopped hazelnuts – if it still needs a little salt at this point – good! – use a little finishing salt.
Devour.