Wild Mushroom and Beef Ragout with Polenta

Name: Wild Mushroom and Beef Ragout with Polenta
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: ½ oz dried wild mushrooms; 2 tsp olive oil; 1 onion, chopped; 3 cloves garlic , finely chopped; ¼ tsp hot red pepper flakes, optional; 1 sweet red pepper, seeded and diced; ½ lb Extra Lean Ground Beef Sirloin, Round or Ground Beef; 1 Extra Lean Italian (2 oz/ 60g) sausage, removed from casing; 1 can (28 oz/796 mL) plum tomatoes, with juices, pureed or broken up; 1 tsp salt and pepper; 1 cup quick-cooking cornmeal; 2 tbsp EACH grated Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley

in All Recipes, Ground Beef, Italian Chef Inspired, Cook Once Eat Twice, Dinner Party

Wild Mushroom and Beef Ragout with Polenta

Prep Time: 30
Cook Time: 45
Total Time: 115
Serving: 4

Print Recipe

This is a delicious all-purpose meat sauce from cookbook author Bonnie Stern. Try it over pasta too. Just a little bit of sausage adds a lot of flavour to the recipe, but you can omit it if you prefer and use an equal amount of lean beef.

Directions

Cover dried mushrooms with 1 cup (250 mL) warm water; let soak for 30 minutes. Strain liquid through a paper towel-lined sieve and reserve. Rinse mushrooms thoroughly and chop.

Heat oil in large, deep nonstick skillet on medium heat. Cook onion, garlic and hot pepper flakes gently for 5 to 8 minutes or until tender but not brown.

Add red pepper; cook for a few minutes. Add beef and sausage meat; cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until brown. Drain.

Add mushrooms, mushroom liquid and tomatoes. Bring to boil and cook for 30 minutes or until quite thick. Add 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt and 1/2 tsp (2 mL) pepper.

Meanwhile, to prepare polenta, bring 6 cups (1.5 L) water and remaining salt and pepper to boil in large pot. Slowly whisk in cornmeal. Stirring with long spoon, cook over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until tender. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Serve polenta topped with sauce and garnish with cheese and parsley.
Note: Wild Mushroom and Beef Ragout with Polenta