Mushroom Ragù

Directions

1. The Ragù
2. Heat a large non-stick skillet until fairly hot, then add the olive oil and swirl it around quickly. Add the mushrooms, stir a few times, then turn the heat down to medium low. Stir for another minute or so, then leave them alone for another three or four minutes, stirring briefly only once or twice, briefly. Turn the heat back up to medium and cook for another minute, stirring constantly.
3. Put the mushrooms in a bowl and, with the pan still hot, deglaze it with 2 tablespoons of the red wine. Pour the wine and pan juices into the bowl with the mushrooms.
4. Rinse and lightly wipe dry the pan. Return it to the stove and get it hot over a medium heat. Add the bacon fat, butter or oil, and the onions and shallots; stir well to coat them. Continue stirring while the onions cook for about a minute, then turn down the heat to medium low and let the onions cook for about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. When the onions are a fairly uniform golden brown, add the spice blend and the chopped ham or prosciutto and stir well, cooking for another minute.
6. Add the mushrooms and their liquid, and stir to combine, continuing to cook over medium heat. Then add the tomatoes, the herbs and the rest of the wine. Stir well, and then lower the heat.
7. Simmer gently for ten minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add the chicken stock, and scrape down the sides of the skillet, blending everything together well. Cook for another two or three minutes, or until the sauce is reduced to your liking. Taste for seasoning and correct.
8. Just before serving, add the chopped parsley and freshly ground pepper.
9. Enjoy!!
10. This holds very well for a couple of days, tightly covered in the fridge. In fact, it’s better if it’s had a chance to sit for at least a few hours before eating.
11. Also, here’s an idea about serving it with polenta. If you have a rich chicken stock, made using a ham bone or a slice of ham or prosciutto which you’ve roasted with the chicken pieces or bones (if you roast before making your stock) or included in the stock itself while cooking, use it to make the polenta. It’s the best way to make polenta taste great without adding a lot of butter, cream and cheese. I usually add a tablespoon or two of grated pecorino romano anyway though, even when using the rich stock, to round out the flavor.
12. To make this vegetarian, omit the ham, but add a bay leaf and ¼ cup of celery, finely chopped, a minute or two after adding the onions. And use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock. If you are serving both carnivores and vegetarians, add a bay leaf when you add the mushrooms back to the skillet. Then, take some of the ragù out for the vegetarian (or vice versa) right before adding the chicken stock; then add the ham with the stock to the carnivore’s pot. Add some vegetable stock and simmer with the finely chopped celery.

1. The "White Curry" Spice Mix
2. Toast the cumin, coriander and cardamom lightly in a small skillet just until fragrant, shaking the pan frequently. The minute they seem to be turning a darker color, remove all of the seeds right away, lest they burn.
3. Break the cinnamon stick into about five or six pieces. Very lightly toast it in the skillet, shaking the pan frequently, for no more than a minute or so on medium heat.
4. Grind the toasted seeds, the cinnamon stick, the mustard seeds, the cloves and the pepper to a fine powder. (Check the grinder once or twice to dislodge any cinnamon pieces that may have stuck to the blade.)
5. Sift through a fine sieve. Store in a jar and use within a few weeks.
6. Enjoy!! ;o)