Spicy Lamb Bolognese
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 8 servings
- Calories
- 629
- Total Fat
- 42
- Saturated Fat
- 20
- Carbohydrates
- 25
- Dietary Fiber
- 3
- Sugar
- 7
- Protein
- 35
- Cholesterol
- 122
- Sodium
- 991
- Total: 3 hr
- Active: 40 min
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
Kosher salt
12 ounces ground beef chuck
12 ounces ground lamb
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 teaspoon Calabrian chili paste
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 cup whole milk
1 cup dry red wine, such as Chianti
1 bay leaf
One 3-inch Parmesan rind plus 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
One 28-ounce can whole San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand
Creamy Polenta with Spinach, recipe follows, for serving
Creamy Polenta with Spinach:
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
3/4 cup quick-cook polenta
Kosher salt
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
1/2 cup (4 ounces) mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino cheese
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 ounces baby spinach, roughly chopped
Directions
- Heat a medium Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the butter and oil and warm until the butter is melted. Add the carrots, celery, onions and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are soft but have no color, about 6 minutes. Add the beef and lamb and cook, breaking apart the meat with a wooden spoon, until the meat is cooked through and no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Stir the tomato paste, chili paste, red pepper flakes and garlic into the meat mixture. Cook the tomato paste, stirring often, about 2 minutes. Add the milk. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the milk is almost entirely evaporated, about 20 minutes.
- Add the wine, bay leaf, Parmesan rind, tomatoes and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer and reduce the heat to low to just maintain a gentle simmer. Simmer the sauce, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Skim the oil from the surface.
- Spoon the sauce over the Creamy Polenta with Spinach, reserving any extra to serve on the side. Serve with the Parmesan sprinkled over the top and a drizzle of olive oil.
Creamy Polenta with Spinach:
- In a Dutch oven, bring the chicken broth, oil, garlic and 1 1/2 cups water to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and whisk in the polenta. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, about 10 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan, mascarpone, pecorino and butter. Cook, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Fold in the spinach and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes longer. Add 1/4 cup water if the mixture gets too thick.
- Pour the polenta onto a large board or platter. Serve with grated Parmesan over the top.