It’s well worth cooking a big batch of this version of Italian ragù and freezing some if you don’t need it all at once. It’s no more trouble to cook extra and saves you loads of time in the end. I’ve added lots of vegetables and some lentils to this recipe to eke out the meat and I really love the creamy texture that the lentils bring.
Ingredients
- 400 g lean minced beef
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 200 g each of 3 of the following: celery, carrot, swede, celeriac, squash, sweet potato, courgette, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 tsp mixed herbs or herbes de Provence
- 250 ml red or white wine
- 250 ml ml beef stock
- 250 g cooked brown lentils
- 400 g can of chopped tomatoes
How to Make It
- Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the minced beef, breaking it up with the back of a wooden spoon, and sear it on all sides. Add the onion and other vegetables to the pan and fry them gently over a medium heat until they are starting to soften. Add the garlic and herbs and cook for a further 2–3 minutes.
- Pour in the wine and bring it to the boil. Let the wine bubble until well reduced, then add the stock, lentils and tomatoes. Season generously and bring everything back to the boil.
- Now turn the heat down to a simmer and cover the pan. Leave to cook for at least 45 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the sauce is a rich ochre colour. Then remove the lid from the pan and continue to simmer, uncovered, for a further 15 minutes to reduce the sauce down a little.