Weeknight Spaghetti Bolognese

 

Bolognese with pappardelle is one of my very favorite meals. But to do it right, you've got to sign up for a bone-crushing 5 hours of prep and cooking. Great for weekends, but not so much for the middle of the week. So it's Dawn Perry's recipe to the rescue with a Monday through Friday version that comes together in just 20 minutes.

The key here is the Worcestershire sauce. The vinegar, molasses and anchovies in the sauce season the beef with salt, acid, sweetness and umami in a single shot. Toss the cooked spaghetti in your pan, give it a few swirls and in a flash, weeknight Bolognese will be gleefully dancing across your tongue. OK...it's not the real deal...but still one heckuva delicious meal!

INGREDIENTS

Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 pound ground beef  (20% fat recommended)

12 ounces spaghetti

1/4 cup tomato paste

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Grated parmesan, for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often, until beginning to soften (about 3 minutes). Add beef and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink (about 3 minutes).
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook to al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
3. Meanwhile, add tomato paste to skillet and cook, stirring until darkened (about 1 minute). Add 1 cup of water, Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 teaspoon each of pepper and salt and simmer until slightly reduced (about 5 minutes).
4. Using tongs, transfer pasta to the skillet and add reserved pasta water. Increase heat to high and simmer vigorously, tossing, until sauce reduces and coats the pasta (about 2 minutes). Season to taste with salt and pepper, then serve with parmesan.

Wine pairing: Chianti

Sweet Grilled Tri-Tip

 

I think I would like to call this the "Summer of the Tri-Tip". It's been my "go-to" cut for grilling in 2022. First, because it has extraordinary BIG BEEF flavor. Second, because it is so easy to grill. And, last but not least, it is an absolute bargain compared to the cost of ribeye in these inflationary times.

The "sweet" part of the recipe comes from using a rub that is comprised of both sugar and salt. When grilled, the sugar caramelizes and produces the ultimate charred crust (see photo above). The salt does it's job of seasoning the meat.

To get this to work, you actually have to season the meat twice. First before a two-hour rest at room temperature. The second time is right before the steak hits the grill. The moisture that is drawn out in the first round will let the second round of seasoning cling voraciously to the meat.

Tri-Tip is a breeze to grill with a two-zone fire. Usually it's 5 minutes on each side over high heat and then 15 minutes on the indirect side. But because sugar burns, you'll have to move the steak around just a little bit more. So on the direct side over high heat, you'll have to move the steak every 2-1/2 minutes. The upside is that you will get perfect grill marks on your steak.

INGREDIENTS

4 tablespoons granulated sugar

3 tablespoons kosher salt

1 Tri-Tip steak, about 2 pounds

DIRECTIONS

1. Two hours before you grill, set steak on foil on your countertop. Combine sugar and salt in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Season both sides of the steak with the rub and let steak rest for 2 hours.
2. Prepare your grill for a two zone fire. Direct cooking over high heat on one side and indirect cooking on the other side (no heat source on the indirect side).
3. Immediately prior to cooking, season steak with rub again on both sides.
4. Place steak on direct side and cover grill. Grill for 2-1/2 minutes. Open grill and rotate steak 180º and cover grill. Cook for another 2-1/2 minutes.
5. Flip steak over on the direct side. Cover grill and cook for 2-1/2 minutes. Open grill and rotate steak 180º and cover grill. Cook for another 2-1/2 minutes.
6. Move steak to indirect side. Cover grill and cook for 15 minutes (for medium rare).
7. Remove steak from grill, tent with foil and let meat rest for 10 minutes. Then slice and serve.

Wine pairing: Cabernet Sauvignon

Vietnamese Pork Meatballs

 

This recipe makes for a perfect weeknight dinner. Prep and cooking time will clock in at less than 30 minutes. Use the meatballs as a crowning touch on top of a bowl of sticky rice...with some lime slices...and you are good to go for a culinary trip to Saigon.

Using Ritz crackers instead of breadcrumbs is an elegant touch. Just toss your 12 crackers in a zip lock bag and crush them up. If you want a dipping sauce you can toss together some nuoc cham. Or, as recipe author Kay Chun recommends, just combine 1/4 cup of mayonnaise with 2 teaspoons of soy sauce. This recipe yields 4 servings.

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons ginger, minced

1 tablespoon garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

12 finely crushed Ritz crackers

1 pound ground pork

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425º.
2. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well by hand.
3. Shape meat into 12 golf-ball-size rounds and arrange on a sheet pan.
4. Bake for 20 minutes. Serve.

Wine pairing: Zinfandel