The leftover grilled pork from my previous post was a great candidate for transformation. Having a food grinder attachment for the Kitchen Aid is a real bonus. I decided that this would make a fantastic base for a Bolognese-ish sauce, and I was right. Once the meat was ground, I decided a bit of roasted pepper would be a nice addition. I learned a great technique for stove-top pepper roasting several years ago, one that is a big help on a cold, rainy day (and one I learned from someone I will write about at a future time, I'm sure). Some onion, a bit of carrot, and peas added to tomato-ey goodness, and a meat-thick sauce was underway. A large dose of some fresh basil and a few other herbs and spices completed round one, and I left the sauce on low for a couple of hours.
The finish - heavy cream. Not too much, but just enough to add a bit of velveteen mouth-feel, and all was good with the world. It is amazing how just a little bit of something rich (and let's face it, fattening) can add so much to a meal.
I feel no guilt in using packaged ravioli for a meal like this. If I had more time, I probably would make them from scratch, but I find that life does not leave that kind of time on most weekends any more, especially not after several days away from home.
The Verdict
The end result was wonderful, and the remaining ravioli made for a great lunch the day after as well. There is plenty of sauce in the freezer (and a bit for one more dinner this week - another leftover night coming soon!), and I look forward to enjoying it in a few weeks. We opened a bottle of Ravenswood Lodi old vine Zinfandel (2008), and it went nicely, its mild spiciness and somewhat bold berry flavors melding well with the light heat of the sauce, and both had a bit of near-creaminess in the finish, which made for a great dinner.
It's good to be home. And it's great to cook again, now that I am.
No comments:
Post a Comment