Delivery 8/30/23

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Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen. Serves 4-6. There’s a lengthy simmer time here - it’s worth it!

3 Tbs unsalted butter

2 Tbs leek, white and light green part only, minced - sub any onion

2 Tbs carrot, minced

2 Tbs celery, minced

3/4 lb ground beef or pork (or a combo), or whatever meat(s) you prefer to use

1/2 tsp table salt

1 C whole milk

1 C dry white wine

1 28-oz can whole tomatoes, chopped fine, juice reserved - sub 4 C fresh chopped tomatoes

1 lb Country Pasta noodles, or any noodle you like. Polenta would be a good GF option, too.

Rinsing leeks is really important! They hold a lot of grit in between their layers. Slice crosswise, then cover with water in a bowl, agitate to loosen dirt or sand, drain and repeat until the water in the bowl is clean. Drain well and mince.
Heat butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. (Don’t use regular cast iron. Enameled cast iron or stainless steel are best.) Sauté the leek, carrot, and celery until softened but not browned, ~6 min.
Add ground meat and 1/2 tsp salt. Using a wooden spoon, break apart the meat into tiny pieces. Cook, continuing to crumble meat, just until it loses its raw color but has not yet browned, ~3 min.
Add milk and bring to simmer; continue to simmer until milk evaporates and only clear fat remains, 10-15 min. Add wine and bring to simmer; continue to simmer until wine evaporates, 10-15 min. Add tomatoes and their juice and bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low so the sauce continues to simmer just barely, with an occasional bubble or two at the surface, until liquid has evaporated, up to 3 hours. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Towards the end of your simmer time, bring a pot of water to a boil, salt it generously, and cook your noodles (Country Pasta takes ~20 min.) Reserve some pasta water and drain the rest. Toss noodles with the bolognese until well coated, adding pasta water to loosen up the sauce and help it coat the noodles. Serve topped with grated Parmesan and minced parsley, if you like.

Recipe adapted from America’s Test Kitchen. Serves 6-8. See notes below.

2 leeks, white and light green parts only, sliced thin crosswise, rinsed well (~3/4 C)

2 medium carrots, diced small (~3/4 C)

2 small onions, peeled and diced small (~3/4 C)

2-3 ribs celery, trimmed and diced small (~3/4 C)

1 medium baking potato, peeled and cut into medium dice (~1 1/4 C)

1 medium zucchini, trimmed and cut into medium dice (~1 1/4 C)

3 C stemmed spinach leaves, cut into thin strips -sub kale or chard leaves

1 28-oz can whole tomatoes, drained and chopped - sub 4 C chopped fresh tomatoes

8 C water

Parmesan cheese rind(s), about 5 x 2 inches (see note)

Salt & pepper

1 15-oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 Tbs parsley, minced - if you prefer, use basil or rosemary, or any combination

1 tsp garlic, minced

1 Tbs olive oil

Montzarella or Parmesan cheese, grated, for serving (optional)

Bring vegetables, tomatoes, water, cheese rind, and 1 tsp salt to boil in a soup kettle or pot. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender but still hold their shape, ~1 hour.
While the soup is simmering, mince the parsley and garlic the combine with the 1 Tbs olive oil. Set aside
Add the beans and cook just until heated through, ~5 min. Remove pot from heat. Remove and discard cheese rind. Stir in the parsley/garlic/oil mixture. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Ladle soup into bowls and serve immediately.

Notes:

Chickpeas (cooked) or pasta could be used instead of, or in addition to, cannelini beans. Break up a handful or two of the Country Pasta noodles into small pieces and let cook in the soup for the last 20 min or so of simmering. They will absorb some of the broth, so adjust if it seems too thick.
Using water and Parmesan rind is meant to give the soup some depth of flavor while letting the fresh vegetables take center stage. You could certainly use broth in place of some or all of the water, with or without the Parm rind. Just keep in mind that if you opt for broth, you likely won’t need the salt in step 1. Best to taste as you go.
I think a grilled cheese (or cheesy bread of some sort) with your Montzarella cheese could be a delightful combo with this soup!

Confit Leeks w/ Green Lentils & Leek Cream - a friend made this for us last winter. It's absolutely delicious. Even if you're not typically a lentil fan, I highly recommend trying it!
Pork & Celery Dumplings
I know, I know... it's not soup season, but you can always freeze it for colder days. There's Celery Bisque w/ Stilton Toasts, classic Potato Leek Soup, and Tuscany's famous Ribollita, among (many) others. Or simply prep some mirepoix and freeze for future use: All about mirepoix, and steps for freezing - you could use leeks instead of onions, or a combo.
For a quicker pasta than the classic Bolognese, try something like this Caprese Pasta

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