Red Wine Bolognese
This is a great dish for those who have an iron deficiency or are susceptible to it. Some people who exercise have to watch out for the amount of iron they take in due to how their bodies deplete iron during physical activity. The beef in this dish has heme iron, which is a type of iron that helps to absorb both heme and non-heme iron (whereas non-heme iron does not absorb in the body well). I decided to use red wine in this recipe because some varieties’ flavors pair very well with beef. Furthermore, a small amount of red wine per day may aid cardiovascular health; according to studies, it may raise HDL. Moreover, this dish contains many tomatoes. Tomatoes have many health benefits that range from preventing certain types of cancer, strengthening and repairing bones, and more.
Servings: 10
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: About 4 hours
Created by: Kristy Es
INGREDIENTS:
2 tbsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
10 oz shiitake mushrooms, rinsed and thinly sliced
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 lbs. of ground beef
1 ¾ lbs. of tomatoes, diced
30 oz of tomato sauce
3 tbsp tomato paste
4 celery stalks, chopped
4 large carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
½ tsp salt, more as desired
¼ tsp pepper, more as desired
1 1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tbsp cinnamon
2/3 c of dry red wine (I recommend cabernet sauvignon)
½ c of grated parmesan cheese, if desired
¾ lbs. whole wheat tagliatelle pasta, uncooked
½ c fresh basil leaves, packed, rinsed and thinly sliced
DIRECTIONS:
1. Add oil in a large pot over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes until the oil shimmers.
2. Add garlic, onions, and mushrooms.
3. Add the salt and pepper.
4. Stir the ingredients in the pot until the onions are translucent and the mushrooms are wilted.
5. Add the ground beef to the pot.
6. Stir the beef occasionally. Wait for all the beef to just become brown before moving onto the next steps.
7. Drain out fat.
8. Add the rest of the spices, paste, and sauce; tomatoes, carrots, and celery to the pot, then stir until everything is well incorporated.
9. Simmer for 40 minutes on low heat, covered.
10. Add the wine to the pot, and stir until everything is well incorporated.
11. Cook on low heat for another 20 minutes, covered.
12. While the sauce is simmering, follow the directions for cooking the pasta on the pasta’s package.
13. After draining the pasta, add it to the sauce in the larger pot with 1/2 c of the water used to cook the pasta, then add more salt and pepper to taste and if desired.
14. Add cheese and/or basil to the bowls if desired.