Beef ragout

Add a modern-day twist to a classic bolognese with Tom Kerridge's exquisite beef ragout. Serve with hand-cut pappardelle pasta for a great dinner party dish

Ingredients

• 1.2kg beef shin, cut into chunks
• 4-5 tbsp olive oil
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 3 carrots, finely chopped
• 4 celery sticks, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced
• 3 tbsp tomato purée
• 400ml red wine
• 2 rosemary sprigs
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
• 500ml beef stock
• parmesan, grated, and pappardelle (see 'Goes well with', below), to serve

Directions

Method

• STEP 1

  Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3 and season the beef all over. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a flameproof casserole over a medium-high heat and brown the beef until dark, about 15 mins, in batches if you need to, using 1 tbsp oil for each batch. Drain the beef in a colander to remove the fat while you cook the rest.

• STEP 2

  Wipe out the pan with kitchen paper, then add about 2 tbsp oil, the onions, carrots, celery and garlic with a pinch of salt and cook for 8-10 mins over a low-medium heat. Stir in the tomato purée and cook for a further 3 mins. Add the wine, herbs, tomatoes and stock, season and bring to the boil, stir the beef back into the sauce and reduce to a simmer. Cover and put in the oven for 2 hrs 30 mins, then remove the lid, stir and put back in the oven, uncovered, for 30 mins. Stir or use a fork to roughly shred the beef, and season. Serve now, or chill until serving – it tastes better if made a day ahead.

• STEP 3

  When ready to serve, gently reheat the ragout over a medium heat. Cook the pasta in a large pan of salted water for 3 mins, drain then tip into the ragout, toss together with some of the parmesan and leave for 1 min. Ladle the pasta into bowls, scatter over the remaining parmesan and serve.