Ragu is a class of Italian pasta sauces made with at least one kind of meat, veggies and occasionally tomatoes. Simmered for hours until the meat is tender, the end result is a rich and savory sauce that will stick-to-your-ribs…perfect for a cold winter night dinner.
I found this recipe in my Rachael Ray every day magazine (November 2016.) Because I’m gluten-free, I made my own gnocchi with gluten-free flour (easy to do) and made sure the beef sock was gluten-free. The original recipe uses Tuscan kale but I used curly kale, which is a common kale variety and what my grocery store had.
This would also taste really good served over mashed potatoes, rice, polenta or pasta if you don’t want to make or use gnocchi.
Oh, and did I mention how delicious this is?
Short-Rib Ragu with Bacon & Kale – 719woman.com
SHORT-RIB RAGU WITH BACON & KALE
Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 2 1/2 hours Serves: 4 for approx. $2.92 per person
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound boneless short ribs, cut into 1-inch cubes, excess fat trimmed
2 slices thick-cut bacon, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1 small carrot, peeled and finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 1/2 cups beef stock (use gluten-free stock to make this a GF meal)
1 can (14.5 oz.) stewed Italian tomatoes
1 cup (packed) stemmed and thinly sliced Tuscan kale (I used curly kale, which is what my grocery store had)
12 ounces fresh or frozen gnocchi (or make your own*)
3 tablespoons finely grated pecorino cheese (I subbed with Parmesan cheese which was on sale)
Directions –
In a large pot, heat the oil over medium. Season the short ribs all over with salt and pepper and cook, turning often, until lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; cover tightly with plastic wrap.
Add the bacon to the pot. Cook over medium, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 3 minutes. Stir in the onion, carrot and garlic; season. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is almost evaporated, about 4 minutes. Stir in the stock and tomatoes and bring to a boil.
Nestle the browned ribs into the sauce, then cover and cook over medium-low, stirring occasionally, until the meat is fork-tender, about 2 hours. Using two forks, shred the meat in the pot. Stir in the kale until wilted; season the ragu and cover to keep warm.
In a medium saucepan, boil water and cook the gnocchi according to package instructions; drain and season. Stir the gnocchi into the ragu. Divide among bowls and top with the pecorino or Parmesan cheese.
*Here is a great recipe for homemade gnocchi, which is fairly easy to make. You can leave out the garlic if you want, and for those who are gluten-free, sub gluten-free flour.
https://www.719woman.com/featured-on-homepage-top/roasted-garlic-gnocchi-brown-sage-butter-pork-chops-steamed-carrots-10-meal/