Veal Artichoke Ragout

I'm currently in a mad, passionate love affair with artichokes.  This happens to me sometimes.  I go for these long stretches without having anything to do with an artichoke, and then I see one across a crowded room and something comes over me.

Hello, handsome.  

Now before you get the wrong idea, I didn't exactly use that dashing specimen in the picture.  Nope, this recipe uses the couldn't-be-easier frozen artichoke hearts that come in a box in your handy frozen food section, and all you have to do is let them thaw and then toss them in the ragout at the last minute.  The rest of this dish is an easy veal stew that cooks for a couple of lazy hours on the stovetop in a luxurious sauce of beef broth, white wine, lemon juice, chopped onion and garlic, rosemary, tomato paste and just a little bit of flour to make it just the right amount of thickness.  It's the perfect dish for a cold snowy Sunday when you are hankering for a comfort food dinner that is just a little bit elegant, but still simple enough to eat in your favorite old soup bowls.

Plus it has artichokes.  Did I mention my undying love for artichokes?  Just don't tell the bacon.

Veal Artichoke Ragout, adapted from Simply Elegant Country Foods

• Olive oil
• 3 onions, chopped
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 2 1/2 pounds veal stew meat, cut in 1-2 inch cubes
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 1/2 cups beef broth
• 1 cup white wine
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• Juice of one lemon
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• Pinch thyme
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 package frozen artichoke hearts, defrosted
• Grated lemon peel from one lemon
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in large skillet.  Saute onions and garlic until translucent, about 3 minutes.  Transfer to 5 quart Dutch oven.

2. Add another 2 tablespoons olive oil to skillet and brown the veal over medium high heat, working in batches and adding more oil as needed.  Add to Dutch oven.

3. Lower heat under skillet and add 2 more tablespoons oil and the flour, stirring to make a paste.  Add broth, wine and lemon juice, and stir up brown bits from the bottom of the pan.  Add bay leaf, spices and tomato paste.  Simmer for 5 minutes.

4. Pour sauce over the veal in the Dutch oven.  Cover and simmer for one hour.  Uncover and simmer for another 50 minutes, stirring from time to time.  

5. Add artichoke hearts and lemon peel and simmer 10 more minutes.  Stir in parsley and serve.

Click here for printable recipe

Naked Ravioli

Okay, so I would like to clear up something right away.  When I posted on my Facebook page that I was making this particular recipe for dinner, there was a fair amount of, shall I say ALARM, about the title of the recipe.  Some people were concerned for my safety.  Others were just discombobulated in general about what on earth was going on in my kitchen. So just let me state clearly and for the record: it is the RAVIOLI that is naked.  Not the cook.  The cook remained fully clothed at all time, as you can see from the photograph below.

Now that we can all breathe a deep sigh of relief, let me tell you what is going on here.

Naked ravioli basically means that you are getting the filling of the ravioli - in this case a scrumptious mixture of veal, parmesan cheese, herbs and some other things - OUTSIDE of the pasta. So the ravioli filling is, well, naked.  I toss some bow-tie pasta into this dish so you still get the happiness of the pasta part, it's just not wrapped around the filling.  Making the filling naked.  Are you getting the drift here?  

So now that we all understand each other, here's what happens.  You mix up some ground veal, chopped onion, a beaten egg, some grated parmesan, a little chopped fresh parsley and some salt and pepper, and roll them into a whole batch of little tiny meatballs - about 1/2 inch inch in diameter, give or take.  Drop them in some salted boiling water, and at the same time melt about a half a stick of butter with some fresh sage leaves until the butter is melted and golden brown.

When the meatballs are done, scoop them out with a slotted spoon and cook up a batch of bow-tie pasta in that same water.  Save about 1/2 cup of the pasta water and when the pasta is done, toss everything together in one bowl - pasta, meatballs, butter mixture, some of the pasta water to loosen up the sauce - and add in some peas and a little more parmesan cheese. And there you have it - all the makings of ravioli, but WAY easier than making it from scratch and with the filling on the outside rather than being contained in the pasta.  Or in other words...naked.

I think I have now used the word "naked" on my blog more times than I ever have before, or ever will again.  I'm hoping and wondering if this might actually increase my blog traffic.

One way or the other, give this fun dish a try!

Naked Ravioli

• 1 pound ground veal (you can also use ground pork or beef or any combo thereof!)
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 pound bow-tie pasta
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 20 fresh sage leaves
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• Salt and pepper
• Extra grated parmesan for garnish

1. Combine meat, egg, cheese, parsley and onion.  Roll into balls about 1/2 inch in diameter and pop in the fridge until ready to use.

2. Bring a large pot of water to boil and add a tablespoon of salt.  Cook meatballs in boiling water for 5 minutes and remove with slotted spoon.  Put in a bowl and cover to keep warm.  Cook pasta in the same water until done, adding the peas during the last minute of cooking.  Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water.   Drain.

3. Meanwhile,  cook butter and sage leaves together in small pot until butter is light brown, about 5 minutes.  Toss pasta with butter mixture, reserved meatballs and enough pasta water to make a light sauce.  Salt and peper to taste.  Top with grated parsmesan and serve.

Click here for printable recipe