Tequila bolognaise

This recipe is 100% inspired my friend and highly talented foodie / chef / product developer Jaclyn. 

She writes a fantastic blog called Chef Privé and posted this recipe a while ago. 

Tequila

Now in terms of tequila, I have recently, after much exposure to some really fantastic top quality tipple, fallen in love with it.

I have to admit it that I quaffed so much of the stuff in my late teens, it put me off for the better part of the next two decades and I only indulged in it for BIG party (with extensive dancing) nights. 

I love the effect of it, I’ve just never been that wild about the taste.

The good stuff

That has all changed now that I drink the good stuff and frequently find myself ordering a tequila and sipping it.

I am still trying to educate friends who find the notion of sipping tequila quite foreign and continuously prompt me to shoot it back.  No way Hozay, this chica is going to (for the most part) be enjoying it in a different way.

I love the recently launched Patron Silver, so decided to use this in my dish.

The flavour of tequila has also opened up a floodgate of ideas for me when applied with food. So when I saw Jaclyn’s recipe, I got terribly excited.

Your shopping list would consist of:

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic crushed
1 cup of good quality tequila – I used Patron Silver

500g lean organic beef mince
500g pork mince
4 rashers of good quality dry cured streak bacon or pancetta (about 100gms)
a small handfull of fresh sage
1/4 cup fennel bulb, chopped. You could use celery if fennel bulb is not available, and a small tuft of the frilly leaves.

1 small carrot finely chopped
a few sprigs of thyme – leaves removed
a small handful of Italian parsley finely chopped
3 Tbs of tomato paste
1 tin of tomatoes
350ml of lamb stock. I used Nomu lamb fond.

Salt and pepper to taste. I always use smoked salt.

2 Tbsp balsamic reduction to stir into the sauce which adds a nice sweetness and about another 2 Tbs to add at the end. I did in fact use the Turkish fig infused one.

How to make this:

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy based pot and fry the onion and bacon until soft – about 8 minutes.

In a seperate pan fry the meat in batches until brown and set aside.
   
Add the fennel, carrot and garlic and cook for a few minutes.
   
Add half a cup (half of) the tequila and allow the liquid to evaporate off. (this happens quickly)
   
Add the browned meat, the other half a cup of tequila, the tomato paste, herbs, balsamic and the garlic and cook for a couple of minutes.
   
Add the tin of tomatoes and stock and bring it to a boil.
   
Reduce to a very slow simmer and let it cook slowly like this for 3 – 4 hours.
  
Adjust the seasoning and add the balsamic reduction.

Time to enjoy and indulge!

Serve this over cooked pasta like tagliatelle or linguine with a generous grating of Parmesan or Pecorino.

The tequila adds a beautiful depth to the dish and the long slow cook really develops the flavours.

This is the way I’m going to be making bolognese from here on out.

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