Vegetable Bolognese

Makes 4 good portions

3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped

3 stalks of celery, chopped
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
2 garlic cloves
Olive oil

1/2 cup red wine
200g mushrooms
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 can of tomatoes, whole, crushed, chopped or passata.

fresh herbs - thyme, rosemary, bay or just parsely
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper

Chop the carrots, celery, onion, pepper, and garlic in a food processor. Fry the chopped vegetables in the olive oil in a large pan until soft. 

Either chop the mushrooms roughly by hand or in the food processor depending on how you like them today.  

Deglaze the pan with the red wine then add the rest of the ingredients.  Bring to a boil the reduce to a low simmer and cook until thick and delicious - 30 minutes to an hour.  Remove any whole herbs.

Serve over pasta with lots of parmesan of course!

Beef Stroganoff

Serves 4

340g Fillet of Beef, cut into strips

55g Butter

1 Medium Onion, finely sliced

225g Mushrooms, finely sliced

100mL White wine

150mL Beef stock

15ml Oil

30mL Brandy

Salt and Pepper

30mL Cream

30mL Sour cream

Fry Onion in half the butter until soft and transparent. Add mushrooms and cook for a minute then add the wine and stock. Boil to reduce liquid to approximately 30mL. Decant to a bowl and leave aside.

Heat oil and remaining butter to hot and quickly fry the beef strips, removing the strips as they brown.

Deglaze the pan with brandy and return onions and mushrooms to the pan, stir in the cream and season. Boil to a syrupy consistency. Add the beef and sour cream and reheat.

If using a tougher cut of beef then add the beef before the sour cream and simmer until tender.