Excellent recipes for traditional French sauces or ragout. We have meat and non-meat options

An Italian dish that can be eaten alone with pastries or together with delicious pasta!

Make one of these great French ragout recipes.

Believe me, you will like them all.

Beef ragout alla bolognese

His Majesty Bolognese! A typical ingredient for classic lasagna. One of the most popular sauces of good Italian cuisine.

What will we need

• 300 g of ground beef
• 300 g of tomato puree
• 50 g of carrots
• 50 g of celery
• 50 g of yellow onion
• Fine salt
• black pepper
• 100 ml of red wine
• 150 g of pancetta
• Vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon of virgin olive oil

Method

• To prepare the Bolognese sauce, first take the pancetta and cut it into small cubes.
• Pour a drop of oil into a preheated pot and add the pancetta.
• Let it brown. Meanwhile, peel and finely chop the carrots, then peel and finely chop the celery. Finally, peel and chop the onion.
• Once the pancetta is well browned, add the chopped vegetables.
• Stir and let it cook for 5-6 minutes.
• Add ground beef, stir and increase heat. Let it brown and then pour in the red wine and mix again.
• Once the alcohol has evaporated, add the tomato puree and mix.
• Add a few ladles of hot vegetable stock.
• Cover with a lid.
• At this point, the bolognese sauce must be cooked for at least 2 hours. Check every 20 minutes and add more stock as needed.
• After two hours, taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper.

Mushroom ragout

This recipe for ragout with oyster mushrooms and other delicious ingredients is a must-try! You won’t taste better even in a restaurant.

What will we need

• 55 g shiitake mushrooms
• 55 g sponge cake
• 55 g oyster mushroom
• 55 g of mushrooms
• 15 ml of olive oil
• 1 shallot
• 1 clove of garlic
• 15 g of butter
• 6 g chopped fresh parsley

Method

• Chop the fresh parsley and set aside.
• Slice and oyster mushroom and set aside.
• Chop the garlic and shallot.
• Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat and sauté the mushrooms until they are lightly browned, softened and the liquid has reduced.
• Add the butter, garlic and shallot and continue to cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir in the parsley.
• immediately serve as a side dish to fillets and risotto!

Neapolitan pork ragout

The ragù napoletano recipe comes from Naples and is based on pork, onions, garlic, tomatoes and spices. It has a stronger flavor than ragù alla bolognese. Try it yourself!

What will we need

• 100 g prosciutto crudo (choose fine slices with enough fat)
• 50 g fine slices of pancetta
• 2 sprigs of thyme
• 1.5 kg pork shoulder
• 50 g pine nuts (finely chopped)
• 50 g raisins (finely chopped)
• 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley (finely chopped)
• 2 cloves of garlic (chopped)
• 100 g young Pecorino cheese (cut into cubes)
• 1 kg pork shoulder
• 150 g lard
• 200 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 600 g yellow onion (finely chopped)
• 400 g of pork ribs
• 300 ml of dry red wine
• 250 g of tomato puree
• 1.5 l pureed tomatoes
• sea salt
• black pepper

Method

• Start by preparing the meat. We wrap the pork shoulder with slices of pancetta and prosciutto, cover it with sprigs of thyme and tie it tightly with butcher’s string.
• In a small bowl, combine the pine nuts, raisins, garlic, parsley and cheese.
• Place the pork shoulder on a work surface, season with salt and pepper, then spread the pine nut mixture over the surface, making sure to leave a small margin uncovered at the edges.
• Roll up the meat and tie it tightly with string.
• Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add oil and lard and allow to heat and melt. Add onion. Sauté gently until the onion is soft and translucent, about 15 minutes.
• Then add both bound meats. Let them brown on a moderate heat, turning them regularly so that they brown evenly.
• After about 45 minutes, add the pork ribs and continue to roast the meat until dark brown on all sides and the onions are heavily caramelized, about 1 hour.
• During this stage, remember to turn the meat and stir the onions frequently
• At this point, add the wine. Increase the heat to completely evaporate the wine.
• Then add the tomato puree and mix well to combine everything in the sauce.
• Remove the pork ribs and set them aside on a plate. Pour in the strained tomatoes and reduce the heat to very low. Season to taste.
• Cook the ragout on a low heat for about 1 hour, then partially cover with a lid and cook for another 3 hours. Check the sauce frequently, stirring to make sure the sauce doesn’t stick to the bottom and burn.
• Then remove the remaining meat from the pot. Allow the sauce to reduce for a further 1 hour until thick and glossy. Season to taste.
• Put all the meat back into the pot and bring back to the heat. Turn off the heat and let the sauce rest for about 30 minutes.
• Sprinkle with a handful of grated pecorino to serve.

French Chicken Ragu

Chicken Fricassée is a traditional French dish made from roasted chicken pieces simmered in a creamy white mushroom sauce.

What will we need

• 4 chicken drumsticks
• 4 chicken thighs with skin and bone
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• ½ teaspoon of black pepper
• 60 g of butter

For stewing

• 300 g mushrooms (halved)
• 2 onions (sliced)
• 2 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 sprigs of thyme
• 30 g plain flour
• 125 ml of white wine
• 750 ml of chicken stock
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons of parsley
• 185 ml heavy cream

Method

• Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add the chicken thighs, skin side down, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until golden. Flip and cook on the other side for 1 minute, then remove.
• Then fry the drumsticks as best you can. I do 3 sides, about 2 minutes each. Then remove from pan.
• Add the mushrooms, onion, bay leaf and thyme. Cook for 5 minutes until the mushrooms are golden.
• Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute.
• Add wine and chicken stock and stir.
• Return the chicken to the sauce, skin side up.
• Once it comes to a boil, adjust the heat to keep it bubbling. Cover with a lid and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Remove the lid and let it cook for another 20 minutes.
• Remove the chicken to a plate. Add the cream and mix, adding more salt as needed.
• Return the chicken to the sauce and then remove from the heat. Sprinkle with parsley and serve! It is traditionally served with mashed potatoes or rice. Also ideal with short pasta such as penne, ziti or macaroni.

Boar ragout

This rich and hearty wild meat ragout alla Toscana recipe, as the name suggests, comes from Tuscany. Try it and see how it melts on your tongue.

What will we need

• 500 g of wild boar

For the marinade

• 1 onion, peeled and halved
• 1 carrot washed and cut into large pieces
• 1 stalk of celery, cut into large pieces
• 2-3 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons of juniper berries
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• 1 liter of red wine
• ground black pepper

For the ragout

• 500 g peeled tomatoes
• 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 carrot washed and finely chopped
• 1 stalk of celery, washed and finely chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled
• 3-4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 glass of red wine
• black pepper to taste

Method

• Wash the boar meat, cut it into pieces and put it in a large bowl.
• Add the onion, carrot and celery, 2 peeled garlic cloves, bay leaves, juniper berries, rosemary and a little black pepper.
• Pour in red wine and mix.
• Cover the container with plastic or a lid and let it sit in the fridge for 12-24 hours.
• After the necessary time has passed, drain the meat and remove the vegetables and herbs. If you want, you can cut the meat into smaller pieces.
• For the ragout, heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large pan and gently fry the garlic, carrot, celery and onion and add the bay leaves.
• Add the wild boar meat and brown it on all sides.
• Add the red wine and let the alcohol evaporate.
• Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.
• Add the peeled tomatoes and a pinch of salt and pepper and cook with the temperature on low for about 1.5-2 hours. Stir occasionally and add a little beef stock or water if the sauce seems dry.
• Serve immediately. Italians commonly serve wide pappardelle pasta with this ragout recipe.

Vegetable ragout

This meatless vegetarian Bolognese sauce is great served with tagliatelle pasta.

What will we need

• 1 onion (finely chopped)
• 2 celery sticks (finely chopped)
• 2 carrots (diced)
• 4 cloves garlic (crushed)
• 1 tablespoon of tomato puree
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 250g chopped vegetables (such as courgettes, peppers and mushrooms)
• 50 g of red lentils
• 2 x 400 g tins of chopped tomatoes with basil

Method

• Put the onion, celery and carrot in a large non-stick pot and add 2-3 tablespoons of water or stock.
• Cook gently, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are tender.
• Add the garlic, tomato paste and balsamic vinegar, cook on high for 1 minute more, add the diced vegetables, lentils, tomatoes and bring to a boil.
• Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 20 minutes.
• Season the ragout and serve with pasta and parmesan cheese on top, if desired.

The history of the French dish ragout

Ragu is a thick, hearty stew of French origin. Depending on the cook and the region, the ragout can be prepared as a main course or designed as a thick sauce for boiled new potatoes, noodles or some other side dish.
Its characteristic feature is that it is cooked very slowly over a low heat. Slow cooking allows the flavor to develop over time to create a rich flavor.

Many cooks have historically prepared it over a fire or on a closed stove to let it cook slowly throughout the day, adding ingredients regularly as needed.

When it comes to ingredients, there are no rules for this dish. Usually the main ingredients are meat, mushrooms or root vegetables, which are pan-seared before liquids such as water or wine are added, and then various spices such as pepper and herbs may also be added. The ingredients can also be added while the ragout is cooking to ensure that it does not dissolve into the stew.

The term “ragoût” comes from the French ragoûter, meaning “to restore the appetite”. Recipes for this stew dating back to the 17th century have been found in France, indicating that people have been preparing it for a very long time. For example, some ragoûts are completely vegetarian, while others are full of meat, and some cooks add ingredients such as cream to vary the flavor.

When eaten as a main course, it usually goes best with thick, hearty breads. It is often diluted when served as a sauce.

Because ragout can be very filling, small portions are usually recommended.