Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Meat
- 800 g veal shoulder, diced into 2cm cubes
Mushrooms
- 20 g dried shiitake mushrooms, whole
- 200 g fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps thickly sliced
Aromatics
- 150 g yellow onion, finely diced
- 150 g fennel bulb, cored and finely diced
- 100 g celery, finely diced
- 100 g carrot, finely diced
- 15 g garlic, minced
Liquids and Base
- 30 ml olive oil
- 50 g tomato paste
- 250 ml dry red wine
- 400 g crushed tomatoes
- 500 ml veal stock
Seasoning and Herbs
- 5 g fresh thyme, tied into a bundle
- 2 bay leaves
- kosher salt
- black pepper, freshly ground
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Place the dried shiitake mushrooms in a small mixing bowl and cover with 250ml of boiling water 100C/212F. Let soak for 20 minutes until thoroughly softened. Remove the mushrooms, squeezing the liquid back into the bowl. Discard the tough stems and slice the caps. Pass the soaking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any grit and reserve it.
Pat the diced veal shoulder completely dry with paper towels. Season the meat generously on all sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the seasoned veal in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Cook until a deep brown crust forms on multiple sides, then transfer the browned meat to a plate. Leave the rendered fat and browned bits in the pot.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the diced onion, fennel, celery, and carrot to the Dutch oven. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and the onion is translucent.
Add the sliced fresh shiitake mushrooms to the pot and cook until they release their moisture and begin to brown. Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste, cooking continuously until the tomato paste darkens to a brick-red color and coats the vegetables.
Pour the dry red wine into the pot to deglaze. Scrape the bottom of the Dutch oven with a wooden spoon to release all the browned bits. Allow the wine to simmer and reduce until it has almost completely evaporated and the mixture looks jammy.
Return the browned veal and any accumulated juices to the pot. Stir in the sliced rehydrated shiitake mushrooms, the reserved strained mushroom soaking liquid, crushed tomatoes, veal stock, thyme bundle, and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low.
Cover the Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid and let it braise gently at 90C/195F for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. The ragout is done when the veal is fork-tender and the sauce has reduced to a thick, rich consistency.
Remove the pot from the heat. Discard the bay leaves and the thyme bundle. Skim any excess fat from the surface of the sauce using a spoon. Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and black pepper if necessary. Let the ragout rest uncovered for 15 minutes before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Straining the mushroom soaking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve is crucial; dried shiitakes naturally harbor sand and grit that will otherwise ruin the texture of your luxurious sauce.
- Browning the meat in batches requires patience but is non-negotiable. Overcrowding drops the pan temperature, steaming the meat rather than searing it, which sacrifices the foundational savory notes of the dish.
- The choice of dry red wine matters. Opt for a medium-bodied Italian varietal like Sangiovese or Nebbiolo, which provides enough bright acidity to balance the intense richness of the veal and the deep earthiness of the mushrooms.
- Fennel replaces the traditional soffritto's green bell pepper or extra celery here; its subtle anise flavor mellows beautifully during the long braise, pairing exceptionally well with both the pork-like sweetness of veal and the umami of the shiitakes.
- Resting the ragout for 15 minutes off the heat allows the collagen extracted into the braising liquid to slightly set, giving the sauce a luxurious, velvety texture that perfectly clings to broad pasta like pappardelle or creamy polenta.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container. The flavors will deepen and improve after 24 hours.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze in portion-sized containers. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat until simmering, adding a splash of stock or water if the sauce has thickened too much.
