Elk Bolognese — onions on the floor

It's always nice to switch things up, so while walking around at my market, I stumbled onto their game freezer. I was originally thinking of making some sort of burger but instead got the idea of making a bolognese. I had the option of Elk, Boar and Venison. Elk looked to have the highest fat content, so I went with that. The pasta is the very last thing to be cooked and should be plated immediately after, so make sure you get everything done beforehand. Your plate should be ready (warming in the 200º oven ideally), table should be set, wine and water should be poured and your bread should be warmed. You basically are going to finish the pasta and then toss that with the sauce in a separate pan to combine just before plating. There should be no more than 5 minutes between you pulling the pasta out of the water and you sitting down to eat. This recipe makes a nice size batch that can feed a family of 3-4 or have a nice set of leftovers to eat over the following days.

Ingredients

1lbs ground Elk
1/2lbs White Pioppini Mushroom
1/2lbs Brown Pippparello Mushroom
1 yellow onion
8 cloves garlic
1 x 28oz can DOP San Marzano Tomatoes
2 tbsp Tomato Paste
3 large carrots
3 stalks of celery
2 cups Beef Stock (veal stock would be ideal)
1/2 bottle Red Wine (Shiraz)
1/2 bunch fresh basil
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 Bay Leaves
1/2 bunch italian parsley
Grano Padano or Pecorino Romano Cheese
1lbs Tagliatelle pasta
Canola Oil
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
1 tbsp Granulated Onion
2 tbsp Red Pepper Flakes (optional)

Equipment

8qt Saucepan or Rondeau
Medium skillet (to finish the dish in)
butchers twine or cheese cloth
locking tongs
wooden spoon

Prep

Mire Poux

Peel and dice the carrots into small bite size pieces
Trim the top leaves and white bottoms off of the celery stalks. Cut in half across the bias. Split lengthwise. Chop into bite sized pieces.
Peel and dice the onion.

Mushrooms

Trim the tough, woody bottoms off of the mushrooms.
If using wild mushrooms, wash or wipe off any dirt

Herbs

Wash the basil, parsley and thyme
Cut the parsley stems off (about mid-way up to the leaves)
Tie the stems together with butchers twine or wrap in cheese cloth

Garlic

Peel and mince

Cooking Directions

Heat the rondeau over medium heat
Add some canola oil (2-3tbsp depending on pan size)
Add the mushrooms and thyme to the oil once hot. Add a nice pinch of kosher salt.
Saute until they just begin to color. About 2 minutes.
Add the meat to the pan. If your meat is lean, then you may need to add some more oil to the pan so that it doesn't stick. Fattier meats should be fine.
Using a wooden spoon, break the meat up into the smallest clumps possible while it is cooking in the pan. Keep moving the meat around so that it doesn't brown.
Just before it loses all of it's pink color, add the diced garlic and stir. Cook for 3 minutes.
Sprinkle a pinch of salt as you go.
Add the carrots and cook for 1 minute.
Add the celery and cook for 1 minute.
Add the onion and a pinch of kosher salt.
Sweat the mixture over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften and the onions become translucent.
Remove the thyme and discard
Add the red pepper flakes if desired, stir to combine and cook for 1 minute to incorporate
Add the tomato paste and stir to combine. Cook for 2-3 minutes to incorporate.
Add the red wine (1/2 bottle)
Add a pinch of salt
Reduce wine by 2/3 over medium high heat
Add the beef or veal stock
Reduce by 3/4 over medium high heat or until it almost reaches a sauce-like consistency
Add the tomatoes. If they are whole tomatoes, use your spoon to break them apart.
Add a nice pinch of salt.
Stir to combine.
Add the bay leaf and parsley stems and onion powder.
Cook this over medium-low heat for 20 minutes
Adjust seasonings to taste
Remove parsley stems and bay leaves
If the sauce is too thick, you can add a bit of beef stock or filtered water to thin it out a bit.
Remove from heat and add the bunch of basil to the pot. Stir and make sure it's submerged in the sauce.
Let it sit in the hot sauce for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to help the flavors permeate.

Pasta

The pasta is the last thing that should be done so make sure your sauce is ready to go, your drinks are poured and your table is set.
In a large stockpot, bring 6 quarts of water to a rolling boil
Add a 3 large pinches of kosher salt. You want a good salty water here.
If you're using fresh pasta, follow the directions, but you will most likely be cooking them in the 2-4 minute range.
Drop your pasta in the water and set your timer for 2 minutes.
After 2 minutes, pull some out and taste it for tenderness.
Just before the pasta is done, take a nice ladle full of the salty, starchy water and put it into your sauce. Stir to combine.
Remove the pasta from the water and place it in a mixing bowl
Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over the pasta and toss to coat. This will add some flavor and stop it from sticking.

Finishing the Dish

Heat your skillet over medium heat (this is to keep the food hot, but not cook it further)
Add a tablespoon of evoo to the hot pan
Take a ladle of the bolognese and put it into the pan
Using tongs, take one serving worth of pasta and put it in the pan
Take another 2 ladles worth of the bolognese and put it over top of the pasta.
Grate a little bit of Grano Padano over the pasta and sauce
Toss to combine

Plating

Using locking tongs, grab the pasta mixture and twirl it in the pan to wrap it around the tongs
Lift the pasta at an angle that won't unravel the pasta as you bring it to the plate
Lay the pasta down in the center of the plate while slightly rotating your tongs as you release the pasta. The idea is to give it another slight twirl as you're letting it go.
Drizzle a little evoo over top of the pasta
Grate fresh Grano Padano or Pecorino Romano Cheese over top
Crack some fresh black pepper over top
Pair with your favorite red wine
Enjoy

The Completed Dish