Rachael Ray's 30-Minute Get Real Meals (32 page)

Preheat the oven to 500°F.

Combine the veggies on a large baking sheet and toss with the garlic, EVOO, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven. Let stand for 5 minutes, then serve.

Allspice is the secret ingredient here. In Italian cooking, it is VITAL to have a secret ingredient in your meat sauce.

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For the creamy polenta, combine 3 cups of the chicken stock, the cream, 1 of the crushed garlic cloves, salt, and pepper in a saucepot over medium-low heat. Bring up to a gentle simmer and lower the heat so it is barely bubbling, then start the Bolognese sauce.

Heat a deep skillet or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Go once around the pan with a slow stream of EVOO. Add the remaining crushed garlic and the red pepper flakes and infuse
the oil for 15 seconds. Add the beef, pork, and veal and break the meat up with a wooden spoon. Brown the meats for 3 minutes, then add the onion, carrots, celery, thyme, allspice, salt, and pepper and continue browning for 5 minutes more. Use the pocket of time to make the
roasted veggies
.

When the vegetables are tender, add the wine and scrape up the drippings, then add the remaining 1 cup of chicken stock and reduce for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes to combine flavors. Finish the sauce with the chopped parsley.

As the Bolognese sauce is in its last 5 to 10 minutes of cooking time, whisk the polenta into the simmering seasoned chicken stock–cream mixture in a steady stream and stir constantly until the polenta can thickly coat the back of a spoon. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper. If you find the polenta is thickening up so much that it is not creamy and it is becoming stiff, you can loosen it with a little more chicken stock or water. Turn the heat off and stir in the cheese.

To serve, divide the creamy polenta among 4 bowls, top the polenta with a BIG serving of the Bolognese sauce, and garnish with some more grated cheese.

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DILL AND POPPY SEED DRESSING

In a large bowl combine the radishes, apple (coated in the lemon juice to retard browning), and onion with the chopped lettuce. In a small bowl, combine the vinegar with the honey and salt. Whisk in the EVOO. Stir in the sour cream, poppy seeds, and dill. Pour the dressing evenly over the salad, toss, and serve.

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Place the ground sirloin in a large mixing bowl and punch a well into the center. Fill the well with the egg, bread crumbs, onion, nutmeg, half of the chopped parsley, and a little salt and pepper. Mix up the meatball ingredients until well combined, yet not overmixed. Divide the mix into 4 equal parts. Roll each part into 6 balls. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with the EVOO. Add the meatballs and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes, giving the pan a good shake now and then. Add the stock, jelly, and heavy cream or sour cream. Bring it up to a bubble, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 8 to 10 minutes.

Place a large pot of water on to boil. Add the noodles and season the water with salt. Cook until just tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain the egg noodles and shake dry. Put the noodles back in the hot pot and add the remaining chopped parsley and the butter and season with salt and pepper. Stir until the butter has melted. Top the noodles with the meatballs, their sauce, and pickles.

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Place each half-head of lettuce on individual plates cut side down so the lettuce forms a mound on the plate. Arrange the radish and cucumber slices around each lettuce mound. Place the capers, dill, parsley, shallot, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a blender. Turn the blender on and stream in the EVOO. Test for seasonings in the dressing. Spoon the dressing evenly over the salads, capping the lettuce.

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Bring a pot of water to a boil for the pasta. When it comes to a boil, add the pasta and salt to season the cooking water. Cook the pasta for 6 minutes, al dente.

While the water comes to a boil and the pasta cooks, heat a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the EVOO, then butter, then ground meat. Break up the meat and crumble, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic, onion, bell pepper, and seasonings to the turkey. Cook for 5 or 6 minutes, then add the chicken stock and sour cream. Bring to a bubble and reduce heat to low. Add the cooked pasta and stir. Let the pasta absorb some sauce, a minute or so. Adjust the seasonings and serve. Garnish with chopped parsley.

This dish is so simple, yet it could be served at any elegant dinner party. It is equally good warm or cold and makes a great addition to a Sunday brunch.

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