Ragu, again

After a month of travel, a cross country ski weekend (interlude: a food blog I read had a post, tangentially related to a similar xc ski weekend, entitled "the unbearable whiteness of skiing". This is my new favorite headline. For, while we did see some darker complected folks on the trails, the vast majority of the people in the lodge fell into the category of uber-Neue-Englander, replete with long braids for the older ladies, a slim, fit figure, a fleece vest from LL Bean, duck boots, and many many totebags. Crinkly eyes from days spent in the sun for everyone over 30. And a round of Volvos for good measure. I spent the weekend in an LL Bean catalog, and had myself a wonderful time, excellent hot chocolate, and a good time skate-skiing with all the Ratners).

The snow on Saturday was thin, and conditions were windy and cold. I had not yet found my ski legs, which is par for the course for Day 1, but I did avoid bursting into tears like the last two years. Something about jet lag and feeling one must keep up with all the super fit Ratner men tends to bring on the frustrated waterworks, but it all resolves quite quickly. And this time I herringboned slowly up the hills, and calmed myself down. Josh flitted back and forth along the trail in the same way that Kima does when we're off leash in the woods - darting forward, out of sight, always returning to check that we've not been lifted into the treetops by harpies.

Sunday a couple inches of snow had fallen overnight, during an intense windstorm that prevented us from heading back out to Prospect for their 'moonlight ski' evening, which promised a bonfire. The snow Sunday was squeaky and fresh. Skating on it made quite a racket (which is one reason why David sticks with classic skiing - it's much less noisy). Ski legs were in full gear and we stayed out for quite a while in the morning, and went back out for another 30-40 minutes after lunch (quite unheard of). Hemlocks and maples and hobbit-holes and a meandering maze of trails that almost always (but not always) lead back to the Rack, where everyone leaves their outer layer. Occasionally, one will ski the 2 miles back to the lodge before remembering it is still there.

But enough of skiing, on to the meat of my post. Coming back from a long trip in February also requires that significant cooking be done, a restocking of the freezer with comestibles, to state one's dominion over the kitchen and to show it that despite your long absence, the kitchen shall be simmered into submission once again. And there is no better simmer than a ragu from Marcella Hazan, being both scrumptious in its final form and easy to prepare.

Melt
8 tbl yellow onion
8 tbl diced carrot
in 12 tbl olive oil and a stick of butter (it is entirely possible reduce the quantities of oil and butter here, if one is concerned about cholesterol. It is also possible to include 8 tbl of celery, diced, but I am anti-celery, so don't tell me if you do).

crumble in
3 lbs chuck just until loses its red color, and 4 tsp kosher salt.

add a bottle of white wine, cook until evaporated.
Then add 2 cups milk (whole is better) and cook until evaporated. All this over medium-high heat.

A 1/2 tsp nutmeg enters the picture.

Add 3 large cans (~8 cups) San Marzano tomatoes. Slice them in half in the can first. Or use the diced ones.

Cook uncovered for 5 hours, or as long as possible, at a very gentle simmer. Sauce should not be too liquidy at the end. Stir occasionally to avoid burning.

This makes two of the large pyrex storage things. Keeps well in the freezer. And satisfies the soul.