Umami Ragu

The first time I made this dish was for my roommate about a year ago. He immediately proclaimed it was the best pasta he’s ever had. This isn’t your average traditional ragu. This ragu elevates umami levels with miso, gochujang, and a beef stock infused with shiitake mushrooms and kombu (dried kelp). The ginger scallion oil topping then takes everything a step higher. It’s a pasta dish that’s a melting pot of cultures, borrowing flavors from Japan, Korea, and China and that’s what makes it so special.

Recipe

Serves 2-3

Fortified Beef Stock

• 4 c beef stock
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 6 inch sheet kombu
• 5 dried shiitake mushrooms

1. Add all ingredients to a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat; as soon as the first bubbles appear, take off heat. Do not bring to a boil. Let steep for an additional 10 minutes, then strain.

Ragu Sauce

• 12 oz short rib (sub: chuck)
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 8 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 carrots, finely diced
• 2 celery stalks, finely diced
• 1 fresno chili, finely diced
• 1 1/2 c tomato paste
• 1 c wine (red or white)
• Infused beef stock from earlier
• 2 tbsp miso
• 2 tbsp gochujang
• 2 fresh (or dried) bay leaves
• 2 sprigs thyme

1. Pre heat oven to 350ºF
2. Season short ribs with salt and pepper. Sear over med high heat to get color on all sides, remove from pan.
3. Turn heat down to medium. If needed, add some extra olive oil. In the same pan, add the onions, garlic, carrots, celery, and fresno chili. Cook for about 30 minutes, or until soften and slightly golden– we do not want any charring or dark browning.
4. Add tomato paste, cook out for a few minutes. Add wine and cook out for an additional few minutes.
5. Pour sauce into a blender and blend until smooth. Add back to a pan with the beef stock from earlier, mix, and seared short ribs, along with bay leaves and thyme.
6. Bring to a boil, cover, and place into an oven for at least 4 hours, removing the lid for the last 30 minutes.
7. Once done braising, pull short ribs out, shred, and add back to the sauce.

Pasta Assembly

• 16 oz pasta of choice
• 1/4 reserved starchy pasta water
• Optional: 1 tbsp cold butter, parmesan

1. Boil pasta for 1 minute less than specified instructions on the box. Make sure to save 1/4 c of the starchy pasta water then strain.
2. Add sauce to the same pot, along with pasta water and optionally butter and parmesan. Finish cooking over medium heat for the next minute while continuously stirring.
3. Serve with a dollop of the ginger scallion oil on top.