Chicken thighs with Ragu sauce

To prepare a delicious chicken thigh recipe in ragu sauce, we start by boiling the thighs in a large pot of water, adding a carrot, a parsley root, a whole onion, a few cloves of garlic, salt, and peppercorns. These ingredients will give the meat a rich aroma and a perfect taste. Once the thighs are well boiled, we remove them from the water and set them aside to cool, preparing for the next step.

While the meat is boiling, we start preparing the ragu sauce. We grate two carrots, a parsley root, half a celery, and an onion, using a large-holed grater. In a deep pan, we heat two tablespoons of butter and 50 ml of oil over low heat, then add the grated vegetables to sauté them lightly. It is essential to stir them constantly to avoid burning, and the aroma will be truly delightful. After a few minutes, we add about 300 ml of hot water and half a teaspoon of salt, then cover the pan with a lid. We let the vegetables simmer slowly, adding water if necessary, until they become tender.

Once the vegetables are ready, we pass them through a sieve or, for a simpler method, blend them to obtain a fine puree. The resulting sauce is put back in the pot, to which we add a bay leaf, flour mixed with a teaspoon of mustard, and the tomato paste. On another burner, we caramelize a tablespoon of sugar, extinguished with three tablespoons of water, stirring until the sugar melts. This sweetness will contrast pleasantly with the acidity of the sauce. We then add the caramel to the sauce along with three slices of lemon, ground pepper, and 50 ml of dry white wine. Finally, we adjust the taste with salt and pepper, and if desired, we can add an extra splash of tomato paste or wine, to taste.

We let the sauce simmer for five minutes, to blend the flavors, and add the boiled chicken thighs, letting them boil for 2-3 minutes to combine perfectly with the sauce. This tasty dish can be served alongside a side of fluffy rice, vegetable sauté, mashed potatoes, or even pasta, for an unforgettable lunch or dinner.

If we opt for pork chop or leg, the procedure remains similar, but the meat is boiled whole. It should be allowed to cool well before being sliced into pieces the thickness of a pinky finger (1-1.5 cm). It is important that if the meat is not cooled enough, it will crumble instead of being cut evenly. This recipe is not only delicious but also versatile, being adaptable according to personal preferences. Bon appétit!

 Ingredients: 4 chicken thighs (we can also use other types of meat such as thigh, pork chop, or beef) 3 carrots 1/2 celery (root) 2 parsley roots 2 onions 1 teaspoon classic mustard 1 tablespoon sugar (about 20 g) 1 heaping tablespoon of white flour 2 tablespoons of butter + 50 ml of oil 250 ml of tomato puree 3 slices of lemon, peeled of white skin 50 ml of dry white wine salt, ground pepper, peppercorns, 2 cloves of garlic bay leaf

 Tags:  onion greenery chicken meat garlic carrots broth flour oil life wine pig sugar lemon