Per­fect Bolog­nese Sauce

Per­fect Bolog­nese Sauce

(serves 6 with spaghetti)

1 tbsp olive oil

4 cloves gar­lic, minced

1 white onion, minced

3 stalks cel­ery, minced

3 medi­um car­rots, minced

8 large mush­rooms, minced

1 1/2 pounds home-ground pork loin (or beef, lamb or bison)

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 cup whole milk

1 large can peeled plum tomatoes

pinch ground nutmeg

1/2 cup grat­ed parme­san or Romano

fresh black pep­per and sea salt to taste

Heat the oil in a large saucepan with a heavy bot­tom and add the veg­eta­bles, cook until soft­ened.  Add meat.  Cook until just cooked through, stir­ring fre­quent­ly to break up the meat.  Add the white wine and turn up the heat.  Stir and cook for five min­utes.  Add the milk, still with heat high.  Stir and cook for five min­utes.  Add the toma­toes, break­ing them up with your hands as you do so.  Turn down the heat and cook for at least 1 hour, stir­ring occa­sion­al­ly.  Short­ly before serv­ing, add nut­meg and cheese and stir thor­ough­ly.  Sea­son to taste.  Serve with spaghet­ti or mashed pota­toes, with plen­ty of extra grat­ed cheese to sprinkle.