Apparently I am on a travel obsessed kick, which is either an insane way to torture myself during this lockdown or a healthy dose of escapism….that’s to be determined. Either way, it’s clear to me that I’ve been using meal planning and preparation as a way to travel outside my kitchen, my street, my neighborhood to transport at least my tastebuds and my mind to far flung locales currently unreachable in body. This particular recipe was inspired by the most recent bon Appetit issue aptly titled Recipes to Transport You. The original that inspired my riff, references two rather geographically distinct culinary realms. The first is Bolognese sauce which while specific in name and style to Bologna, makes me think of the spectrum of delicious Italian ragu’s originating from up and down the boot, many of which I’ve been lucky enough to sample and even try my hand to cook. The second reference is to Sambal Oelek, a bright and spicy chili paste with Indonesian origin but whose flavors permeate the universe of south east asian cuisine and many of my favorite dishes from the diverse food cultures across the region. The first time I made this, the process and the smells really sent me. I closed my eyes, and one moment I was immediately back in the farm kitchen at Le Ragnaie (an idyllic agritourismo in Montacino) slowly making Ragu di Carne, and the next I was fantasizing about the exciting plates and flavors I would encounter the first time I am able to make a long planned visit to Shilin or Hoi An night market. I’ll admit this must have all looked very strange, and a little bit dangerous to my husband, who was looking on as I slugged wine and clearly lost myself in day dreaming wanderlust while standing over an open flame. But judge me he did not, these are tough times, and I think he knew this dish offered me a much needed escape.
So, there are a few aspects to my interpretation of this dish that I want to call out. First, this recipe does have a very pantry centric vibe, which was an immediate draw considering my limited ability to get to the store on a whim. The staples like, tomato paste, butter, sugar, soy sauce, and heck, even the use of dried ramen noodles mean the ingredient list should not present a particular procurement challenge and many people will have most on hand. Second, I decided to make a very specific addition to the original recipe; chicken livers. Ever since the cooking lesson in Montalcino I referenced earlier, I have always added pureed chicken livers to all my red sauces. Livers add a really nice, unctuous depth to those sauces, and I thought this particular dish was a great opportunity to add richness to the sauce in this way. While I usually find chicken livers easily at the supermarket or from the poultry purveyors at the farmers market, I will acknowledge they may be hard to find, so I want to be clear this is a totally optional ingredient and step. Which brings me to my next and final point; there are a number of optional ingredients and possible substitutions throughout this recipe. Given the market access and scarcity issues many are facing right now, I thought it would be helpful to point out where something could be omitted or swapped out without compromising the dish. I wanted to make sure this was a recipe that rather than scare anyone away, made folks excited to hop into their pantry and embrace this spicy-sweet adventure. Bottom line, this is a flavor trip you do not want to miss!
INGREDIENTS
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 lbs. ground pork (any ground meat works fine, just add a little oil for leaner meats like chicken, and drain some fat from the pan from fattier like beef)
1 2" piece fresh ginger, peeled, minced (ground works too, about 1 tsp.)
8 garlic cloves, minced
5-8 scallions, whites and greens finely chopped, reserve darkest greens and finely slice on a bias for garnish
3 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 sprigs basil for garnish
⅓ cup hot chili paste (such as Sambal Oelek, Sriracha would work too, just mind the heat)
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar (white vinegar is fine too)
12oz. dried ramen noodles (or 16 oz. dried spaghetti or any long dry noodle)
Kosher salt
2 Tbsp. salted butter
Optional Ingredients:
½ cup chicken liver, pureed
1 Tbsp. spicy broad bean paste
1 Tbsp. lemon grass, about 1 stick smashed and finely chopped
Sliced serrano or thai chiles for garnish
RECIPE PREPARATION
Heat oil in a large wide heavy pot over medium-high.
Add 1lb ground pork to pot, breaking apart into 6–8 large chunks with a wooden spoon.
Cook, undisturbed, until well browned underneath, about 5 minutes.
Turn pieces and continue to cook, turning occasionally, until pork is browned and crispy on 2–3 sides, about 5 minutes longer. Move to the side of the pan.
Add chicken livers and cook until browned, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan 2-3 mins. Incorporate into crispy pork and again, move to the sides of the pan.
Add ginger, garlic, lemongrass, scallions, and a little bit of oil and cook for 1-2 minutes allowing the ingredients to get fragrant.
Add remaining pork to pot and cook, breaking up meat into small clumps, until meat is nearly cooked through, about 5 minutes longer.
Add tomato paste, chili paste, bean paste, soy sauce, vinegar, and 2 cups water. Mix well until no longer clumpy.
Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened and flavors have melded, 30–45 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook ramen noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until 1 minute short of al dente.
When flavors are developed, add cooked noodles to pot with sauce along with butter and a splash of pasta cooking liquid.
Simmer, tossing occasionally, until sauce begins to cling to noodles, about 1 minute.
Divide noodles among plates or bowls.
Top with fresh basil leaves and reserved scallions.
