Meat-free red wine bolognese
PLUS: Octo Octa's RA Mix, Tampopo's ramen journey and pizza toast in Tokyo
Hi, I’m Ina, and this is Sizzlers, a monthly-ish newsletter for people who love food and music. Reply anytime, I love to hear from you.
Welcome to the April issues of Sizzlers, packed with recommendations for things to cook, watch, dance to and relax with. I took a little time out in March to recharge my batteries, try new recipes and produce the Sizzlers International Women’s Day special on Reform Radio (getting the UK poet Charlie Brogan as a guest for the show was a dream come true!). Now, I’m happy to say that we’re very much back in business.
It’s officially springtime, but at least here in Amsterdam we haven’t seen much sun yet (unless you count the flickers of light in between hail storms and level-six winds). In my books, moody weather goes hand in hand with comfort food – so for this issue, I’m bringing you my personal comfort classic: meat-free red wine bolognese.
The great thing about this dish is that you can throw all the ingredients into a pot and then simply let it simmer away for several hours, while the scent of red wine and rosemary slowly and deliciously fills up your kitchen.
What else is on the menu this week?
🔥 EAT: Meat-free red wine bolognese
🔥 WATCH: Tampopo
🔥 DANCE: Sizzlers Kitchen Rave
🔥 RELAX: Pizza toast in Tokyo
You can also read back all previous issues online – there are recipes for warming asian noodle soup, crispy gyoza dumplings and THE best roasted chicken, plus sonic fuel from Avalon Emerson, Yaeji, Kamaal Williams and others.
EAT: Meat-free red wine bolognese
When I was a kid I didn’t really “get” pasta – I just saw it as a vehicle for sauces and cheese, the real objects of my culinary affection aged 12. Fast forward to 2021, where – having fallen in love with an italophile and eaten a lot of carbs while training for two marathons – I am now low-key obsessed with pasta in all shapes and varieties.
Which brings me to this month’s recipe. This red wine and rosemary-infused bolognese sauce is so hearty and flavourful, you may not think of cooking with real mince meat ever again. Bold statement, I know, but here’s some social proof to back it up:
Recipe
The seminal chef Julia Child once said, “I enjoy cooking with wine. Sometimes, I even put it in the food.” and just like Jules, I like putting a lot of wine in my food and in my belly. For this recipe, you’ll need a bottle of medium-bodied red wine (Merlot or Shiraz will work just fine). Two thirds of the bottle go into the sauce, the remaining ⅓ is for the chef.
Once you have prepared the soffrito (this is a fancy way of saying that you’ve glazed the onions, garlic and carrots), you can just add all of the other ingredients to the pot and let everything bubble away on a low heat for a few hours. I recommend cooking this a day in advance as the sauce only gets richer and more flavourful over night.
Get the recipe: Meat-free red wine bolognese 🍝
Options for vegetarians and vegans
I like to give this sauce an extra umami-kick by seasoning with fish sauce and Worcestershire sauce, but if you’re a vegetarian you can leave those out (try adding a small splash of balsamic vinegar instead!). If you’re vegan, make sure to use a vegan red wine for the sauce.
WATCH: Tampopo
Before we get into the good stuff: be warned that watching Tampopo will really make you crave a bowl of ramen. Under no circumstances should you watch this on an empty stomach; consider making your own noodle soup or ordering a Japanese takeaway before you embark on your viewing journey.
Tampopo is a Japanese film about an unlikely duo meeting in a chance encounter: a cowboy-hat-wearing lorry driver who likes to throw a punch, and Dandelion (‘Tampopo’ in Japanese), the owner of a ramen bar.
Together, the two embark on the epic adventure of trying to find the perfect ramen recipe, meeting a bunch of eclectic characters along the way. Their stories and experiences add flavour to Tampopo’s own recipe and her journey towards ramen perfection.
Tampopo is available to stream, rent or buy online.
DANCE: Sizzlers Kitchen Rave
It’s been exactly 419 days since the last time I was a proper rave. What I wouldn’t give to queue in the rain outside of a club, to get barked at by the cloak room lady for trying to squeeze three coats onto one hanger… To order an overpriced, tepid pint or to fork out a fiver for a small bottle of water (and share it with the stranger dancing next to me – now that seems WILD right about now).
To quash my nostalgic rave craving, I’ve been blasting out loud music at random hours of the day – an hour of Detroit techno while I wash the dishes, some 90s club anthems to soundtrack dinner prep – and while this in no way resembles an actual night out, it does lift my mood a lot.
To share the love, I’ve selected three mixes that will set the scene for your own kitchen rave nicely:
Octo Octa’s Resident Advisor Mix
Summed up beautifully by RA as ‘An uplifting ode to queerness and love’.
Sizzlers Kitchen Rave on Reform Radio
One hour of funky disco vibes, 90s rave classics and modern-day stompers.
THE DO!! YOU!!! BREAKFAST SHOW W/ FINN
Finn serves up bangers for breakfast with a sizzlin’ three-hour mix for NTS.
RELAX: Pizza Toast & Coffee: Kissa Būgen
This five-minute film is escapism at its finest. Filmed on a rainy day in Tokyo, it’s set to calming piano music and the soft and soothing pitter-patter of raindrops. The camera follows Kissa Būgen café owner Yamane-san as he prepares his signature pizza toast with a unique cutting style.
I highly recommend watching this the next time you want your mind to take you far away, even if just for a brief moment. Brew a cup of coffee, sit back and enjoy ☕