I recently wrote an article recently about a fabulous farm, deep in the lush Dutch German border, Buffalo Farm Twente, where I tested lots of their cheese and detailed places where you could buy this cheese online. All available for delivery all over the Netherlands.
However, there is another story…
The buffalo meat is excellent and incredibly tasty. With a slightly higher fat content than much of the beef I find here in the Netherlands, a country whose preference is for meat to be lean and fat free, this buffalo meat is an excellent partner for a rich bolognaise sauce in a lasagne. It can more than hold its own.
The Bolognaise sauce
The bolognaise sauce is made by sauteing onions and celery with some butter and a touch of water in my Dutch oven with the lid on tight.
At the same time, brown off the buffalo mince and let it get some good colour or caramelization. Colour equals flavour.
Add the meat to the veg along with a small glass of red wine and reduce.
Add either a tin of chopped tomatoes or a jar of passata, and season.
I also add a touch of milk and a teaspoon of sugar to balance the acidic tomatoes.
For the best flavour, I cook this on a very low heat, for a very long time, say 110oC, for 4 or even 6 hours. You can even put on the timer and cook it overnight. Just turn the oven down to 90oC.
I keep the sauce in the fridge for a couple of days, or alternatively, I freeze a batch and bring it out when needed. What is also useful is to make two lasagnes, so you can keep one as a ready meal for later in the week when you need a meal on the run.
The béchamel sauce
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