Stir-Fried Rice Cake Bolognese

Preparation

Prep the rice cakes

Place the rice cakes in a large bowl and cover with water by 1 inch. Let soak at room temperature for 2 hours, or in the fridge, covered, up to overnight. Drain and set aside.

Make the bolognese

In a large pot over medium heat, warm a generous glug of olive oil. Add the onions, carrots, celery, scallions, garlic, and ginger, and cook until the onions are semitranslucent, about 5 minutes.

Add the ground beef and pork to the pot and cook, stirring and breaking up the chunks of meat, until the beef has browned, about 7 minutes.

Stir in the milk and let it simmer until it has evaporated. Using a nutmeg grater or other fine grater, grate 8 zips of nutmeg into the pot. Stir in the white wine and simmer until it has mostly evaporated. Add the cinnamon stick, bay leaves, soy sauce, kosher salt, and tomatoes and increase the heat to
bring everything to a light boil, then reduce the heat until it is very gently simmering, where just a burp of a bubble breaks the surface intermittently. Cook, uncovered, for 3 hours, until thickened. Once cooked, taste the bolognese and add any additional salt as needed.

Assemble the dish

Transfer the Bolognese to a large saucepan, add the rice cakes, and stir-fry for a few minutes, until the rice cakes are soft and cooked through. Divide among four bowls, sprinkle with a light flurry of Parmesan and fresh basil, and serve.