January Recipes
Braised Short Ribs
1 bottle Cabernet Sauvignon
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 short ribs, trimmed
Salt
1 teaspoon black peppercorns, crushed
Matzoh meal, for dredging
10 cloves garlic, peeled
8 large shallots, peeled, trimmed, rinsed, split, and dried
2 medium carrots, peeled, trimmed, and cut into 1-inch lengths
2 stalks celery, peeled, trimmed, and cut into 1-inch lengths
1 medium leek, white and light green parts only, coarsely chopped
6 sprigs Italian parsley
2 sprigs thyme
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 quarts unsalted beef stock or chicken stock
Freshly ground white pepper
Pour the wine into a large saucepan set over medium heat. When the wine is heated, carefully set it aflame. Let the flames die out, then increase the heat so that the wine boils; allow it to boil until it cooks down by 1/2. Remove from the heat. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large casserole, large enough to hold 6 ribs, over medium-high heat. Season the ribs all over with salt and the crushed pepper. Dust the ribs with about 2 tablespoons of matzoh meal and then when the oil is hot, slip the ribs into the pot and sear for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until well browned. Transfer the browned ribs to a plate. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pot; lower the heat to medium, and toss in the vegetables and herbs. Brown the vegetables lightly, 5 to 7 minutes, then stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to blend. Add the reduced wine, browned ribs, and stock to the pot. Bring to a boil; cover the pot tightly, and slide it into the oven to braise for about 2 1/2 hours, or until the ribs are tender enough to be easily pierced with a fork. Every 30 minutes or so, lift the lid and skim and discard whatever fat may have bubbled up to the surface. Carefully transfer the meat to a heated serving platter with a lip and keep warm. Boil the pan liquid until it thickens and reduces to approximately 1 quart. Season with salt and pepper and pass through a fine-mesh strainer; discard the solids.
Presentation: Pour the sauce over the meat. Serve with vegetables of your choice.
Grilled Porterhouse with Exotic Mushrooms
2 giant (2 to 2 1/2-inch thick) porterhouse (or T-bone) steaks, about> 2 pounds each
1/2 cup olive oil (1/4 cup for steak, 1/4 cup for mushrooms)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds mixed large mushrooms (potbellies, shiitake, creminis, chanterelles, oyster, or other kinds), trimmed
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup roughly chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
3 tablespoons dry sherry
Build a multi-level fire in the grill: Leave 1/4 of the bottom free of coals, bank the coals in the remaining 3/4 of the grill so that they are 3 times as high on 1 side as on the other. When the coals are all ignited and the temperature is hot (Hold hand about 5-inches above grill grid, over the area where coals are deepest, for 2 seconds or less), the grill is ready to cook. Pat the steaks dry with paper towels, then rub them all over with 1/4 cup of the olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Place the steaks over the hottest part of the fire and cook until well seared on 1 side, 6 to 8 minutes. Then move them to the medium hot part of the grill and cook, turning once, until they are done the way you like them, 10 to 15 minutes more for rare. Check for doneness.
Make mushrooms while grilling steaks: Combine the mushrooms, the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil, and the teaspoon of pepper in a large bowl. Toss gently until the mushrooms are well coated and all the oil is absorbed.
When steaks are done, transfer them to a serving platter, cover loosely with foil, and let them rest while grilling mushrooms. Put the mushrooms on the medium-hot part of the grill and cook, turning occasionally, until they are golden brown and moist all the way through, about 8 to 10 minutes. Slice the cooked mushrooms and put them back in the bowl along with the butter, parsley, and sherry, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and toss gently to coat. To serve, cut the meat away from the bone, then cut it into thick slices. Divide them among 4 serving plates and spoon mushrooms over the top.
Winter Minestrone
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound Swiss chard, stems trimmed, leaves coarsely chopped
1 russet potato, peeled, cubed
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 fresh rosemary sprig
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained, rinsed
2 (14-ounce) cans low-sodium beef broth
1 ounce piece Parmesan cheese rind
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
Salt and pepper
Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, pancetta, and garlic. Saute until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the Swiss chard and potato; saute for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and rosemary sprig. Simmer until the chard is wilted and the tomatoes break down, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, blend 3/4 cup of the beans with 1/4 cup of the broth in a processor until almost smooth. Add the pureed bean mixture, remaining broth, and Parmesan cheese rind to the vegetable mixture. Simmer until the potato pieces are tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Stir in the whole beans and parsley. Simmer until the beans are heated through and the soup is thick, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Discard Parmesan rind and rosemary sprig (the leaves will have fallen off of the stem.) Ladle the soup into bowls and serve. |
It's January and it's cold. The sunny months of summer are a long way off, but it's summer in Australia right now. If you don't have the luxury of taking time off and flying to Australia for a couple weeks of fun why not try warming up at home with some hearty Aussie reds. Winter can be a beautiful time of year if you look at it right. While it may be a time of shoveling, slush, frozen pipes, and freezing rain, it's also a time for hearty foods, glowing fireplaces, snowball fights, and good friends. Nothing will warm you up and sooth your soul quite as well as a rich, fruit-filled, spice-laden red from Down Under. Happy 2006! Cheers!
2004 d'Arenberg "The Stump Jump" Grenache Shiraz Mourvedre
2002 Rolf Binder Hales Barossa Valley Shiraz
2002 Penley Estate Phoenix Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon
2003 Aramis Vineyards McLaren Vale Shiraz
2004 Mr. Riggs Adelaide Shiraz Viognier
2004 Kaesler Stonehorse Barossa Valley Shiraz
2003 Charles Cimicky "The Autograph" Barossa Valley Shiraz