Recipes
Braised Short Ribs 5 pounds beef short ribs, cut into 1-rib pieces if necessary
All-purpose flour seasoned with salt and pepper for dredging
1/4 cup rendered bacon fat
4 garlic cloves, chopped
6 small onions (about 1 pound total), unpeeled but chopped
6 carrots, sliced
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled
1 cup red wine
3 cups beef broth
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Dredge ribs in flour, knocking off excess. Heat bacon fat in a 6-quart heavy ovenproof kettle over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Brown the short ribs in batches in a single layer without crowding. Transfer short ribs as browned with tongs to a large plate.
Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons bacon fat remaining in kettle and in it cook garlic, onions, carrots, and rosemary with salt and pepper to taste over moderate heat, stirring, until browned lightly. Deglaze the kettle with red wine. Add the beef broth to the vegetable mixture and bring to a boil, stirring. Return ribs to the kettle, squeezing them to fit in a single layer, if possible, and cover kettle with a lid. Braise ribs in oven until tender, about 2 hours.
Transfer ribs with tongs to a platter and keep warm. Pour cooking liquid through a fine sieve set over a saucepan, discarding solids, and skim fat. If necessary, boil liquid to thicken it slightly, and spoon sauce over ribs. Serve with boiled new potatoes.
Steak au Poivre
4 tenderloin steaks, 6 to 8 ounces each and no more than 1 1/2 inches thick
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons whole peppercorns
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/3 cup Cognac, plus 1 teaspoon
1 cup heavy cream
Remove the steaks from the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour prior to cooking. Sprinkle all sides with salt.
Coarsely crush the peppercorns with a mortar and pestle, the bottom of a cast iron skillet, or using a mallet and pie pan. Spread the peppercorns evenly onto a plate. Press the fillets, on both sides, into the pepper until it coats the surface. Set aside.
In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and olive oil. As soon as the butter and oil begin to turn golden and smoke, gently place the steaks in the pan. For medium-rare, cook for 4 minutes on each side. Once done, remove the steaks to a plate, tent with foil and set aside. Pour off the excess fat but do not wipe or scrape the pan clean.
Off of the heat, add 1/3 cup Cognac to the pan and carefully ignite the alcohol with a long match or firestick. Gently shake pan until the flames die. Return the pan to medium heat and add the cream. Bring the mixture to a boil and whisk until the sauce coats the back of a spoon, approximately 5 to 6 minutes. Add the teaspoon of Cognac and season, to taste, with salt. Add the steaks back to the pan, spoon the sauce over, and serve.
Ropa Vieja
Ropa vieja, or "old clothes," describes the shreds of meat, peppers, and onions resembling a mess of colorful rags. Robust stews such as this Cuban specialty are at the heart of West Indian cuisine.
5 tablespoons olive oil
3 pounds skirt or flank steak, cut into large pieces
2 bay leaves
1/2 onion, peeled and studded with 4 whole cloves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 green bell peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
2 red bell peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (14 to 16-ounce) can whole tomatoes with juice, chopped
1/2 cup pimiento-stuffed Spanish olives, drained and halved
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
Serving Suggestion: White rice
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the steak with salt and pepper and cook, turning once, until well browned.
Transfer the steak with 1 bay leaf and the clove-studded onion to a large pot, with a tight-fitting lid, and cover with water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, covered, until tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove from the heat and cool the meat in the liquid for about 30 minutes. Transfer meat to a platter and cover, to keep warm. Reserve 2 cups of the cooking liquid. (Stew may be made up to this point 1 day ahead.)
Meanwhile, return the skillet to medium-high heat and heat the remaining 3 tablespoons oil. Add the remaining bay leaf, peppers, garlic, onion, oregano, and cumin and cook, stirring, until softened and fragrant, about 8 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until dark red, about 1 minute more. Add the 2 cups reserved liquid, tomatoes, and olives and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
While the vegetables are cooking, pull the steak into shreds. Add the steak and peas to the vegetable mixture and cook, stirring, until just heated through. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with white rice. |
The crisp, cool air of autumn has finally settled in our neck of the woods and our souls yearn for comfort…and value. This October we are focusing on seven fantastic Spanish reds that are sure to please your palate and your pocket book. Some of the world's most exciting wines are coming from areas of Spain formerly unheard of in the world of wine. Many of these wines offer exceptional value. Here are seven scarily good wines that we recommend for your Halloween party or hayride. 
2004 Protocolo Red
2003 Bodegas Nekeas Vega Sindoa Cabernet Sauvignon-Tempranillo
2005 Barahonda Monastrell
2004 Portal Roble
2004 Borsao Tres Picos Garnacha
2002 Campo Eliseo