CABERNET SHORT RIBS WITH PARMESAN POLENTA and BRAISED SHORT RIBS

I was first introduced to short ribs by a friend, on a cold, winters evening. Hers had simmered in a slow cooker all day, and I'm not sure if it was the wonderful warmth of the friendship I was feeling at the time, or the cocktails I had mixed up, the fun and thrill of trying something new, or the fact that our husbands drove across the snowy town to liberate the short ribs from her house and bring them to ours for the impromptu dinner we organized after running into their family at the near-by park-turned into sled area, but her short ribs were absolutely amazing.
I have cooked short ribs several times since then, and they always bring back marvelous memories of that first time I experienced them, although they have never tasted quite so good as they did that night.

CABERNET SHORT RIBS WITH PARMESAN POLENTA

RIBS
16 (3 ounce) bone in beef short ribs, trimmed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped shallots
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped celery
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 rosemary sprig
2 1/2 cups cabernet sauvignon
1 1/4 cups beef broth
1 teaspoon flour
2 teaspoons water
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
GREMOLATA
1/3 cup chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 garlic clove, minced
POLENTA
3 cups milk
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup quick cooking polenta
1/2 cup grated fresh parmesan cheese

Sprinkle the ribs with salt and pepper. Heat a large Dutch Oven over medium-high heat. Add olive oil to pan, add ribs, saute for 6 minutes, turning to brown on all sides, cooking in batches if needed.
Remove ribs. Add onion, shallots, carrot, celery, garlic and rosemary to pan, saute for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add wine to pan and bring to a boil. Cook for 13 minutes or until reduced to 2 cups.
Heat oven to 350F.
Add broth to pan, and bring to a boil. Return ribs to pan. Cover and bake for 1 1/2 hours, turning ribs after 45 minutes.
Remove ribs from pan, and strain cooking liquid through a fine mesh sieve over a bowl. Discard the solids. Skim the fat and discard.
Return cooking liquid to pan. Combine flour and 2 teaspoons water in a small bowl, stirring well. Add to pan, and bring to a boil. Cook for 11 minutes or until reduced to about 1 cup. Stir in vinegar.
To prepare gremolata, combine 1/3 cup parsley, 1/2 teaspoon lemon rind, and minced garlic.
To prepare polenta, bring milk, cooking broth, salt and freshly ground black pepper to a boil over medium heat. Slowly stir in polenta. Cook 5 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently. Stir in cheese. Place polenta in shallow bowls, and top each serving with ribs, sauce and about 2 teaspoons of gremolata.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light, October 2011
www.cookinglight.com/food/recipe-finder/‎


BRAISED SHORT RIBS

4 1/2 pounds beef short ribs
2 cups red wine
1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
1 6-ounce package sliced button mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped onion
6 garlic cloves, peeled
6 fresh parsley sprigs
2 bay leaves

Sprinkle ribs with salt and pepper.
Place in an even layer in a slow cooker. Add red wine, tomatoes, mushrooms, onion, garlic, parsley and bay leaves, cover and cook on low heat until meat is tender, about 8 hours.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer ribs to serving bowl. Discard parsley and bay leaves. Spoon fat off top of sauce and pour sauce over ribs.
Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit, October 2008
www.bonappetit.com/recipes‎

BEEF AND BACON CASSEROLE

I remember the first time I made this Beef and Bacon Casserole - a friend and I had young children and we decided to unite and cook a meal for our families. It seemed like a brilliant idea - we would get to socialize, our kids would have a play date, and it would all result in dinner.
However,  I'm not sure it was all that successful, we never did prepare a meal together again. We are both proficient, individual cooks, and I always find it challenging and laborious to cook in a kitchen that's not my own.

BEEF AND BACON CASSEROLE

1 pound of ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
6 ounces of fresh mushrooms, sliced
6 ounces of pasta, cooked and drained
1 can cream of mushroom soup
8 ounces of frozen peas
1/4 cup milk
salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 slices of bacon, cooked and chopped
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded, divided use

Heat oven to 325F.
In a large skillet, cook ground beef until no longer pink. Drain the fat. Add onions and mushrooms and cook until onions are wilted.
Add noodles, soup, peas and 1/4 cup of milk. Mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Cover and cook on medium low 5 to 10 minutes, stirring often. Add bacon and 1 cup cheese, stir to combine.
Pour mixture into a casserole dish. Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes.
In a small bowl, mix bread crumbs with butter, add remaining 1 cup of cheese and blend gently. Sprinkle on top of mixture in casserole dish. Return to oven and bake 10 minutes more or until breadcrumbs are golden brown and cheese is melted.
Enjoy!

CREAMY PROSCIUTTO AND PORCINI PENNE

I made this absolutely wonderful pasta dish for my family. I was meeting friends out for dinner, and had a little taste before I left, thinking I would have a big plateful for lunch the next day. However, much to my disappointment - it was all gone by the time I returned home.
It is one of the first times I have used dried mushrooms, and they definitely leant a richness and depth to the sauce. I cannot wait to make this again, and this time, have a proper serving.

CREAMY PROSCIUTTO AND PORCINI PENNE

1/2 pound penne pasta
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 pound prosciutto, diced
1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 large shallot, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup cream
1/3 cup marsala
shaved parmesan cheese
chopped parsley, for garnishing

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain.
Bring the chicken stock and porcinis to a boil. Simmer until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Puree in a food processor.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the prosciutto and cook about 2 minutes. Add the creminis and cook until browned, about 10 minutes. Add the shallot and garlic, season with salt and pepper. Stir in the cream and marsala. Stir in the mushroom puree and cook at a fairly rapid bubble, stirring until reduced, 10 minutes.
Add the pasta to the sauce. Top with cheese and parsley.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Every Day with Rachael Ray, October 2012
www.rachaelraymag.com › In the Magazine