Braised Beef Short Ribs with Penne

In Slow Cooker

Another comfort food that is better next day. This version is no-fuss, slow cooker job. I cooked tomato sauce in slow cooker for 8 hours one day, stored most of the sauce for future use and then cooked the browned ribs in 2 cups of sauce left over and served next day. The flavor was incredible. I can just imagine how this sauce with shredded short ribs meat would shine in a Lasagna. That is exactly what I will do with my leftovers.

This recipe looks more complicated in writing then it is in reality.

Ingredients:

1-1/2 Lb beef short ribs, fat trimmed

1 Tbs. olive oil

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 small carrot, shredded

1-1/2 cup tomato sauce

1 Tbs. hot paprika

1/2 dry Marsala wine

3/4 cup tomato paste

1/2 tsp. dry rosemary or 1 tsp. fresh, chopped fine

1 tsp. dry basil

1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar

2 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. lemon juice

Directions:

Turn the heat on a crock pot to Low - 6 hours.

Sprinkle the ribs generously with salt and pepper on all sides. Heat a heavy bottomed skillet, add olive oil and when oil starts to smoke drop in ribs and brown on all sides. When all pieces are golden brown move them to preheated crock pot.

Pour off all oil leaving just a thin film. Stir in garlic, onions, carrot and paprika and sauté till soft. Off the heat pour in Marsala and deglaze the skillet. Put back on a heat and reduce till only 1 Tbs. of Marsala remains.

Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, sugar and rosemary and bring to boil. When boiling, turn off the heat and empty the skillet over the ribs in crock pot. The liquid should almost cover the ribs. Meanwhile cook penne till al dente. Close to end of cooking add balsamic vinegar and lemon juice and taste for seasoning.

For smoother texture and richer sauce remove ribs to serving platter or individual plates and using immersion blender liquefy the sauce.

Serve the ribs on deep platter with sauce and penne and garnish with chopped parsley.

Braised Fragrant Pork Belly

My version of Chinese classic comfort food



Last week I got my newest cookbook "Mastering the Art Of Chinese Cooking" by
Eileen Yin-Fei Lo. Very good book even though in places it is a bit dictatorial for my taste, I am a free wheeler cook. There are quite a few “you must do this”, “you must use that” etc. Still, an excellent book.

Anyway, yesterday I was reading about slow cooked pork bellies and I just had to have it. Alas, no pork belly, just a thick slices on plain bacon. Good substitute, I thought. Out came my earthenware pot, ginger, star anise, cloves, cinnamon, tangerine peel, hot chilies, yellow rock sugar, sake, dark soy sauce, green onions and of course the bacon. Wasn’t bad at all but next time I’ll include some Chinese mushrooms for texture. Since the bacon was only 1/4” thick it was cooked in less then and hour.

Marsala Veal with Cremini and Oyster Mushrooms

This must be one of the easiest veal dishes I’ve done in a while. Once first two steps are done it is just let it be and leave it alone. Being a braise it is also almost impossible to photograph well. Pictures you see in food magazines are staged with almost raw ingredients whereas I take a shot and then eat the “prop” before it gets cold.

I have to admit that I have improvised a bit as the food was cooking and I will include all steps. By the way, my better half has pronounced it as the best veal she has ever had and I have cooked a few in the last 35 years or so.

I cook for two so all my recipes reflect that in ingredients amounts.

Ingredients:

Veal shoulder blade chop

1 Tbs. olive oil

1/2 onion

Sprig of fresh rosemary or 1 tsp. of dried

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 cup dry Marsala

Chicken stock (to add during braise)

2 cups sliced cremini mushrooms

1 cup oyster mushrooms

1 small carrot, sliced

1 stalk celery, sliced

1 Tbs. cold butter

Salt, pepper

Parsley, chopped

Process:

Coat veal chop in flour and shake off excess.

Heat a heavy bottomed pan large enough to accommodate veal chop on medium high and add olive oil. Place chop in and sear without moving for about 4 – 5 minutes. When golden skin forms turn over and cook another 5 minutes. Remove to plate and cover with foil.

Lower heat and add onions and cook till translucent.

Off the heat pour in Marsala and deglaze all bits stuck to bottom of pan, add rosemary and pepper and return to heat. Reduce Marsala by half.

Return veal to pan with all accumulated juices and add cremini. Make sure that veal is half submerged in liquid at all times. If not, add chicken stock. At this point the meat is not salted.

Meanwhile boil potatoes or noodles for side dish.

Reduce heat to low so that liquids just barely simmer, cover and braise for 1-1/2 hours. Check for liquid level every 20 minutes or so.

Turn chop over and add carrots, celery and oyster mushrooms and salt to taste. Cover and braise another half hour.

Remove chop to plate, debone, cut into serving pieces and keep warm.

To finish, reduce sauce and stir in cold butter cut into 1” pieces.

Serve the veal with sauce on top and with side dish of your choice.