Winter Comfort :: Braised Short Ribs with Dried Cherries & Red Wine
I can't think of a much better meal for comfy, coziness on a chily day than braised short ribs. These little gems fall off the bone and melt in your mouth. The perfect charm to warm you up on a cold weekend or after a long day on the ski slopes--and easy to serve up for a big group. And the addition of polenta makes this a nice gluten-free dish (just be sure to dredge the ribs in a gluten-free flour). Keep the meal balanced with a nice starter salad. Toss in some sliced pears, toasted walnuts, maybe a touch of gorgonzola and a drizzle of balsamic-honey vinaigrette and you're good to go.
Braised Short Ribs :: with Dried Cherries & Red Wine
Serves :: 6
Ingredients
3 pounds short ribs
salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup all-purpose flour for dredging
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
4 to 5 cippolini onions (or 1 medium yellow onion), roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed gently with a knife
1 1/2 cups carrots, roughly chopped
2 cups cremini or button mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 to 2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/3 cup dried cherries
½ bottle dry red wine
2 cups beef stock
Polenta with Truffle Oil
2 cups water
2 cups whole milk
1 cup polenta or yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese
1 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons truffle oil
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or a cast-iron Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the short ribs with salt and pepper. Dip in flour to cover each side. Brown the short ribs, about 4 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate.
Add onions, garlic and carrots to the pot and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes. Add in mushrooms and herbs. Stir in the tomato paste and dried cherries and place the short ribs back into pan. Add the wine and beef stock and bring to a simmer.
Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for 2 ½ hours, or until the meat is tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from the oven, place the short ribs on a platter, and reduce down the liquid for about 20 minutes on the stovetop. Add ribs back into pot. Serve short ribs and sauce with creamy polenta with truffle oil.
Polenta with Truffle Oil
Bring water and milk to a boil in a medium saucepan. Whisk in polenta in a steady stream. Add in salt and pepper and whisk continuously for 2 to 3 minutes over medium heat. Cover and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, whisking briefly every 10 minutes or so. Whisk in cheese and truffle oil and serve.
image via Nourish
posted: 01.26.12
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Orange, Avocado and Shaved Fennel Salad :: with Toasted Almonds & Lime-Sesame Vinaigrette
Serves :: 2 to 4
Ingredients
1 bunch watercress
2-3 oranges, segments/supremes (or a mix of blood, cara cara and/or navel oranges if you can get them)
1 large avocado, peeled and diced
1 bulb of fennel, halved and finely shaved with a mandolin
2 tablespoons sliced/crushed almonds, toasted
2 tablespoons scallions, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
Zest of one lime
Red pepper flakes for sprinkling
Lime-Sesame Vinaigrette
1 small clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
Juice of one lime
1/2 to 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
3 tablespoons grapeseed or avocado oil
1/2 teaspoon honey (optional)
Salt to taste
*dressing will make extra
Directions
Toss together watercress, oranges, avocado, fennel, almonds and scallions. Whisk together all ingredients for vinaigrette and drizzle lightly over salad. Toss to coat. Garnish salad with cilantro, lime zest and red pepper flakes.
Images by Jen Altman for Rue Magazine
posted: 01.18.12
MARISSA LIPPERT, NYC
This blog: Musings about food, health, design, NYC and abroad. Me: Equal parts nutritionist, food lover, writer and force to be reckoned with in the kitchen. The recipe: gorgeously fresh food, smart balance and effortless style. Say hello: marissa ‘at’ nourish-nyc.com. Find me elsewhere: NOURISH, my nutrition counseling & food consulting firm.
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