Braised Beef Short Ribs

October 29, 2015 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking with the Contessa

Each week I follow along with Ina Garten (aka the Barefoot Contessa) and attempt to recreate one of her dishes in my tiny New York City kitchen. The catch? This is my version of cooking school and I’m making these recipes for the first time. I’ll share both my successes and um, challenges, along the way and we’ll see if I can keep up with the Contessa!

Episode: “Pot Luck Dinner”

The Set-up: Ina and her friends, T.R. (!!) and Kirk (Curt?), are planning a pot luck dinner together.

The Menu: Scott’s Short Ribs, Cheddar Dill Cornbread, Meringue Chantilly with Stewed Berries

0:59 – Ina and two friends, the famous T.R., and another fellow named Kirk or possibly Curt are sipping coffee at Tate’s Bakeshop and scheming their next move.

1:18 – T.R. proposes a pot luck dinner at his house. Ina immediately says she’ll make the main course, Kirk/Curt drops some wine knowledge on them so he’s in charge of drinks, leaving T.R. with dessert duty. Something berry-related.

2:01 – We’re back in the barn where Ina says she has three rules for pot luck parties: 1. Make it ahead, 2. Make something that travels well, 3. Make it delicious. The result: She’s making Scott’s Short Ribs starting with roasting the beef in the oven rather than on the stove top.

3:45 – Over to T.R. who claims he’s going to make Meringues Chantilly with Stewed Berries and despite the fact that he’s in Loaves and Fishes he’s just buying cream…right. #Chekhovsrecipecard

4:11 – Back to Ina who is prepping all the vegetables that will go into the short rib sauce - leeks, fennel, carrots, celery - to create layers of flavor. Yum!

5:52 – Ina says that all the vegetables are intended to counter balance the richness of the beef with a brighter, fresh taste.

9:24 – Now that the hardier vegetables have been cooking for awhile, it’s time to add the garlic, tomato paste, and wine. Very boeuf bourgignon inspired.

10:07 – Pro Tip #1: tie the herbs together with kitchen twine to make removing the stems easier later.

11:43 – Short ribs are out of the oven and ready to be nestled into the sauce before they go back in the oven to slowly braise. Surprise ingredient: brown sugar.

12:18 – You know I don’t normally quibble with Ina, but I have to bring up a discrepancy. In this episode she said we didn’t have to make our own beef stock (see minute 19:23), now she has homemade!

13:26 – Over to T.R. as he shops for the berries he’ll need for the Meringues Chantilly with Stewed Berries all the while making grandiose statements about how he’s going to make them all by himself. #foreshadowing

14:39 – The ribs are out of the oven and they’re literally falling off the bone. Pro Tip #2: Bones help to flavor and thicken the sauce.

18:31 – The sauce has reduced while the short ribs rested and now Ina is just keeping everything warm until it’s time for dinner.

19:45 – We’re back with T.R. as he continues to make progress on dessert – whipping cream, cooking fresh berries – all in a very charming cottage kitchen while wearing a pink/white seersucker shirt. How seaside.

20:52 – It’s not nice to laugh at another’s misfortune, but T.R. is about to be hung on his own petard when he realizes that meringues need to bake for 2 hours and then slowly cooled for several more hours. His reaction is straight from the Cher Horowitz play book.

21:20 – While T.R. is left to deal with this setback, we go back to Ina where all is serene as she bakes Cheddar Dill Cornbread to sop up the sauces.

22:03 – I’ve made a version of Ina’s cornbread before and it’s incredible since it’s actually moist unlike most others. Add it to your repertoire immediately!

23:44 – I love that Ina uses her food processor so sparingly. Call me crazy, but I kind of prefer to do as much as I can manually – more control, I guess?

27:48 – Ina’s devotion to garnishing with an ingredient that’s actually in the dish is spot-on; in this case: shreds of cheddar on top. I’m always confused when the decoration is totally unrelated to the recipe.

28:12 – T.R. is throwing himself on the mercy of Anna Pump back at Loaves and Fishes who rescues him with the last three meringues in the store, which he neglects to pay for as he races home in his Jeep woody wagon. Oh, production team that’ll be $12!

29:27 – Kirk/Curt, with impeccable timing, arrives bearing wine just as dinner hits the table. They all dive in and Ina throws some light shade in T.R.’s direction with a comment about how she can’t wait for dessert. She knows something’s up.

29:50 – He tries to pretend it’s all Barefoot “buy something, make something…” style, but he’s 100% caught! I hope she makes him do all the dishes.

Final Thoughts:
Do more garnishing and think through even the smallest elements of the dish.

Poor T.R., the comic relief but also a reminder to always read the recipe!

How did Kirk/Curt get off so easily? He’s on wine-duty again next time?!

Lessons Learned:
I wrongly thought that because I see short ribs on restaurant menus all the time they must take a lot of skill to prepare. As it turns out, making Scott’s Short Ribs is dead easy and makes you look like a hero.

Trimming the Beef – My ribs didn’t come pre-trimmed and to be honest I didn’t notice that they were supposed to be. Maybe I should have learned from T.R. and read the recipe more carefully! The good news is this won’t sink your results in anyway, but it does mean that you’ll be dodging some fatty bits later. In the future I will definitely trim!

Pre-roasting – I love this method of browning the ribs, so much simpler than in a pan. I lined my baking sheet with aluminum foil just to make the dishes a little easier and patted the ribs dry with paper towels before seasoning to make sure they would really get a good sear.

Vegetables – I’ve still find chopping vegetables really relaxing and with so many items to prep this is a great chance to practice your knife skills. I made one small change and added more carrots – about 6 medium – just because braised carrots are so good and I’ll always take a few extra!

Portioning – I didn’t realize how much the ribs would shrink in the cooking and with so much sauce it’s not a bad idea to make a few extra than you think you’ll need if you can fit them in the pot. Depends on the appetite of your eaters, but 2-3 per person is about right.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Yes, totally. I used a rimmed baking sheet, 5.5 qt French oven, chef’s knife, large cutting board, vegetable peeler, tongs, measuring cups, and a wooden spatula. Aluminum foil will make clean up faster and paper towels are helpful for getting a good sear on the ribs.

The Verdict:
I made Scott’s Short Ribs as a special dinner for Mike’s birthday celebration, but honestly with so little hands-on time needed this could be an anytime recipe. The beef is amazingly delicious, fall off the bone tender and the vegetables are savory and super flavorful. I’m so glad I made this before winter truly arrives so this can be a staple of our cold-weather dinners! PS: This is really good with the Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits!

Marinated Kale Salad with Roasted Delicata Squash & Parmesan

October 26, 2015 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking

The particular ingredients of this salad are inspired by one we had at The Walrus and the Carpenter on our trip to Seattle last fall when Mike and I found ourselves duking it out over the last bites at dinner. I truly never thought I’d see the day when we would have to evenly divide up a salad to ensure equal opportunity – chocolate cake, maybe; leafy greens, no. I took some notes of the ingredients in my phone thinking I’d try to make it for us after we returned to New York.

Alas, after the great iphone meltdown of 2015 with all notepads lost I had to rely on my memory and my own personal preferences to recreate at least the spirit of that dish. Something lemony, something hearty, a little cheese, toasted nuts for crunch and here we are. A salad that inspires second helpings and can be made in advance. Even assembled this salad can stay in the refrigerator for a day or two.

To be honest, I was never a huge fan of kale in salads until I had a marinated kale salad. Game changer. With arugula or spinach, limiting the time the delicate leaves are in contact with the dressing is essential to prevent wilting. Marinating kale in an acidic dressing takes what is normally a drawback of traditional salads and turns it into a virtue – using the dressing to break down the fibrous leaves, infusing them with flavor, and leaving them perfectly tender, but still crisp.

Marinated Kale Salad with Roasted Delicata Squash and Parmesan (serves 4)

Ingredients:
3 cups (1 bunch) lacinato kale ribbons (aka black or Tuscan kale)
1 medium delicata squash
2 ounces parmesan cheese
1/4 cup pistachios
2 tablespoons raw pumpkin seeds (aka pepitas)
1/4 cup (2-3 lemons) lemon juice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:
Wash and dry the kale leaves before removing the tough central rib by running a chef’s knife along either side. Cut the kale leaves into ribbons by stacking 3-4 leaves and rolling vertically, end to end, into a cigar shape. Cut horizontally across the roll to create long strips.

Once all of the kale is prepared, whisk together the freshly squeezed lemon juice, olive oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper for the marinade/dressing. Toss the kale ribbons with the dressing in a medium mixing bowl and set aside at room temperature for 2-3 hours or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, stir occasionally.

To prepare the squash, wash the exterior and cut a thin slice from the top and bottom to remove the stem. Slice the remaining squash horizontally into 1/3” wide rounds (no need to peel!) Scoop out the seeds and pulp from each ring with a spoon and place the squash on a rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper. Roast in a pre-heated oven at 425 degrees F for 25-30 minutes turning every 7-10 minutes to ensure even caramelization.

While the squash is roasting, grate the Parmesan cheese, and toast the pistachios in a dry pan over medium-low heat for 4-5 minutes. Watch the pistachios carefully and stir occasionally to prevent them from burning.

Layer the marinated kale, roasted squash, toasted pistachios, pepitas, and parmesan. Serve immediately or refrigerate and serve chilled.

Inspired by The Walrus and the Carpenter and adapted from the Marinated Kale Salad in A Boat, a Whale, and a Walrus: Menus and Stories by Renee Erickson and Jess Thomson.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Absolutely. I used a medium mixing bowl, chef’s knife, medium cutting board, and liquid measuring cup. I also needed a rimmed baking sheet, tongs, box grater, and small sauté pan in addition to a regular spoon, measuring cups and spoons. Aluminum foil will help with clean up.

The Verdict:
I took a batch of this kale salad along with us on a weekend trip when I didn’t know what the kitchen situation would be and wanted to have a few items prepped for on the fly meals. Mike and I had this for a lighter soup & salad lunch and it was perfect. Simultaneously hearty and light, great flavor, and came straight from the refrigerator onto our plates ready to go. The brightness of the lemon and salty parmesan balances nicely against the richer squash, pistachios and pepitas with the now-tender kale providing a crunchy backdrop. This is a great fall salad for entertaining or lazy weekends at home.

Cider Braised Chicken & Apples

October 19, 2015 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking

In my mind apples and apple cider are practically synonymous with fall, an arrival to eagerly anticipate as the leaves turn and the autumn crop of MacIntoshes and Cortlands appear. After a childhood spend going to the annual apple festival it’s probably woven into my DNA.

We’d take the backroads, avoiding the line of cars snaking over the hill, to make sure Dad made his shift running the antique cider press on time, then scatter to meet our friends, snoop through the crafts (raffia terror-level: high), and see who was working which food tent. If you were lucky someone you knew would slip an extra fritter - generously sanded with cinnamon sugar, best eaten piping hot - in your paper bag. The two churches in town competed semi-seriously to see who would sell the most pies and the tally at the end of the weekend was a news item of note.

Pie is a classic, but savory dishes like this one that uses both the whole fruit and hard cider put a new spin on apples and take them into new territory. This recipe is simple and thanks to the low and slow method the chicken develops great flavor braising in mustard, thyme, with hard apple cider standing in for white wine.

Cider Braised Chicken & Apples (serves 4)

Ingredients:
4 (2 pounds) bone-in, skin-on medium chicken breasts
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium firm apples such as Rome, Spy, or Mutsu
2 cups (1 1/2 bottles) dry hard apple cider (I used Angry Orchard Stone Dry)
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
5-6 fresh thyme sprigs, plus 2 teaspoons minced thyme leaves
1/4 cup heavy cream

Instructions:
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F and position a rack in the center.

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season both sides generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until very hot in a straight-sided 10 or 11 inch oven-safe sauté pan with a lid.

Place the chicken pieces skin side down and cook until deeply browned, about 5 or 6 minutes. Resist the urge to move the pieces around. When the skin comes away easily from the pan, they’re ready to turn. Use tongs and cook on the other side for 3 to 5 minutes more until browned. Transfer the chicken to a plate and discard all but 1 tablespoon of the oil from the pan. Set the pan aside to cool for a few minutes.

While the chicken is browning, peel, cored, and cut the apples into sixths. Return the pan to medium-high heat, add the apple pieces, and cook, turning once, until both cut sides are golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a different plate.

Carefully pour the hard cider into the pan and bring to a boil, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Whisk the Dijon mustard into the cider until well combined, then add the thyme sprigs, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Return the chicken to the pan skin side up, along with any juices that have accumulated and cover. Transfer the pan to the oven and braise for 20 minutes. Nestle the apples in among the chicken pieces and continue to braise 25 to 30 minutes more or until the chicken reaches 160 degrees F on an instant read thermometer.

With a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken and apples to a large serving dish and cover loosely with foil. Discard the thyme sprigs and skim off as much fat as possible from the remaining sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat and whisk in the cream. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Check for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper.

Pour the sauce over the chicken, sprinkle with the minced thyme leaves, and serve with butternut squash puree or mashed potatoes.

Re-written and lightly adapted from Fine Cooking’s Braised Chicken Legs with Cider, Apples & Mustard by Jennifer McLagan.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
100%. I used a large, deep stainless steel sauté pan with a lid, tongs, a slotted spoon, wooden spatula, a whisk, a liquid measuring cup. A small cutting board, chef’s knife, two plates, paper towels and aluminum foil will do it.

The Verdict:
Unlike other braised dishes, which can sometimes be heavy, this one balances comforting cold-weather food with tangy cider and mustard. I particularly liked the combination of the tart, sweet apples with butternut squash puree – all the flavors of harvest-time on one plate. This meal doesn’t take a lot of time or hands-on effort and still feels special enough for company. I can’t wait to make this again and again in the coming months!

Roasted Potato Leek Soup

October 14, 2015 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking with the Contessa

Episode: “Comfort Classics Close-up”

The Set-up: A magazine article on comfort food has Ina re-examining the classic, while Miguel snaps the photos.

The Menu: Bagels with Smoked Salmon & Whitefish Salad, Potato Leek Soup, Virgin Marys, Herb Garlic Bread

0:22 – Ina’s platter of Bagels with Smoked Salmon & Whitefish Salad is inspired by the appetizing provisions her grandparents used to bring from Brooklyn. She teases them a little, but really Connecticut in the 1950s might not have been the ideal place to find a great bagel.

1:16 – First step, peel and de-bone a whole smoked whitefish and she warns us that actually procuring one might require a little translation.

2:39 – Ina is trying to hard to make this accessible, but really what you need is a good delicatessen – like Barney Greengrass or Russ & Daughters – or a specialty store. Trying to get whitefish at your average fish counter is not likely to result in success.

3:54 – This is a pretty messy job, some seriously hands on work removing the bones and flaking the meat of the smoked whitefish. I’m not sure if I’ve ever had whitefish salad, but it looks really good.

4:31 – Over to Miguel who is setting the scene for the bagel platter with reed mats and simple cutlery.

5:12 – Pro Tip #1: Ina recommends cutting the bagel in thirds – flat on a board, hand on top, watch your fingers! – to get thinner, crispier pieces. Pro Tip #2: Give a bagel platter some height and visual interest by placing the salmon in a herringbone pattern.

6:33 – Whoa, this is some next level trickery. She’s using two whole leaves of radicchio to form bowls for the cream cheese and whitefish salad.

7:25 – A few more layering pieces – slices of lemon, tomato, red onion – and the platter is complete. Wisely, Ina makes Miguel a side plate so he won’t be tempted to devour the platter before the photos are taken!

10:19 – Now we’re moving on to Virgin Marys and I hope you’ll forgive me if I tune out for a moment while she makes these. Cold, spicy tomato juice is one of my least favorite things – not as bad as soggy bread, worse than corn dog.

12:30 – Okay I’m back and whatever took place to make that pitcher of red liquid has been lost to the sands of time.

13:47 – Miguel photographs the set-up of the bagel platter & drinks – now realistically posed thanks to their sips out of the glasses – while Ina moves on to lunch prep.

14:28 – Interesting, the recipe for Potato Leek Soup is essentially a revitalized version of the French soup vichyssoise. Trust the French to transform really rustic ingredients with an uber-elegant name.

15:11 – Ina warns us to wash the leeks really, really carefully since “there’s absolutely no point in making soup if it’s full of sand.” Word.

16:02 – The final step of roasting the vegetables is a handful or two of arugula wilted in at the end. That’s a new one to me…

20:45 – Veggies are out of the oven and now another unique step – the sheet pan goes right on the stove so that Ina can deglaze the browned bits with some white wine.

21:16 – We differ on the texture – Ina prefers something chunky and a little coarse, while I really love a smooth, perfectly blended soup.

22:39 – I’m not sure if vichyssoise traditionally has cream, but Ina is adding both cream and crème fraîche for tang.

23:50 – We check in with Miguel who has assembled a different table setting for the soup – a rustic cheese board is the center piece. I love seeing the choices that another photographer/stylist makes.

24:23 – Ina has made some crispy shallots for a soup garnish and says they take 40-50 minutes to fry. Holy cow.

27:08 – Last up, Herb Garlic Bread. Basil, parsley, garlic all sautéed in olive oil and drizzled into the center of a crunchy baguette. I bet this tastes amazing before it even hits the oven.

28:21 – Finishing touches on the soup, while the bread is in the oven and then everything goes on the table for Miguel to shoot.

29:56 – No side plate of soup this time, so he’ll have to work fast! Wonder if Miguel needs an assistant…?

Final Thoughts:
It’s amazing how the right light and staging really bring out the beauty in food.

Mike would approve of the crispy shallots and flaked shards of parmesan, he loves a textural contrast.

Pretty sure that Potato Leek soup is running in these Irish veins.

Lessons Learned:
I decided to make Potato Leek Soup out of curiosity – could Ina take very simple base ingredients and transform them? Short answer: yes. Long answer: here’s what I learned along the way….

Vegetable Prep – the recipe calls for peeled Yukon gold (aka butter) potatoes, but I realized after the fact that it probably isn’t 100% necessary. This is a rustic, textured soup after all, and why waste those vitamins? My blender is more than up to the challenge of a few thin skins, so next time I’ll probably skip that step and just wash them well.

Roasting Vegetables – I managed to resist crowding the vegetables on the pan, a key element in roasting. The potatoes and leeks need space, otherwise they steam and don’t get the browning caramelization that deepens the flavor.

Deglazing a Baking Sheet – My kitchen has a gas stove and I could write a whole post about why I prefer it, but this is just one example: you actually can put a roasting pan or sheet tray on top. If, however, you’re working with an electric or induction stove fear not - just add the white wine and stock to the rimmed sheet while it’s still hot do a little scraping and put it back the oven if you need a little more heat. No stovetop cooking needed.

Flavor & Ingredients – Ina and I rarely disagree, but I wasn’t sure I liked Potato Leek Soup when I first tasted it. The creaminess was a little much and even with the white wine to provide acid it seemed out of balance, until I realized I had left out the parmesan cheese. I nearly didn’t put it in since the flavor was already trending cheesy to my palate, so I did a test with a sprinkle in a small spoonful and amazingly it was so, so much better. A lesson I occasionally have to re-learn: check the ingredients and make sure they’re all in!

Shallots – I also nearly skipped this step, 30 minutes to fry some shallots (!?) In the end though, I was convinced that I should finish all the steps and I’m really glad that I did. Just like that little bit of parmesan, the crisp shallots add a different texture and a new layer of flavor to the soup. Worth the effort, but don’t forget to turn down the heat once your oil is hot or you’ll have singed shallots. Might have burnt the first batch…sorry neighbors!

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Probably. I used one rimmed baking sheet, a blender (a food processor or stick blender would work too), a 5.5 qt French oven, small sauce pan, a medium cutting board, chef’s knife, vegetable peeler, microplane grater, a wooden spatula, ladle, measuring cups and spoons.

The Verdict:
This Potato Leek Soup with its starches, cream, and cheese should taste heavy and too rich, but magically it doesn’t. The flavor is deep and satisfying, perfect for a mid-autumn supper or as a starter. Particularly helpful when you’re entertaining since it can be made a few days in advance allowing the ingredients to meld. I made this on a weekend and stashed it in the fridge to deploy for a quick dinner – just add grilled cheese and green salad. Keep this one in your back pocket for this winter when a little simmering feels like a good idea.