Beet and Apple Salad
Directions
Toss 2 thinly sliced apples, 4 thinly sliced celery stalks (with leaves) and 1 minced shallot in a bowl with the juice of 1 lemon. Peel 1 beet, then slice into matchsticks and add to the bowl. Toss in 1 teaspoon sugar, 3 tablespoons chopped walnuts, 3 tablespoons olive oil, and salt and pepper. Let stand 10 minutes, then serve on a bed of sliced endive.
Braised Short Ribs with Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 8 short ribs (12 ounces each), trimmed and tied by a butcher
- 8 shallots
- 11 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 6 ounces pancetta, diced
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons cognac or brandy
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups red wine
- 1/4 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 10 ounces oyster mushrooms, trimmed
- 10 ounces cremini mushrooms, trimmed and halved
Directions
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Bring the short ribs to room temperature. Meanwhile, pulse the shallots, 10 cloves garlic and the tomato paste in a food processor to make a paste. Cook the pancetta in a large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat until crisp, about 7 minutes. Transfer thepancetta and all but 2 tablespoons drippings to a bowl.
Add the shallot mixture to the pot and cook, stirring, until brown, about 6 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add 1/2 cup cognac, scraping up the browned bits. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring, about 5 more minutes. Gradually stir in the wine until smooth. Add the porcini, thyme, bay leaves and 11/2 teaspoons salt.
Season the short ribs with salt and pepper, place in the pot and add water to cover. Trim a piece of parchment paper so that it rests on the surface of the meat. Cover the pot with the lid and transfer to the oven. Cook until the meat is fork-tender, about 3 hours.
Remove the meat from the sauce and transfer to a plate. Set the sauce aside, about 10 minutes, then skim off the fat. (If the sauce is thick, add a splash of water.) Discard the bay leaves, season the sauce with salt and pepper and add the remaining 2 tablespoons cognac. Return the short ribs to the sauce and keep warm over low heat.
Chop the remaining 1 clove garlic, then mash with 1/2 teaspoon salt using the flat side of a knife; add the parsley and chop. Heat the pancetta and the reserved drippings in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oyster and cremini mushrooms and cook until brown, about 10 minutes. Toss in the parsleymixture. Untie the short ribs, divide among plates and top with the sauce and mushrooms.
Polenta Fries
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups whole milk
- 2 cups polenta
- Kosher salt
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
- 1/2 cup grated gruyere cheese
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Directions
Bring 7 cups water to a simmer in a large saucepan. Combine 4 cups of the hot water and the milk in a heatproof bowl (the bowl should fit over the saucepan). Gradually whisk in the polenta and 2 teaspoons salt. Cover the bowl tightly with foil and set over the simmering water; do not let the bowl touch the water. Cook until very thick, 20 minutes. Meanwhile, brush a 9-inch square baking dish with olive oil.
Stir the cheese and butter into the polenta. Spread in the prepared dish and refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Slice the chilled polenta into eighteen 4 1/2-by-1-inch sticks and transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush the sticks with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake until golden, 30 to 35 minutes, turning halfway through.
Chocolate Pudding
Ingredients
For the Pudding:
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 cups whole milk
- 5 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
For the Cinnamon Cream:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Directions
Make the pudding: Whisk the egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch in a large bowl.
Combine the milk, chocolate and salt in a saucepan over medium heat and stir until the chocolate melts. Gradually pour the hot chocolate mixture into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Pour back into the saucepan and stir until thick, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla, then divide among 6 to 8 dessert cups or dishes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set, about 2 hours.
Meanwhile, make the cinnamon cream: Whip the cream with the sugar in a bowl until it just holds soft peaks; fold in the cinnamon. Serve with the pudding.
**Courtesy of Food Network
