Beef Sliders with Sautéed Mushrooms, Onions, Bleu Cheese and Bacon for a Red Carpet Party #SundaySupper

Beef Sliders with Sautéed Mushrooms, Onions, Bleu Cheese and Bacon for a Red Carpet Party #SundaySupper

Before I start, I have a little housekeeping matter to discuss. This past Thursday, my facebook world went through, ahem...let's call it an adjustment. For whatever reason, the website seized my personal profile as Foodie Stuntman and forced me to convert it to a facebook page, so everyone on my friends list are now 'Likes' to Foodie Stuntman, the page. As soon as I can replicate the content that was in the old personal profile, I plan on deleting the page and I won't be updating it any further. In addition, I've opened a new facebook personal profile under DB Stuntman and I ask you send me a friend request there, if you wish and haven't done so already. My Crazy Foodie Stunts facebook page, twitter, pinterest and G+ are unaffected.

Moving onto the dish: I remember watching America's Best Cook on Food Network last spring where one of the challenges was to prepare a burger. It occurred to me that I hadn't addressed the concept here so I prepared one this past August but it had influences and flavors from other cuisines and I wanted to address the dish from a classic American standpoint. The opportunity arose with this week's #SundaySupper theme of Red Carpet Party hosted by Katie of Ruffles and Truffles.

You might be asking yourself right now, How does a burger relate to the Oscars? so let me make the connection. The only nominee in this year's Best Picture category that I've seen is American Sniper. In it, Bradley Cooper plays the title role of Chris Kyle who was born and raised in Texas. I then started to think of food The Lone Star State does well and thought of steakhouses, so I started looking at steakhouse menus, where burgers are common as a happy hour item or appetizer.

So let's discuss this classic American staple. For me, the toppings are secondary to the burger patty. I used bleu cheese, mushrooms, onions and bacon in this instance, but if you want to replicate this dish, feel free to adjust them to your tastes. My father taught me to use 80/20 ground beef because anything leaner will result in a dry burger because there is little fat to render during the process of cooking it, which makes the burger juicy. I further fortify my burger with freshly shredded parmesan cheese, which is my secret ingredient. In addition, parmesan is naturally salty so it also seasons the patty.

The Challenge

Demonstrate my burger recipe and to compare it with others.

The Source

This dish is a Crazy Foodie Stunts original

Ingredients

1 1/2-pound 80/20 ground beef
1/3-1/2 cup fresh parmesan cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces (i.e. slices) bacon, cut into batons
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 large onion, cut in half, root to stem and then sliced crosswise, thin
1 8-ounced package, pre-sliced cremini or baby bella mushrooms
2 ounces crumbled bleu cheese
Slider buns

Method

1. Prepare the burger patties: In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, parmesan cheese and garlic, then season the mixture with salt and pepper. Form the mixture into patties slightly wider than the slider buns, about 1 dozen.

2. Prepare the toppings: Place the batons in a dry sauté pan over medium heat and cook until crisp and the fat has rendered, approximately 5 minutes. Remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and drain the bacon fat from the pan then replace it with the olive oil and butter. Once the butter has melted, add the onions and mushrooms and cook until the onions have browned and the mushrooms have reduced, approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then remove to a bowl and set aside to keep warm.

3. Prepare the burgers: Heat a grill pan over medium heat. Sear the patties until cooked through to desired doneness, approximately 3 minutes per side for medium rare. To plate, place a burger patty on a slider bun and top with onions, mushrooms, bacon and bleu cheese. Serve immediately.

Successful?

From the standpoint of the dish itself, Mrs. Stuntman asked if there were any leftover sliders to take for a brown bag lunch the next day after polishing off a couple of them for dinner. Whether or not the challenge was successful is still undetermined because I would need to put my burger patties up against any other home cook's patties. Recipe contest anyone? Let me know if you're up for it.

Meanwhile, I invite you to enjoy the red carpet in addition to the awards show and encourage you to do so with one or more of these other foods featured this week:


Nominees for Best Supporting Appetizers:

• Beef Sliders with Sautéed Mushrooms, Onions, Bleu Cheese and Bacon by Crazy Foodie Stunts
• Black and White Olive Cheese Puffs by Peaceful Cooking
• Cheddar Olives by Jane's Adventures in Dinner
• Chicken Boursin by Recipes Food and Cooking
• Citrus Avocado Shrimp Cocktail by Seduction in the Kitchen
• French Onion Sliders by Momma's Meals
• Herbed Butter and Cheese Popcorn by Kudos Kitchen by Renee
• Italian Guacamole with Pesto by Food Done Light
• Lobster Bruschetta by The Texan New Yorker
• Melon and Prosciutto Skewers by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Mini Cheese Balls by Rants From My Crazy Kitchen
• Moroccan Beef Kefta Briouat by Manu's Menu
• Mushroom Pate by Lifestyle Food Artistry
• Oysters Rockfeller by Noshing With The Nolands
• Pea Pesto Crostini by Ruffles & Truffes
• Prosciutto Wrapped Shrimp by Casa de Crews
• Raspberry Brie Bites by Love and Confections
• Roasted Red Pepper Pinwheels by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Smoked Trout Stuffed Baby New Potatoes by Food Lust People Love
• Spinach Bites by Shockingly Delicious
• Sweet Chili Chicken Skewers by Nosh My Way

Nominees for Best Course in a Leading Role:

• Broccoli Calzones by eating in instead
• Bow Ties and Tails Galore by Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Chicken Oscar by Palatable Pastime
• Indulgent Lobster-Champagne Risotto by The Weekend Gourmet
• Oscar Worthy Cantonese Lobster with Coconut-Ginger Rice by Confessions of a Culinary Diva

Nominees for Best Supporting Sips:

• Apple Ginger Martini by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Blood Orange Rosemary Spritzer by The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
• Cherry Almond Sparklers by Magnolia Days
• Iced Espresso Martini by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
• Mixed Berry Martini by The Messy Baker
• Oscartini by Family Foodie
• Red Carpet Sparkler by Rhubarb and Honey
• Thank You Peary Much by Sew You Think You Can Cook

Nominees for Best Delectable Desserts:

• 7-Layer Bark by Take A Bite Out of Boca
• Caramel-Almond Latte Ricotta Cookies by What Smells So Good?
• Champagne Truffles by Brunch with Joy
• Chocolate Covered Cherries by Peanut Butter and Peppers
• Decadent Flourless Brownies by Recipe for Perfection
• Edible Oscars Envelopes by Sunday Supper Movement
• Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Crumble Peanut Butter Mousse Parfait Cups by Wallflour Girl
• Imitation Game Guinness Brownies by NinjaBaker.com
• Mini Strawberry Galette by Basic N Delicious
• Mini Strawberry & Chocolate Cheesecakes by Happy Baking Days
• No-Bake Nutella Cheesecake Shooters by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Popcorn Puppy Chow by Pies and Plots
• Sweet and Salty Popcorn Ball Bites by The Life and Loves of Grumpy's Honeybunch
• Tuxedo Cake by The Redhead Baker

Nominees for Best Dressed Table:

• DIY Glitter Vases by Sunday Supper Movement

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.

Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.

Deconstructed Pollo di Parmigiana

Deconstructed Pollo di Parmigiana

Recently, I was made aware of a recipe contest sponsored by Dei Fratelli Tomato Products to celebrate National Tomato Month which was in October. Dei Fratelli called it a Ripened Recipe Contest. In the interest of full disclosure, ingredients were provided for recipe development. No further compensation was given. All opinions, text, and photos are my own.

When I agreed to this, I was hoping I would be sent some canned tomatoes that had not gone through extensive processing. If you have read my website for any length of time, you'll note I prefer to prepare my dishes completely from scratch. Thus, I felt uncomfortable using a jarred marinara sauce but I can't fault an ingredient list of crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, sugar, sea salt, onions, extra-virgin olive oil, oregano, basil, citric acid, spices and garlic.

Let's discuss the dish itself for a moment. I became enamored with chicken parmesan while I was on vacation in the Philippines visiting Mrs. Stuntman's family when I was still courting her. I remember placing my room service order for it on more than one occasion which provided inspiration when I replicated the dish on my first website using Pam's recipe found on For the Love of Cooking. The classic preparation for this dish is to pound a boneless skinless chicken breast to an even thickness, bread it, deep fry it, then top it with Marinara, mozzarella and parmesan in that order before putting it in the oven to melt the cheese.

I decided to divide the parts, leaving the bread whole and separate the Marinara from the chicken. I didn't have to do much with a pre-made Marinara but I did fortify the flavor by sweating an onion before simmering it.

The Challenge

Be declared the grand prize winner of the Ripened Recipe Contest sponsored by Dei Fratelli Tomato Products

The Source

This dish is a Crazy Foodie Stunts original recipe.

Ingredients

4 slices sourdough bread, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
4 thinly-sliced boneless skinless chicken breasts
Kosher Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 24-ounce jar Dei Fratelli Marinara Sauce
1/4 cup vegetable oil
All-purpose flour
3 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Method

1. Finish the mise en place. Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Place the sourdough slices on a aluminum foil lined sheet pan. Spread an even amount of butter on each of the slices, then top with some parmesan and mozzarella before setting aside. Separately, pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then season them with salt and pepper.

2. Prepare the Marinara. Place the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion to sweat, approximately 5 to 7 minutes.

Add in the Marinara sauce and bring to a simmer. Maintain the simmer while the chicken and toast are prepared.

3. Sear the chicken and toast the sourdough. In a separate skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Once it starts to smoke, quickly dredge the chicken in flour, shaking off any excess, then add it to the pan. Brown the chicken, approximately 3 to 5 minutes per side.

While the chicken cooks, toast the sourdough in the oven until the cheese has melted, approximately 7 minutes. To plate, spoon some Marinara onto a plate and top with a slice of toast then chicken. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Successful?

Like the filet dish I prepared for Food & Wine Conference several months ago, I'm unsure if I'm successful at the time I have published this. The dish was well seasoned and reminded me of the classic preparation of this dish since the original flavor profile was still present. Wish me luck!

Oven-Braised Osso Buco with Orzo "Risotto"

Oven-Braised Osso Buco with Orzo "Risotto"

Earlier this year, I was in my local Sprouts Farmers Market when the weather was warm when I saw osso buco on sale. I didn't purchase it because I knew it had to be braised and wanted to wait for cooler weather. Ever since, I've looked whenever I went by and they hadn't had it in their bins, so when Whole Foods opened a highly anticipated location nearby a couple of weeks ago, I went and found some. I've certainly braised in the past (It's my favorite cooking method) but not this protein. Osso buco is a cross-cut section of a veal shank and is traditionally served with a saffron risotto, but saffron isn't the cheapest spice and I wanted to find an alternative.

The Challenge

Work with a protein I'd never prepared.

The Source

This Emeril Lagasse dish can be found on foodnetwork.com, but I decided to season my shanks with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper instead of Chef Lagasse's dry rub. It's a personal preference but something called the Essence of Emeril didn't sound very appetizing.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 veal shanks, about 1 1/2 inches thick, tied tightly around the middle with kitchen string
3 cups chopped onions
1 1/2 cups diced celery
1 1/2 cups diced carrots
2 tablespoons minced garlic
3 bay leaves
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
2 1/4 cups dry red wine
1 1/2 quarts rich veal or beef stock
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves, plus more for garnish
1 1/2 pounds orzo pasta (uncooked)
3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan, for garnish


Method

1. Braise the shanks: Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven. Season the shanks with salt and pepper then dredge them in flour, shaking to remove any excess. Sear the shanks in the oil until brown on all sides, working in batches if necessary, 6 to 8 minutes per batch. Remove the shanks to a roasting pan and set aside. Add the mirepoix items (i.e. carrots, celery and onions) to the Dutch oven and cook until softened and browned, approximately 4 to 6 minutes. Season the mirepoix with the garlic, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper. Deglaze the Dutch oven with the red wine, add the stock and bring to a boil. Pour the mixture over the shanks in the roasting pan, cover and place in the oven for 2 1/2 hours or until the shanks are tender.

2. Prepare the risotto: Remove the roasting pan from the oven and stir in the orzo and parsley. Recover and place back in the oven for an additional 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and stir to combine, then cover and rest for 10 minutes. Serve immediately, 1 shank per person on top of a bed of orzo. Garnish with grated Parmesan and parsley.

Successful?

When I purchased my shanks, I chose them from the bins in the meat section. I should have spoken to the butcher at the meat counter because the shanks I purchased were too thin and the kitchen twine became loose easily so the meat fell off of the bone. The flavors of the dish were still very good but I was disappointed there wasn't much contrast in color. Lastly, my 5 year old daughter asked to photograph the dish and took the picture below.

Spaghetti alla Bolognese

Spaghetti alla Bolognese

Like my previous dish, I originally profiled this classic sauce in a prior website but I wanted to again for a number of reasons. When I published it the first time, it got overshadowed because it was the first time I made pasta from scratch. Secondly, I ran into this version which largely uses the same ingredients but slightly altered technique so I wanted to determine of these differences affected flavor.

The Source

Adapted from page 154 of the recipe guide of Top Chef University DVD set.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces pancetta or bacon, diced medium
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 large onion, chopped finely
2 ribs celery, chopped finely
2 medium carrots, chopped finely
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 cup dry red wine
2 bay leaves
3-4 leaves fresh basil, torn plus more for garnish
1 cup fluid from canned tomatoes or whole milk
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound dried spaghetti
Freshly grated parmesan cheese, for garnish

Method

1. Prepare the protein: In a Dutch oven or a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Once hot, place the pancetta into the pan and cook to render the fat but not crisp, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Raise the heat to medium high and add the ground beef to the pancetta and stir to combine, breaking up the large pieces of meat. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the beef is well browned and no longer pink, approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the meat from the pan using a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pan and reserve.

2. Flavor the sauce: Add the mirepoix ingredients to the pan of rendered fat and sweat. Stir in the garlic and cook until the onions are translucent, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for a minute or two so the flavor concentrates. Deglaze with red wine and reduce so the alcohol evaporates. Add the torn basil leaves and bay leaves and cook for another ten minutes to blend the flavors. Add the tomatoes and reserved meat, stirring to combine. Season with salt and pepper, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Add tomato fluid if the level gets too low.

3. Cook the pasta and finish the dish: During the last 30 minutes the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and boil for a minute or two less than the box instructions dictate. Reserve 1 cup pasta water and drain. Then add to the sauce and continue to cook to blend the flavors. Plate onto warmed bowls and garnish with chiffonade basil and parmesan cheese.

Analysis

The recipe I profiled can be found on Saveur Magazine's website. I live this version better because it doesn't simmer as long (however you certainly could do so longer) and it utilizes the pancetta fat more constructively.

Red Wine Braised Short Ribs

Red Wine Braised Short Ribs

Call this winter's last gasp.

About three months ago, I published a braised short ribs dish that I was not successful primarily because the addition of vinegar in the braising fluid that overpowered any other flavor, so I wanted to correct it here. So earlier this week on a cool afternoon I prepared the dish again using an altered method from the earlier one.

The Challenge

Correct a previously unsuccessful dish.

The Source

Page 60 of the recipe guide of Top Chef University DVD set.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
5-6 pounds bone-n beef short ribs
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 onions, cut into quarters
6 cloves garlic, smashed
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 bottle (375 milliliters or approximately 1 3/4 cups) full bodied-red wine
4 cups low-sodium beef stock
1 bouquet garni (1 bunch flat-leaf parsley stems, 6 sprigs fresh thyme, 2-3 rosemary sprigs tied together using kitchen twine)
2 bay leaves

Method

1. Season the short ribs on all sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the oil starts to smoke, add the short ribs and brown on all sides (cooking in batches, if necessary, so the pan doesn't get too crowded), about 2 minutes per side. Once browned, remove to a plate and set aside.

2. Add the onions, garlic, carrots, and celery and cook until soft and brown slightly, about 5 minutes.

Add the bouquet garni and bay leaves. Deglaze the Dutch oven with the red wine and reduce by half.

Return the ribs to the oven and add enough beef stock to cover at least 3/4 of the ribs. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer over low heat until the meat is tender and falling off the bones, about 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

3. Remove the ribs and place aside. Put a colander over a bowl and strain the sauce of its solids. Return the oven to the stovetop over high heat and reduce by half, or until rich and syrupy, adjusting the season if necessary. Serve with the sauce poured over the ribs.

Successful?

This version, while simpler, led to incredible flavor. Even my picky 5-year-old daughter, proclaimed YUM! once I gave her the first bite. The reduced sauce was rich and full bodied and the meat was tender and literally falling off the bone once I removed it from the Dutch oven. Definitely better than my first attempt.

Pollo alla Cacciatore con Polenta

Pollo alla Cacciatore con Polenta

Since I published the dessert course of a dinner party I hosted earlier this week, I thought I'd also profile the entreé course. I also wanted to do so to show my appreciation to Kaitlin of I Can Cook That because I used recipes from the cookbook I won in her giveaway. I've prepared Michael Chiarello's chicken cacciatore recipe and his polenta recipe in the past, but have since learned Chef Chiarello uses some non-traditional ingredients and wanted to update it.

I also love that Chef Bastianich uses yellow corn meal in her polenta. I've used the stuff that is labeled 'polenta' at the grocery store but struggled to find a significant difference. At almost twice the price it was difficult to justify. Her method is also slightly altered from others I've seen.

The Challenge

Update a dish I profiled earlier with more authentic ingredients.

The Source

Adapted from pages 152 to 153 and 91 to 92 of Lidia's Favorite Recipes by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali.

Ingredients

8 skin-on bone-in chicken thighs
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
all-purpose flour
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, minced
8 ounces fresh white mushrooms, sliced
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch strips
1 yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch strips
8 cups water, divided
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon kosher salt, or as needed
1 1/2 cups yellow corn meal
1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, chopped fine (for garnish)

Method

1. Season the chicken with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Dredge the chicken in the flour coating them lightly. Heat th vegetable oil in a wide pan with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and add the chicken to brown. Cook in batches if all of the chicken doesn't fit into the pan at once. Once browned, remove from pan onto a plate.

2. Add the onion to the fat in the pan, stirring for 5 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and bring to a boil, cooking until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and oregano, lightly seasoning the fluid with salt and pepper. Add the chicken back to the pan, reducing to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes.

3. While the chicken simmers, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and peppers, tossing until the peppers are wilted but still crisp, seasoning with salt, about 8 minutes.

4. Add the vegetables to the chicken, cover and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes, adding water to barely cover the chicken along the way if necessary.

5. While the vegetables sauté, bring 4 cups of water to a simmer in a small saucepan. Cover and keep warm over medium-low heat. Combine the remaining water, bay leaves and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. When boiling, add the olive oil.

6. Slowly add the corn meal to the larger saucepan a little at a time, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon or spatula. This should take approximately 5 minutes. Once all the corn meal has been added, the mixture should be thick, with large bubbles popping on the surface. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue stirring until it becomes so thick that your spoon cannot move easily, about 4 minutes.

7. Add 1 cup of the reserved water to restore the mixture to a smoother consistency and continue stirring until thick. Repeat this process (adding water to loosen and then stirring until thick) until the corn meal is tender, about 20 minutes. Continue stirring weithout the water additions until the corn meal is shiny and it is thick enough to stand a spoon in it. To serve, spoon some polenta on a plate, adding the braising fluid, then topping with the chicken. Garnish with parsley.

Successful?

I kept the polenta a little looser than the recipe suggests so I could present it differently. Most other recipes I've seen combined 1 part polenta with 4 parts liquid, then stirring continuously until thick, so Chef Bastianich alters this process slightly.

Ultimately, the extra effort was worth it as I enjoyed the flavors, but more importantly, my guests did too.

Long-Cooked Hen in Tomato Sauce

Long-Cooked Hen in Tomato Sauce

This is about as spontaneous as I will get when it's regarding this publication. I hadn't planned on this dish until the day I prepared it. I had been looking at this recipe since the day I found it in one of my cookbooks and earlier this week curiosity got the best of me. Also, I already had all the ingredients required except for the chicken and tomatoes.

Braising is one of my favorite cooking techniques, especially in cold weather. In fact, I also have another braised dish planned for next week. Braised chicken is pretty common (I've prepared four braised chicken dishes within the last nine months alone.) but braising a whole chicken without breaking it down?

The Challenge

Successfully applying a standard cooking method to an unusual protein.

The Source

Taken from page 168 of Michael Chiarello's Casual Cooking by Michael Chiarello with Janet Fletcher, but I also found it on Chef Chiarello's website, NapaStyle.

Ingredients

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups onion, chopped
1 cup celery, diced
1 cup carrots, diced
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
Kosher salt
2 cups red wine
6 28-ounce cans whole tomatoes, partially pureéd through a meat grinder, or a food mill, or pilsed in a blender (I used 28-ounce cans of crushed tomatoes)
Freshly ground black pepper
1 4-pound whole fryer chicken
1/2 cup fresh basil, minced
1/4 cup fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley

Method

1. Preheat oven to 325° Fahrenheit. Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot over high heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, bay leaves and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally for approximately 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and cook until the vegetables are lightly browned, about twenty minutes.

2. Deglaze with the wine and scrape the pot, loosening the fond. Add salt and pepper to taste, however add enough salt to season the chicken as it cooks.

3. Add the chicken, breast-side down, in the sauce and bring to a simmer. Transfer the pot to the oven and cook, uncovered until the chicken is very tender, about two hours, occasionally spooning the sauce over the chicken. Stir in the basil and parsley and cook for an additional fifteen minutes. Serve the chicken topped with sauce family style or the sauce with pasta as a first course and the chicken as a second course. Freeze any leftover sauce.

Successful?

A couple of notes: The stock pot I used to cook this chicken is the same one I used to brine whole chickens I buy. It's only 8 quarts, so when I prepare my brine I use only 1 gallon (or 4 quarts) of water because when I submerge the chicken in it, the displacement brings the fluid level to almost the top of the stock pot. I note this because I noticed that I was approaching the 4-quart line of my prep bowl as I was emptying my fourth can of tomatoes, so I only used 4 cans.

I also advise adding the chicken after bringing the tomatoes to a simmer (stirring occasionally) because I burned my mirepoix waiting for the tomatoes to heat.

Ultimately, the dish is a little bit of a departure for me because it was rustic and served family style but successful. Mrs. Stuntman enjoyed it and in the end, that's all that matters.

Tra Vigne's Braised Beef Short Ribs

Tre Vigne's Braised Beef Short Ribs

Hello there! Have you forgotten about me? I'm still here but I took the month of November off. I wanted to get better acclimated with my kitchen and I didn't want to add to the noise of conflicting advice on how to prepare a successful Thanksgiving feast.

During my time off I won a giveaway hosted by Kaitlin of I Can Cook That. You might remember I noted her earlier this summer when I won another giveaway she hosted that was sponsored by Buitoni. This time I won Lidia's Favorite Recipes by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali. To thank Kaitlin, I'll prepare at least one dish from Chef Bastianich's book which will appear here soon.

Tre Vigne Restaurant is in the Napa Valley region of California which originally opened by Michael Chiarello. Tre Vigna's current menu features a short rib dish but specifies the ribs are smoked, then braised which is different from this recipe.

The Challenge

I looked at dozens of braised beef short rib recipes and all followed a basic operating procedure of searing the ribs, removing the ribs, adding and browning a mirepoix, deglazing and adding the braising fluid along with the ribs, bringing to a simmer and reducing the heat to low to break down the connective tissue that makes the short ribs so tough except one. This recipe separated itself by putting the beef in a brine overnight before cooking which is unusual for beef.

This isn't so much of a challenge as it is a question: Will the brine make a difference in flavor and moisture in a beef dish?

The Source

I took this recipe from epicurious.

Ingredients

1 quart water
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup Kosher salt
1 bay leaf
5 juniper berries (I didn't have any available.)
4 pounds meaty beef short ribs
1 tablespoon vegetable oil or more if needed
2 medium onions, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 head of garlic, unpeeled and cut in half crosswise
2 cups of beef broth or stock
1 cup of dry red wine
1 cup Sherry vinegar (I used red wine vinegar.)
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes tomato pureé

Method

1. Brine the ribs. Combine water, sugar, salt, and bay leaf in a pot and simmering over medium heat until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Cool the mixture to room temperature. Add the short ribs to the brine and chill covered in the refrigerator for at least four and up to twenty-four hours. Remove short ribs from the brine and pat dry with paper towels. Then discard the brine.

2. Preheat the oven to 325° Fahrehneit. Heat vegetable oil in a heavy ovenproof Dutch oven over medium high heat on top of stove uncovered. Sauté the ribs in batches until browned on all sides, about three minutes per side. Remove ribs to a platter.

3. Add the onions, carrot and garlic head to the pot and cook over medium heat stirring occasionally until vegetables are golden, about eight minutes. Stir in stock, wine, vinegar and tomato pureé, scrapping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the ribs back and any juices on the platter to the pot and bring to a simmer.

4. Cover and transfer to the preheated oven. Braise in the oven until meat is tender about two-and-a-half to three hours. Remove ribs from sauce and discard garlic skin, which should have separated from the cloves of garlic. Serve the ribs with the sauce on the side.

Successful?

The recipe author notes that this dish is even better if cooked on Day 2 (if Day 1 is used for preparing the brine), refrigerated overnight in the sauce, reheated and eaten on Day 3 removing any solidified fat before the reheating process.

In all honesty, I'm unsure if the brine made a difference because the vinegar was so overpowering. The ribs were tender and I could hardly keep the meat from falling off the bone. The one endearing quality is Mrs. Stuntman enjoyed it.