Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen

I have blogged about this recipe before, but since it is one of my favorites and because I am always changing recipes to improve them, I thought it would be a good idea to update it.  Lots of people make short ribs on the bone.  Although I love the flavor that the bones impart to a slow roasted dish it does make it harder to cut and eat.  When you are feeding a crowd I prefer boneless, succulent, fall apart beef short ribs.

Variations of this beef casserole have become popular at our large family celebrations.  But it occurred to me that it would also make a great alternative to steak for that Valentine dinner for two.  Just cut the recipe in half.

The ingredients combine to produce a very unique flavor.  Along with the wine and beef broth the sauce is flavored with orange zest strips, dried ancho chile for heat, cinnamon for a hit of spice and chocolate for a smooth lusciousness.  The vegetables are added, not only for their flavor, but for their thickening quality when the sauce is pureed.  Best of all,  the short ribs can be prepared and assembled in advance, giving you more time to make that decadent chocolate mousse for your special Valentine.

SPICED CABERNET BONELESS SHORT RIBS

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 pounds Boneless Beef Short Ribs (about 14)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 onions, chopped
3 carrots, cut into small chunks
2 cups Cabernet Sauvignon or Zinfindal
1 cinnamon stick
1 dried Ancho Chile, stemmed and halved
2 cups beef broth
The zest of one orange, cut into thick strips
1 ounce good quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Season short ribs with salt and pepper.  Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven.  Saute short ribs in batches.  Remove them to a plate when they are browned.  Add additional olive oil to Dutch oven if necessary.  Add chopped vegetables and saute until onion is softened.

Deglaze the pan with the wine.  Add the cinnamon stick, Ancho chile, and orange zest strips.  Bring to a boil and simmer until the wine is reduced by half.  Add the chocolate.  Stir to incorporate.  Return the ribs to the pan and add enough beef broth to just cover.  Bring to a simmer.  Cover and place in the oven.  Bake for 3 hours.

Remove meat from pot and place in serving casserole.  Strain the sauce, discard the cinnamon stick and puree the strained vegetables, chili and orange zest.  Bring the liquid to a boil and cook for 5 minutes to reduce it slightly.  Add the pureed vegetables and stir to combine and thicken the sauce.  Pour sauce over short ribs and serve.

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Back in the early years of our marriage, we often had dinner parties.  It was the late 70’s and everyone was doing it.  At the time there were so many “exotic” foods to try;  Coq au vin, paella with that strange and expensive spice saffron, and Beef Wellington.

We had fun in the kitchen.  One of my favorite cookbooks of that time was The Pleasure of your Company by  Diana and Paul von Welanetz.  They were world travelers and cooking instructors from California.  Diana had studied at the Cordon Bleu and the couple loved food of all ethnic origins.  The Pleasure of your Company had recipes for, among many,  A Spanish Paella Party, An Italian Dinner for a Couple or a Crowd, A German Party for Eight or More and An Elegant Dinner Party in the New Orleans Manner.

The menu for the Elegant Dinner Party in the New Orleans Manner was very French.  It included Oysters Rockefeller, Coq au Vin, French-Style Baked Peas, Croissants, French Quarter Ice Cream Torte with Fudge Sauce and Cafe Brulot.  I made it often.

The other night I pulled a package of frozen peas out of the freezer, they being the only vegetable I had for dinner and a light bulb went on in my head.  “What about those French peas I used to make?”  “Where is that cookbook?”  Luckily it was on my cookbook shelf here in Florida and I turned to the much used and stained page.

I am calling this vegetable dish “Retro” because it was something I used to do and because of the casserole I cooked it in.

This Pyrex casserole is 46 years old.  It was a wedding present.  It has a lid and I still love using it.  It is perfect for the Peas Francais.  One of the reasons I love this recipe is that you put frozen peas directly in the oven with pats of butter, chopped shallots and lettuce.  Easy peasy, literally.

The finished dish tastes great.  The bit of sugar, butter, shallots and lettuce make a big difference.  David tasted the peas and said “Ah . . . now I remember this”.  A trip down memory lane indeed.

FRENCH-STYLE BAKED PEAS

3 ten-ounce packages frozen peas
1 shallot, or the white part of 2 scallions, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons sugar
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter or margarine in a chunk ( I cubed it )
1 leaf iceberg lettuce, cut into 1/4 inch strips ( I used romaine )

Place the frozen peas in a 2 to 3 quart casserole with a tight-fitting lid.  Top with all the other ingredients.  Bake covered at 350 degrees F. for 1 hour.  (I cooked it for 45 minutes).  Stir and serve right in the casserole.

To Make Ahead:  Assemble all the ingredients except the lettuce.  Store in the freezer until ready to bake.  Top with lettuce 1 hour before serving and bake as directed.

As an added note:  Diana von Welanetz Wentworth is also the author of  The Chicken Soup for the Soul Cookbook and Send Me Someone, the story of the tragic loss of her husband Paul to cancer and the beginning of her new life with Ted Wentworth.


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My friend Maxine recently attended a symphony guild reception and raved about the appetizers served.   One in particular that she mentioned was a simple tomato soup served in a cordial glass topped with a triangle of  a grilled cheese sandwich.  It was easy to sip the soup and dunk the sandwich if you preferred; no utensils necessary.

I thought, what a great idea for a Super Bowl party.  Just put trays of hot, freshly ladled soup and warm grilled cheese sandwich triangles on the serving table for everyone to grab and eat.  Now, I do have some fancy cordial glasses if you would like to do a more refined presentation.  Afterall, there is a difference between a Super Bowl Party and a Symphony Soiree.   It is your choice.  Here is the more refined version.

The glasses are smaller and I used Pepperidge Farms sandwich bread which is thinner and smaller in size.

I also cut the crusts off of the bread.  Tres Chic.

But whichever way you present them they will be a hit.  The soup is easy to make and is very flavorful with an added punch from basil pesto.  To be honest with you, tomato soup is not my favorite, but I loved this one.  It will be made often in this kitchen.   This idea of mini soups and sandwiches can be used with many different creamed soups and grilled sandwiches.  Just let your imagination run wild.

TUSCAN TOMATO SOUP

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 shallots or 1 onion, chopped finely
3 (14 ounce) cans Italian diced tomatoes
2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups half and half
1/3 cup basil pesto
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large sauce pan.  Add diced shallots or onions and cook over medium low heat until they are softened.  Add tomatoes and bring them to a simmer.  Add the chicken broth and cook over low heat for 20 minutes.  Add half and half and pesto.  At this point you can either use an immersion blender to puree the soup or blend in a food processor or blender (in batches) until you have a smooth consistency.  Return soup to pan.  Add salt and pepper to taste and keep warm until you are ready to serve it.  Ladle the soup into a two cup measuring cup with a spout and pour into each serving glass.

Top with triangles of grilled cheese sandwiches.  Cut each sandwich into 4 triangles before placing on glasses.

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I have tried very hard not to sound the January “diet” drum on this blog.  But “ta dum”, it has been happening.  One of us has been doing a better job than the other, but we both have been more conscious of what we are putting in our mouths.  My way to lose weight is portion control.  I keep eating most all of the foods I always eat, but just less of them.  Sweets are limited but not eliminated.  I feel like we eat a pretty healthy diet anyway, so just cutting down a bit is my solution.  Also I have added a weekly weigh-in at Weight Watchers.  That is all of the motivation I need.  And a five pound weight loss, so far, is my reward.

This recipe for maple-mustard glazed chicken was in the latest issue of Cooking Light.  Everyone gets tired of skinless, boneless chicken breasts when you are on a diet.  This issue of the magazine is dedicated to 25 healthy chicken dinners and there are several great recipes that improve the ho-hum chicken breast.  I chose to make this recipe because I love the ingredients.  Stone-ground mustard, pure maple syrup, lots of garlic and chicken broth combine to make a beautiful glaze.  What could be more beautiful?

MAPLE-MUSTARD GLAZED CHICKEN

2 teaspoons olive oil
4 (6 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon stone-ground mustard

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat.  Add oil; swirl to coat.  Sprinkle chicken with pepper and salt.  Add chicken to pan; saute 2 minutes on each side or until browned.  Remove chicken from pan.  Add broth, syrup, thyme, and garlic to pan; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.  Cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add vinegar and mustard; cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Return chicken to pan, and spoon mustard mixture over chicken.  Bake at 400 degrees F. for 10 minutes or until the chicken is done.  Remove chicken from pan; let stand 5 minutes.  Place pan over medium heat; cook mustard mixture 2 minutes or until liquid is syrupy, stirring frequently.  Spoon sauce over chicken and serve.

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Just because you are busy doesn’t mean you have to settle for take-out when it comes to dinner.  All it takes is a little planning and a well stocked pantry.

I feel like I am channeling The Pioneer Woman right now.  Her latest episode on The Food Network had to do with just this subject.  She has good reason to keep a stocked pantry after all.  If you lived on a cattle ranch in the middle of nowhere, you would do the same.  But even if you have a Whole Foods and a Costco in the next block, having a pantry stocked with quality ingredients is worth your while.

My nearest Costco is 50 miles away.  My friend Maxine and I just made a run there earlier this week.  I came home with a huge hunk of Parmigiano Reggiano at half the price of what is available in my local store.  I found a 12 ounce package of Speck, that wonderful smoked prosciutto from Italy that is so good in Spaghetti Carbonara.  It will keep well in the refrigerator for months.  From Whole Foods I buy artisanal dried pastas and quality jarred marinara sauce.  I also like to keep jarred pesto sauce and sweet pickled peppers.  The pesto sauce adds a bright note to pasta dishes and the pickled peppers look pretty and add a piquant flavor to many dishes.  See how Sam of My Carolina Kitchen used them in this recipe.  Her Chicken Scarpariello is outstanding.

I was running late yesterday.  Knowing what I had in the pantry, I stopped at the grocery store and picked up some hot chicken sausage and breezed through the express lane.  Dinner was on the table within the hour and it was a very good meal.  What went into it made all of the difference.

CHICKEN SAUSAGE PASTA

1 lb good quality hot or mild chicken sausages, removed from casings
1 red or green bell pepper, sliced
1 large onion, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup good quality marinara sauce
3 heaping tablespoons pesto sauce
8 to 10 pickled small sweet peppers, halved
1 cup shredded Parmigiano Reggiano, more for garnishing

8 ounces Organic Strozzapreti pasta or penne pasta of your choice
Salt to taste
1/2 cup pasta water

In a large skillet over medium high heat saute chicken sausage, breaking up big pieces.  Add peppers, onion and garlic and saute until peppers have softened.  Add wine to skillet and scrape pan to loosen the browned bits.  Add marinara sauce, pesto and pickled peppers to dish.  Reduce heat to low and simmer while you cook the pasta.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add at least a tablespoon of salt.  Cook the pasta according to package directions.  When done, scope out some of the pasta water and then drain the pasta.  Add it to the skillet with the sauce.  Add the shredded Parmigiano and stir to combine.  Add some pasta water if the mixture is dry.  Turn pasta onto a serving plate and serve garnished with more cheese.

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