Winter's Greatest Comfort Food, Red Wine Short Ribs

The Winter can be tough and we need something warm in our tummy to give us the deep down, in our core comfort, to get us through.... Read More  

Comfort Food 101: Red Wine Short Ribs for Thursday's Supper

I am tired!! The News and the reports of the tragedies is exhausting. My mind is buzzing. Comfort Food just lets me sigh a little and know that no matter what comes at me or at us or at all of us, we will remain strong. Food brings me back to a safe place. Home and Family that's all we need. 

With a fall apart, melt in your mouth Short Rib and Creamy texture of a Polenta or Mash. How can you go wrong? Have a GREAT Night Everyone! Enjoy Every Moment!

Red Wine Short Ribs


4 lbs. Beef Short Ribs
3 cups Red Wine (or 1 cup Red Wine vinegar)
1 cup Beef Stock (3 cups if not using Wine)
½ cup Water
3 cloves Garlic minced
1 medium Onion
Salt and Pepper
1 Tbsp Olive Oil (to prepare skillet)

On a plate: Salt and pepper Ribs liberally.
Heat nonstick skillet to Medium High Heat
Heat 1 tbsp. Olive Oil in skillet
Add Short Ribs to skillet.
Brown Ribs on all sides.
Once browned, remove Ribs from skillet and add to Crock Pot.
Add Onion and Garlic to skillet.
Saute until slightly softened and golden from rib renderings
Add contents of skillet to crock pot. (Renderings, juices, onions and garlic)
Add wine, broth and water to crock pot.
Set the Crock Pot to Low. Cook ribs for 6-8hrs.
If setting on High; Cook for minimum of 4 hours
** If you choose not to do the crock pot: Brown ribs in a Dutch oven. Remove as instructed. Brown onions and garlic as directed. Add Ribs back to Dutch oven and add all other ingredients as instructed. Cover and braise over medium low heat for 3-4 hours or until meat is falling off the bone. Or put Dutch oven in a 350° f oven and braise there for 4 hours until meat is falling off the bone.

Gravy: Remove 1 cup – 1 ½ cup of the juices from the crock pot. Heat the juices in a small sauce pan over medium heat, until reduced by ½. Whisk in 2-3 tbsp. butter. Pour over Ribs and accompaniment as desired.
Serve: I served here over leftover Polenta from Monday, but you can serve over, Noodles, Mashed Potatoes, Mashed Cauliflower, or Rice.

Chicken Cacciatore with Polenta & Roasted Asparagus: Monday Menu

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Chicken Cacciatore 
Olive Oil for Dutch Oven (Pasta Pan)
Whole Chicken Cut-up : You can use whatever chicken parts you like or have on hand. The recipe works well with Chicken Thighs but I have also used Chicken Breast and used the leftovers for Awesome Sandwiches or Pasta! (like in this week's Menu)
Green Peppers (1 1/2 cups hearty chop)
Yellow Onion (1 Cup, cut onion in half and slice)
Garlic (3 tbsp, chopped fine)
Oregano (1 tbsp dry)
Basil (2 tbsp fresh chopped, 1 tbsp dry)
Red Crushed Pepper (dry: 2 tsp, wet: 1 tsp)
Button Mushrooms (1 cup cleaned & sliced)
Marinara Sauce (2 cups)
Chicken Stock (1 cup)
Red Wine (1 cup, if omitted, replace with chicken stock)

In a large Dutch Oven (Big Heavy Pasta Pot) Pour Olive Oil in to coat bottom. Heat olive oil on Medium High heat. When Oil is hot, place chicken in skin side down. (if using boneless, skinless just place in pan)
Saute Chicken until skin is golden brown. Remove chicken from pan, set aside.
Add Onion, Garlic, and peppers and mushrooms into pan. Saute until onions are translucent.
Add Chicken Stock and scrape the "tidbits off of the bottom of the pan".
Add Remaining Ingredients and combine. When Sauce comes to a boil Place chicken back in the pan and cover. Lower heat to Medium and Simmer for 45 minute to an hour.
At this point you could also place the pan in the oven at 350° and roast for remaining 45 mins to an hour.
You could also at this point, pour all of the contents of the pan into your crock pot and cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4-6 hours. Serve over Creamy or Polenta Cakes (as shown above) Polenta Recipe

**Roasted Asparagus: Place Cleaned & Snapped Asparagus into a baking pan. coat lightly with Olive Oil, Garlic Powder, Salt and Pepper and Roast in a preheated 375° oven for 10-15 minutes. Once Asparagus starts to get color remove from oven. Serve with a Drizzle of Lemon juice.
Serve Hot or at room temp!
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Versatile Little Cake of Old World Comfort

What could it be? POLENTA.
What is Polenta? Polenta is simply a cornmeal mush. Better defined in Wikipedia as " a dish made from boiled cornmeal." For me it is a delightful and sooo versatile little instrument for delivering a wonder of sauces.
Polenta is essentially a "finely ground cornmeal" added to boiling water or stock. You can then eat the Polenta immediately as is, or add things like, Butter, Cream, Parmesan cheese...Salt and pepper..etc...
Polenta also can be immediately cooled in a form fitting pan (I use a sheet pan) and refrigerated, so that you later can cut out pieces and use them as vehicles for sauces or stews. Let me Show you...


Polenta Cakes:

Ingredients


6 cups Chicken Stock or Broth
(I always use College Inn and love the New Herb / Wine infused one)

1 3/4  C Yellow Cornmeal

4 Tblsp Butter (1/2 stick
1 tsp Salt
1 Cup Parmesan Cheese


Instructions:


In Heavy Large Saucepan Bring Stock (broth) to Rolling boil.
Add Salt.
Gradually Pour in Polenta.
Wisk constantly to avoid clumping.
Reduce the heat to Low and cook until mixture thickens.(about 15 minutes)
Stir OFTEN.
Turn off heat.
Add Parmesan and Butter.
Stir until butter is melted and Parmesan fully incorporated.


Serve warm.

*If making Polenta Cakes :
Pour prepared Polenta into a shallow baking pan 

Refrigerate for 4 hours (min)
Remove from Refrigerator, Cut into Serving pieces.

At this point you have 2 choices.
1. Bake Serving pieces on greased cookie sheet in hot oven 425 until golden brown (30 mins)
2. Fry Polenta cakes in Heavy Saute Pan until golden brown.
I chose the to fry as seen here:

Remove from Oil, drain on paper towel.
Serve your perfectly Golden Brown Polenta Cake as is, Deliciously Crisp!

Or topped with whatever you desire:
As I did, with Chicken & Peppers....Comfort Food Feast!!!

Polenta is a Delivery Vehicle for whatever you'd like.
Feel free to play with it. At it's base, it's an easy fix.
Additions of, roasted peppers, sundried tomatoes, Romano cheese, Gruyere cheese... Are wonderful ways to szhuszh it up. You can even substitute Cinnamon and sugar for the Parmesan cheese and add cinnamon sugar after baked, a Sweet Polenta Cake, oh my goodness wouldn't that be a  Great morning idea!
Just try it! It's Easy!!!