Middle Finger To Winter

Hi there today, so are you enjoying the worst time of the year?  The bitter cold, relentless snow, and the morons who can't drive in it?  Its what I like to call old man winter's revenge.  The revenge part was put in to make it sound more dramatic and scary, did it work?  So do you curl up with some pork grinds and pack it in until April?  I know a lot of questions so early in the week huh, oh well I will give you time to compile your answers.

Winter is a season I think that has two personalities.  The one side its what kicks off the holiday season which to me is still magical no matter how old I become.  On the other hand Winter has it's dark side, it is the guest at the party who won't leave no matter how hard you want them to.   As an impulsive eater Winter is like the evil devil on my right shoulder who is telling me, that it is ok, go ahead with the take out pizza you still have jeans that fit and don't forget about the sweat pants with the elastic.

So how do you combat the relentless pounding of old man winter?  I think you first walk outside in shorts and a t-shirt and give it the finger or whatever you deem appropriate.  Be creative, but mindful of your neighbors and the local laws of indecency.  Then what I think you do is plan a picnic, yes a picnic that revolves around everything that isn't winter.  To hell with braising and soups, do something rebellious again be creative. Close your eyes and think summertime barbecue and all the food that accompanies it, imagine you have a perfect tan and everyone hates your sexiness.  

I would say for starters wipe the snow off the grill and fire it up.  Your neighbors will think you are crazy and think you forgot to pay your gas bill.  It will certainly get you a double take and maybe they will return all those "borrowed" tools they have just out of shear paranoia.  Then get the grill white hot and throw some Flintstones style steaks on there and let them sear and cook to perfection.  Then a nice cold pasta salad and some homemade baked beans.  You know the ones where you really bake them instead of just reliying on the talking dog brand.  Then clear some space on the floor in the living room and throw a blanket down and have a Winter picnic.  Make some fruity drinks and close your eyes and pretend its 75 degrees with a slight breeze and all is super awesome.

Now a word to Winter:

Winter you may be a necessary evil, but it doesn't mean I like you or care to enjoy you.  To me you are the frienemy of the all the seasons. I will fight you with every fiber I have and you will not get the best of me.  Go ahead and snow and make my 20 minute commute a two hour one you will not conquer me.  Because I have warm food and friends to get me through.  So take yourself back north where people enjoy you, you are not welcomed here no more.

Now that felt good.

Bringing Sexy Back With Short Ribs

 

Braised Short Ribs

Ingredients

• 8 whole Beef Short Ribs
• Kosher Salt & Pepper To Taste
• ¼ cups All-purpose Flour
• 6 pieces Pancetta, Diced
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 whole Medium Onion, Diced
• 3 whole Carrots, Diced
• 2 whole Shallots, Peeled And Finely Minced
• 2 cups Red Or White Wine
• 2 cups Beef Or Chicken Broth (enough To Almost Cover Ribs)
• 2 sprigs Thyme
• 2 sprigs Rosemary

Preparation Instructions

Salt and pepper ribs, then dredge in flour. Set aside.

In a large dutch oven, cook pancetta over medium heat until complete crispy and all fat is rendered.

Remove pancetta and set aside. Do not discard grease.

Add olive oil to pan with the pancetta grease, and raise heat to high. Brown ribs on all sides, about 45 seconds per side. Remove ribs and set aside. Turn heat to medium.

Add onions, carrots, and shallots to pan and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in wine and scrape bottom of pan to release all the flavorful bits of glory. Bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes.


Add broth, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Taste and add more salt if needed. Add ribs to the liquid; they should be almost completely submerged. Add thyme and rosemary sprigs (whole) to the liquid.

Put on the lid and place into the oven. Cook at 350 for 2 hours, then reduce heat to 325 and cook for an additional 30 to 45 minutes. Ribs should be fork-tender and falling off the bone. Remove pan from oven and allow to sit for at least 20 minutes, lid on, before serving. At the last minute, skim fat off the top of the liquid.

(Can also refrigerate mixture, then remove solid fat from the top.)
Serve 2 ribs on bed of creamy polenta, spooning a little juice over the top.

Creamy Goat Cheese Polenta 

Ingredients

• 1 cup Yellow Cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 4 ounces, weight Goat Cheese

Preparation Instructions

Bring 4 1/2 cups water to a boil.

Add cornmeal to the water in a thin stream, whisking constantly to avoid lumps.

Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook for 15 minutes, adding salt and extra tablespoons of water as needed.

When polenta is done, stir in butter and goat cheese. Check seasonings, and add salt to taste.

Sunday Supper Status Update

I must warn you that I have been curbing sugar out of my life, and normally when I do this it affects my brain in ways I can't explain.  Normally it makes me depressed which is always good for a blog post but not for my sanity.

"Update your status with me face to face, I promise I will shower first. "

Sunday is here and that means one thing, Sunday supper.  Yeah Sunday supper, for those unfamiliar, this is where you spend the majority of the day making a dinner or supper and then you and your family sit down and enjoy the food slowly and relish in the idea of being unplugged for the evening.  As a kid we didn't always eat the most gormuet food but we did enjoy our hamburger helper together.  It would be a time where issues would be resolved and stories would be told.  Laughter would be at a constant and I would have to say this time spent are some of my most cherished moments as a kid.  When I remember my Dad's laugh, I remember it from countless times we had Sunday supper.

In order for this to work today I think you would agree  you will need to go unplugged.  Collect the cell phones and other tethered devices and put them in a basket and turn them off.  I know this will be difficult because some folks just have to check their phone every 4 seconds to see if anyone has updated their status on Facebook.  My opinion I find that Facebook has gobbled up the time in people's lives that was reserved for wanting to really know how someone is, instead we just read a typed status update.  But that is a rant for another day when I crankier.  With the slow food movement growing in popularity in this country I think its important to take time to unplug from what is dragging you down and plug into what can make you alive again.

I think food can be a catalyst to bring people together in ways that most have forgotten.  Flavors can arouse a memory that can be shared with people face to face, instead of a dumb status update on Facebook.  The idea that food is more than just nourishment for our body, but a way to refuel your soul I think has been lost by the cattle troughs we tend to go to when we are hungry.  You know the place, its where you can sit down and get a chicken fingers basket that your digestive system will eradicate instantly, yeah not pretty.  So why not just spend Sunday cooking and reuniting with your friends and family.  Reconnect with stories and laughter that will fill your soul instead of blank space on the internet.

If you have a Sunday supper tradition I would love to hear it.  If you don't, I challenge you to start one and let me know how it goes. 

Celery Root: Ugly On The Outside, But Tasty On The Inside

Yield: 4 servings
Butter	2 TBS
Celery root, 1 Lb, trimmed, 1 inch dice	2 each
Potato, large dice	1 each
Onions, medium, chopped	2 each
Celery, chopped	1 C
Leek, chopped, white part only	1 each
Salt and freshly ground black pepper	as needed
Garlic cloves, minced	2 each
Thyme, fresh	1 tsp
Dry vermouth or dry white wine	1/2 C
Bay leaf	1 each
Chicken or vegetable stock	5 C
Extra virgin olive oil	1/4 C
Celery leaves, fresh	as needed
Lemon juice	as needed
Olive oil	as needed
Umbrian truffles, black, shaved	as needed
Instructions: 1. Melt butter in a heavy, large saucepan over medium heat. Add celery root, potato, onions, celery and leek. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. 2. Add garlic and thyme to pot and stir 1 minute. Add vermouth and bay leaf to pot, then increase heat to boil until most of the liquid evaporates, about 8 minutes. 3. Add stock to pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf and let soup cool somewhat, then puree soup in a blender in batches until smooth. 4. Return soup to saucepan. Blend in olive oil and reheat upon service. Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with extra virgin olive oil, celery leaves tossed in lemon juice and olive oil and thinly shaved truffles.

Wine and Conspiracies

I think if it wasn't for the grocery store I don't think I would have any idea what holiday I am supposed to celebrate next.  I consider myself pretty slick in a grocery store, I know what I need before hand, and that is normally what I get, unless there is a sale on bear claws then all bets are off.  I noticed on a recent trip to the grocery store that the next holiday that I will be having to celebrate is Valentine's Day.  Or I like to call the granddaddy of all Hallmark Holidays.  I consider this holiday a grand conspiracy between Hallmark cards and all the jewelry stores in the world.  Every year I say I am not going to celebrate this holiday but then I am reminded that I am married, and if I want to remain that way I better make a tasty sexy dinner accompanied by some sort of present normally in a long stem variety.

The dinner part of Valentine's day is something I don't mind to prepare.  I normally have a bottle of wine opened and ready before I even start cooking.  Also I have some music streaming through the stereo and I am singing at the top of my lungs.  And yes I am by myself so to not burn the ears of anyone not even the dog.  But what should be on the menu for Valentine's Day?  Normally I would say something that isn't too crazy and when I say crazy I mean you can make it while drinking a bottle of wine.  This means keep it simple stupid.  This should be something with fresh ingredients and in one plate and shouldn't be too heavy.  This is because you want to make sure you consume twice as much wine as food.  Come on, it's Valentine's day and it falls on a Monday this year, not normally a day where there is a "night cap" if you know what I mean.

So what have we learned today?  First Valentine's day is conspiracy between Hallmark and every jewelery store in the world.  Secondly, when preparing Valentine's day dinner you should consume a 2:1 ratio of wine to food.  And finally, I may have a slight drinking problem considering how much I just talked about wine and its just after 9am.