Braised Short Rib Lasagne

|
By
|
3 comments

Short Rib Lasagne

A really delicious lasagna is one of the most comforting meals in my book. It’s tough to beat tender pasta, rich tomato sauce, and multiple kinds of Italian cheese all packed into a single casserole dish. But when two of my friends, both Josie and Katie were raving about this version that’s made with short ribs – I had to give it a try!

It doesn’t use any ricotta, which I was worried about. But, you really don’t miss it. The short ribs are braised in the tomato sauce all day long – creating more of a “Sunday Gravy” than a marinara. Then the dish is also layered with a creamy bechamel sauce, another Italian trick to a great pasta dish that many of us haven’t had the opportunity to try. So, that in itself adds a layer of creaminess and richness that replaces the layer of ricotta.

I did go ahead and add more mozzarella cheese than the recipe called for, just because I happened to have a surplus in the fridge. The recipe also called for the addition of porcini mushrooms – which, I didn’t have as many as I’d like. They’re one thing that I always try to have on hand, just because they add such a ton of flavor and keep well in the pantry. My stock has dwindled down, and I have a hard time finding them out here in the Boonies. So, I used what I had which was only about 1/2 cup – but it still turned out delicious. But you could double the quantity of mushrooms if you like.  I’ve got to order some more from the internet this week!

The short ribs are shredded down and layered with the pasta, tomato sauce, bechamel sauce, and cheese…then baked to a browned and bubbly perfection. I served with classic accompaniments to any Italian meal – a nice green salad and crusty garlic bread. It’s also a great place for a glass of nice red wine, where you have to open some for the sauce anyways!

Braised Short Rib Lasagna

2 pounds boneless beef short ribs
1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1 cup dry red wine
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 cup finely grated Parmesan Cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
1 box lasagna noodles
kosher salt
black pepper

For the bechamel:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
1 clove garlic, smashed
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Rehydrate the mushrooms by placing in a bowl with boiling water. Let sit 15 minutes until soft. Strain the musrooms and reserve cooking liquid to add to the sauce if you like. Roughly chop the mushrooms and set aside.

Season the short ribs with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the short ribs, in batches if necessary, and brown on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook until the vegetables are tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook until it darkens 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in the wine and add the bay leaf. Simmer, stirring and scraping up any browned bits as you go, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add in the crushed tomatoes, as well as the reserved mushroom liquid if using, and bring to a simmer. Return the short ribs to the pot, along with the mushrooms. Cover and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, turning the ribs every 30 to 40 minutes, until the meat is
fall-off-the-bone tender, about 3 hours total.

Meanwhile cook the lasagna noodles according to package directions, drape on the sides of the colander or the cooking pot, and set aside for assembly.

Use tongs to remove the ribs from the pot and move them to a plate to cool. Pour the sauce into a heatproof bowl and discard the bay leaf. Allow to sit for a few minutes, until the fat rises to the surface. Be sure to get as much fat off as you can, or the tomato sauce will be greasy. Skim it off with a large spoon and discard. When the meat is cool enough to handle, remove any fat or cartilage. Shred the meat and set aside in a medium bowl.

Make the bechamel sauce. Melt the butter in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Stir in the flour with a whisk and cook until golden, whisking constantly, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk and add the garlic clove. Cook at a gentle simmer, stirring often, until the mixture thickens, about 10 minutes. Add the 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese. Remove the garlic clove and season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Remove from heat and set aside.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish. Spread 1 cup of the tomato sauce on the bottom of the dish and cover the sauce with a slightly overlapping layer of the noodles. Spread 3/4 cup of bechamel over the noodles, and add 3/4 cup of the shredded meat over the sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of the shredded Parmesan cheese, and 2/3 cup of the mozzarella.

Add another layer of noodles, then repeat the layers as instructed above, to make a total of 3 layers of meat and 4 layers of noodles. At this point you should have used all the meat, but still have some sauce and cheese left over. Spread the remainder of the the sauce over the top and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and mozzarella cheese.

Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the top is browned and bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. Serve with additional Parmesan for sprinkling if you like.

Source: adapted from Fine Cooking via Pink Parsley and So Tasty, So Yummy

Southwest Potato & Corn Chowder

|
By
|
20 comments

Southwest Potato & Corn Chowder

I haven’t been able to stop thinking about this soup since I made it two weeks ago. I thought a potato corn chowder sounded great, and remembered  a poblano potato soup my friend Katie had posted. I didn’t have any poblanos on hand, but I did have a couple bell peppers. So I went with that, added a little bit more corn, and topped with some cilantro before serving for a Southwestern twist.

I used bacon this time around, but I’m thinking that chorizo might be a nice addition and spice it up even more – so I’m looking forward to trying that rendition next time. The tender potatoes and sweet corn, along with the colorful peppers made for a perfect marriage of flavor. And the cilantro on top was just the bright, fresh kick that it needed.

It was reminiscent of my favorite Loaded Baked Potato Soup – but much lighter in flavor without the addition of a bunch of sour cream. We all went back for seconds the first night I made it, and Andrew even went back for a third bowl. I enjoyed leftovers for lunch the majority of the rest of the week – and it was one of those things that I was very sad when it was finally gone. It’s definitely going to be making an appearance on our menu again very soon!

Southwest Potato & Corn Chowder

8 slices bacon, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 orange bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp butter
1/3 cup flour
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp freshly-ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 tsp ground cumin
8 cups chicken broth
4 cups starchy potatoes (Russet or all purpose), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 lb frozen corn kernels
1 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup grated Pepper Jack or cheddar cheese, for serving
1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro, for serving

Cook bacon in a large stock pot until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve.

Reduce heat to medium and add the butter, onions, and bell peppers. Cook 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and cook for an addtional minute until fragrant.

Stir in the flour, salt, pepper, and cumin. Cook 3 minutes. Slowly add in broth and bring to a boil. Add the potatoes, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender.

Add the corn, as well as the half-and-half to the soup and cook for about 15 minutes more. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If you want a thicker consistency, give the chowder a few mashes with a potato masher to break down some of the potatoes and thicken the mixture.

To serve, ladle chowder into bowl. Top with cheese, bacon, and fresh cilantro.

Source: adapted from So Tasty, So Yummy

Chicken Bryan Copycat

|
By
|
6 comments

Chicken Bryan

Can you guys believe that Valentine’s Day is this week?  We usually don’t do anything big. We open up our Valentine’s box with goodies for everyone inside, I make a heart-shaped meatloaf, and then we’ll enjoy a special dessert that I’ve made. It’s small, but it’s our tradition, and we all love and look forward to it. Valentine’s Day is so overpriced and crowded, the folks who can go out can have it – I’d much rather be at home with the people that I love the most.

So, if you’re on board with that – but want to make something fancier than say…a heart-shaped meatloaf for instance, take a look at this Chicken Bryan copycat recipe from Carrabba’s. I’ve never actually been to the restaurant, which I should remedy that situation, because I think there’s one in Ocean City…but I hear this dish is one of their signatures, and for good reason – because it’s absolutely delicious!

A grilled chicken breast, topped with sliced goat cheese and a delicious sauce comprised of sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, basil, lemon, white wine, and butter. What’s not to love in that equation? It was quick, easy, and all of us really loved it. I was thinking the little ones might not be that into it, but again they proved me wrong – gobbling it right up. If you don’t want to grill the chicken outside, you could certainly do it on a grill pan inside, or even just roast it in the oven. I served with a fun pasta shape that I tossed with my super-easy quick marinara sauce, which I added a bit of heavy cream to. I also had about 1/3 of the goat cheese log left, so I crumbled that into the tomato sauce as well. Let me just say that the pasta was so delicious, it could have easily been a meal on it’s own. And probably will in the near future!

Add a salad and a glass of wine onto the meal, and it’s easily something that anyone could make at home for their Valentine – and not have to shell out and arm and a leg, nor fight through the throngs of the masses for…

Which leaves you more time to enjoy each other’s company, which is really what it’s all about, right? I’ll have some more ideas for Valentine’s Day coming up this week, so be sure to check back!

Chicken Bryan Copycat

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
5 ounces goat cheese, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds

For the sauce:
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, julienned
1 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
3 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
kosher salt
black pepper

Heat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Combine the kosher salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano, and basil in a small dish. Pound chicken breasts to an even thickness in-between 2 sheets of plastic wrap – so they’re about 3/4 inch thick. Season both sides generously with the spice mixture. Grill until cooked all the way through and the juices run clear, about 5 minutes on each side. Remove from grill to a clean plate, and set aside.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

To prepare the sauce, heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant, then add in the sun-dried tomatoes and cook for an additional minute. Carefully add the wine and the lemon juice, and cook to for a few minutes to reduce the liquid by about half.

Combine the cornstarch with about a tablespoon of water to create a slurry and add that to the sauce to thicken a bit, whisking to combine. Slowly whisk in the butter, piece by piece, until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in fresh basil and reduce heat to simmer to keep warm while you finish up the chicken breast.

Place the cooked chicken breasts onto a baking sheet and top with the slices of goat cheese. Place in oven for about 5 minutes to warm the goat cheese.

Once goat cheese is slightly melty, spoon the sauce over the chicken breasts and serve immediately. Garnish with more fresh basil if desired.

Singapore Mei Fun

|
By
|
13 comments

Singapore Mei Fun

I love making our favorite Chinese take-out dishes at home. They’re always tastier, healthier, and much easier on the old pocketbook. Jon’s favorite dish to order-out, hands down, would have to be Singapore Mei Fun. Now, I realize this probably isn’t anywhere close to the noodle dishes you’d actually find in Singpore – but let’s be honest, what comes out most Chinese restaurants in this country  actually is authentic? Am I right?

Soft rice noodles, sauteed with all kinds of crispy yet tender vegetables – and a protein if you like, all in a delicious spicy sauce chock full of curry. I’d never had it before her ordered it, he used to be a General Tso’s guy…but switched to this when he was trying to lose a little weight, and years later he’s still never gone back. I’ve almost grown to love it over my beloved lo mein noodles! Our local place always adds a scrambled egg to the stir-fry, which I feel is a great addition as it helps to soak up any extra sauce and flavor, so I added that to my at-home version too.

It turned out really great, and was a fairly quick and easy meal. I just softened the rice noodles while I was prepping the veggies (stuff I had laying around in the fridge and pantry), stirred together the spices with some soy sauce and sesame oil, and stir-fried for a delicious dinner. I sliced up half a pork tenderloin that I had from a meal earlier in the week and added it to the mix, to add a little protein – but shrimp, leftover chicken or beef would also be great. Ff you wanted to make it vegetarian try adding tofu, or even just bulking up the veggies. And by using your favorite soy sauce substitute, it’s easily gluten-free. You can also switch up the spices in a bit – adding more or less Sriracha or red chili flakes to adapt the heat to your liking. We like it pretty spicy, but I realize not all folks do.

This is one I’m definitely glad to be adding to my repertoire, as it’s a favorite of our whole family! 

Singapore Mei Fun

12 oz rice noodles
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
2 tsp grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cup shredded carrot
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cup green cabbage, shredded
1 1/2 cup red cabbage, shredded
1 cup leftover pork, chicken or beef – sliced (optional)
1 1/2 cup bean sprouts
4 scallions, sliced

For the sauce:
1 Tbsp hot curry powder (or your favorite curry powder)
1 tsp ground tumeric
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp crushed red chili flakes
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 Tbsp Sriracha
1 tsp grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced

Soak the noodles according to the package instructions (Usually soak in hot water for 15 minutes). Drain well and set aside in the colander.

Combine all the sauce ingredients in a medium bowl, stir to combine.

Heat 1 Tbsp oil in wok over medium-high heat. Add the eggs and cook, stirring constantly, until the eggs are cooked and scrambled. Remove to a small bowl and set aside.

Add remaining oil to the wok and increase heat to high. Add ginger garlic paste, and stir until fragrant – about 30 seconds. Add the carrot, bell pepper, and cabbages to the wok. Toss using a pair of tons until starting to soften – about 2 minutes.

Add in the rice noodles, sliced meat, bean sprouts, scallions, scrambled eggs, and finally the sauce. Toss well to combine everything and cook for an additional minute.

Serve hot with additional Sriracha and soy sauce, if desired. 

Source: adapted from Messy Kitchen Stories