Short and Slow: It's Not The Size That Matters, As Long As You Take The Time

Last night the temperature dropped below zero and the smell of wood smoke from chimneys filled the air which means only one thing. Summer is officially gone. After a year of an endless summer, my tan has faded and I'm having to accept the fact that fall has arrived. As much as I try to remain in denial of this conclusion, I have begun to look forward to the many things I missed out on over the last year. With the absence of autumn and winter, I didn't get to enjoy the foods that come along with the seasons. I had been void of good cooking and quality food all together, so I've been heavily indulging in the freshness and abundance that the Byward Market has been offering lately. I found amongst the local vendors some colourful heirloom carrots, tiny brussel sprouts, fragrant leeks, and new potatoes that would be perfect for a seasonally inspired meal. The butcher in the market had some incredibly marbled beef short ribs that I couldn't say no to, so I picked up two gorgeous slabs that would be the center of the meal.

Nothing about the meal that resulted was difficult. In fact, it is unbelievably simple, yet yields such an impressive and delicious result. Short ribs are a well marbled and particularly tough cut of beef (not very expensive either), so it definitely wants to be slowly cooked so the fat melts away and the meat becomes tender and rich. The beer braised short ribs and the roasted vegetables took minimal effort, while the accompanying mashed brown butter mashed potatoes are unlike any potato I've ever eaten, but also extremely unpretentious. I found the recipe for the potatoes in Michael Smith's cook book, Chef at Home, and I am glad I did.

I broke this into a few different parts for organization, but you will need:


Meat:
- Nicely marbled beef short ribs, enough to feed however many people you wanna feed... (usually a butcher will trim them into 4 rib sections, which will feed two ladies or one hungry man)
- Case of dark ale, or stout
- Sea Salt and Pepper
- Couple tablespoons of butter/olive oil
- Couple tablespoons of flour
Veggie:
- Bunch of heirloom carrots, sliced in half lengthwise
- Handful or two of leeks, sliced
- Handful or two of brussel sprouts
- Bunch of fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary
- A couple cloves of garlic, smashed with the side of a knife, skins removed
Potatoes:
- A pound of potatoes
- Stick of butter
- 1/2 cup milk
- Nutmeg (ground or whole seeds)
- Sea Salt and Black Pepper

To get the beef prepared poke little holes in both sides with the tip of your knife. Pour the ale or stout over the short ribs, massaging it into the meat. Grind or sprinkle salt generously over the meat, and keep massaging the beer into the meat so it gets a good coating of beer. Crack some pepper all over the short ribs then place all the short ribs in dish or wrap them in foil, give them a very generous splash of beer, and tightly wrap the top of the dish with foil/ wrap the top of the meat up and place on a baking sheet. 

Let the ribs mellow for a bit in their beer bath, while you preheat the oven to 375 degrees, and get your veggies ready to party. Take all your leeks, carrots and sprouts, and pile them on a large section of foil. Throw the garlic and herbs on top, give it a good drizzle of olive oil, wrap the foil into a packet so the top and ends are folded over a couple times. When the oven is preheated, place both the meat and the veggie packet in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, then decrease the temperature to 275 and let them do their thang for 3 hours. After the 3 hours are done, remove the foil from the meat, reserve the juices, and open up the veggie foil packet, return to the oven, and crank the heat to 400 degrees. Let the meat and veggies roast under high heat for 20 more minutes.

When the meat and veggies have about 10 minutes left of its 3 hours, boil the potatoes in salted water until fork tender. Drain the water and set the potatoes aside. Then over medium/medium-low heat, melt the stick of butter. Keep a close eye on the butter as it begins to foam. You are trying to caramelize the milk solids in the butter, so you need to watch for the butter to physically start to brown. As it browns the scent wafting up towards you will be slightly nutty and fragrant. When the butter browns, immediately add the milk to cool the butter down as you definitely don't want to burn it. Reduce the heat, simmer the milk for a couple minutes, then add the potatoes, skins and all, and give them a good mash. Season with salt and a few good pinches nutmeg (if you've got big nutmeg seeds, use a microplane to grate it right into the potatoes) and mash a little more to distribute.

I thought this meal could really use a nice rich sauce slathered over top, so I whipped up a drool worth gravy. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt about 2 tablespoons of butter, or add good sized splash of olive oil. When the butter is melted, sprinkle in some flour and stir with a spoon. Keep adding a little more flour until it is a thick and smooth paste. Again, we are making a roux, which I talked about in the mac and cheese recipe. Toast the roux up in the pan a bit, then slow start adding the reserved juices from the meat, stirring ferociously to incorporate the roux, or bust out a whisk to make life easier. You should have a nice thick sauce now. Add a good splash of the beer you used on the meat, throw in some of the herbs you used for the vegetables, and a couple hits of nutmeg, and simmer till the gravy thickens back up a bit. Season with some cracked black pepper, and sea salt if necessary.

Throw some mash in the middle of a plate, scatter about with veggies, stick a two-rib portion of meat on the potatoes, and pour that gravy over top, then devour. Then tell me that WASN'T the tastiest yet simplest piece of beef you've ever cooked and eaten.

I ended up making more food that Mallory and I could gluttonously feast upon, so the next morning I cut the left over short ribs into individual rib sections, threw them in a cast iron frying pan, and fried them back up. In the same pan I threw in some leftover mashed potatoes that I formed into a patty and crisped up each side in the beef fat. In a non-stick I fried up some eggs and served it all with some savoury toasted potato sage bread from Wild Oat on Bank St and the leftover gravy. Legit.

Broke Ass Stew: Beef Bourgondaniel

The idea of peasant food is having a great resurgence in our current food climate. This represents a trend towards less refined, seemingly heartier meals. The North American nomenclature dictates it "comfort food" and it's a huge buzzword from restaurants to magazine recipes. The roots of dining are essentially based on two historic systems: what the rich ate,what the poor ate. The nature of each cuisine evolved culturally throughout history. Certain dishes remiain eternal and show up in many different cultures and societies. Things like stews, soups, and breads remain eternal. Stylings are often based on regional nuance such as altitude, climate, availability of water and other natural resources.

France is a prime example about how differences within a small country can afford a huge spectrum of cuisine. In Northern France you have rich, hearty dishes that reflect cooler temperatures and greater diversity of things like root vegetables. As you move south thinks get lighter, fresher, and decidedly more mediterranean. Fish and shellfish are represented a lot more as well as fresher soft herbs and lots of acidity. Wines as well will follow similar progressions, with more full bodied varietals representing themselves in cooler regions, fruitier, more zesty wines in warmer regions closer to water.

This all lends itself to obvious evolutionary truths about what satisfies our needs. Thus far those at dedicated have been stoked on summer. As we find our regions climate transitioning into the autumnal equinox the innate desire for that comforting, heartier food to warm our cockles is impossible to deny.

From the 17th century and prior hearty food was described as too coarse for a wealthy stomach, and that more refined and lighter dishes were all that the rich should consume. The irony of course is that the food of the peasant was the most delicious and is what now dominates our food landscape.

A prime example of region and social status affecting a dish is with beef bourguignon. A classic dish that originated in the burgundy region, the complex acids in wine were used as a tenderizer for cheap, less regarded cuts of beef. The richness and depth of burgundy perfectly compliment the savoury earthy flavours of slow cooked beef. Although this would typically highlight a large cut of meat cooked whole, it has been modified to provide a quicker execution.

Now then, down to the business of some tasty ass shit.

When I want some tasty ass stew, I fully look to incorporate lot's of super meaty (manly) and intensely savorily flavours. Bacon, onions, mushrooms, potatoes, garlic, beef, red wine and stock. Thats the essential components of delicious bourgonion.

To assemble this masterpiece I bought a few chicken carcasses for 99 cents a pound at my local butcher ( http://tinyurl.com/2ckncko )as well as 2 lbs of cubed chuck. I simmered the chickens for about 3 hours with a rasher of delicious dry-cured bacon and a few small onions. Next I gave the chuck a pat dry, a good whack of seasoning and a hard roast.

The meat should be paid careful attention to when roasted. Not over crowding the pan allows you to maintain a high heat. Caramelization is guaranteed and as caramelization is equal to deliciousness it is definitely worth being patient as your meat parties (it's also good to open your windows cause it may get smoky. Also don't worry about the grease splattering, thats what Vim is for.) Once your meat is good and roasted toss in about 3 tbsp of flour and let it cook for another five minutes. This will thicken your peasant stew later on. Pour off the excess fat and deglaze with a good strong red (ideally a Burgundy but substitute anything red that isn't fucking zinfindel). Let it bubble away until the wine is half reduced. Transfer to a decent sized pot and dump in your quick chicken stock (quicken stock) and a bit of fresh thyme. Allow to cook lid on for 2 hours on a low heat. Good things are happening so chill. Watch The Big Lebowski or go for a bike ride. Check it every now and then, have a taste and enjoy the proper smells. Low boil and fragrant steam mean your killing it old-world style.

After about an 1 1/2 - 2 hours things will be looking up. More so if your safe with the stove knobs. Tender is the goal. In the meantime fire up another pan and chop about a 1/2 lb of bacon into eating size chunks. Chop a medium white onion or man up and peel a bag of pearl onions by first soaking them in warm water. Saute your onion off in a touch of butter on a low heat until they get golden, then dump in your bacon. Let it rock until all the liquid cooks off and the bacon crisps up. Pull everything out but leave the fat, chuck the mushrooms in and let them soak up so much goodness in that devilish little pan.

Once the mushrooms are roasted this fine (I threw in some sliced garlic once the shrooms had colour because mushrooms and garlic are so right) then set them with the onions and bacon. Peek at the stew. What's it like? Pull a bit of meat out and let it cool a touch. Is it nice? No? Fuck. Put it back in and let it go a bit longer, but with the lid off. The stew will reduce and concentrate the flavours. Add a bit of salt and a lot of pepper. Freshly ground black pepper in large quantities has an undeniably savoury flavour that will elevate this broke ass stew quick. Once the meat is almost tender drop in your potatoes, and a few minutes later drop in the rest of the garnish. Let it cook until its all soft, quadruple check the taste for salt (or maybe acid, a bit of lemon juice or vinegar?). At this point you should be fucking hungry. Serve this proper stew with some roased veg, or mashed potatoes, or nothing, or scallions chopped up and soaked in olive oil with some pickled pepper brine. I love the spicy-zesty contrast from the onions.

Suck it bitter cold wind.

One love, daniel

Mac-n-Cheese With Steez

This past Sunday I found myself strolling through the Byward Market, simply captivated by all the fresh and local goodness the vendors had to offer. Mallory can attest to the fact that I seemed like a total space cadet as I was overwhelmed by the colours and quantity of the amazing produce that surrounded me. We picked up a bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables, and dipped into the market's cheesemonger to cop some quality dairy products. We ended up walking away with a nice hunk of canadian cheddar and some top quality cottage cheese with aspirations to make some bad ass, homestyle mac and cheese to warm us up after a day walking about in the cold Ottawa drizzle. 'Twas an excellent idea and this is how it went down.

Hustle up:

- 1 lb box of suitable pasta (choose a tubular pasta that will hold the creamy sauce well, like a penne, macaroni, or cavatappi. I used cavatappi, which is also called scoobi doo)

- 1/2 - Full stick of Butter

- 2 Garlic cloves, chopped

- 1 small onion, chopped super small

- 2/3 cup of all-purpose flour

- Can of delicious beer (or a case of further drinking)

- 4 cups (1 Litre) of milk

- One can (354mL) of unsweetened evaporated milk

- 1 lb of good quality medium aged cheddar cheese, shredded

- A couple tablespoonfuls of your favourite dijon mustard

- Tablespoon of paprika (if you can get or got some smoked paprika, give it a try)

- A few generous pinches of chili powder

- Tub of cottage cheese (find some that is pretty thick)

- Sea Salt and Black Pepper

- 1/2 loaf of some sort of delicious italian bread torn into small pieces, preferably from your local bakery

- Splash of Olive oil

Get the oven heating up to 350 degrees. While the cooking box does its thang, boil some salted water and get your pasta cooked to 'al dente', which means its tender, yet still has a bit of bite or density to it. You really don't wanna over cook the pasta as you're cooking it in the sauce later. Should be about 7-8 minutes in the boiling water.

Time to get saucy. In a large sauce pan, or the pot you boiled the pasta in, melt about 1/2 the stick of butter over medium/medium-low heat. Add the chopped onion, cooking until it starts to soften, smells delicious, and become translucent. Throw in the garlic, and continue to cook until everything starts to get a little bit golden. You may need to add a few hunks of butter as the onion will absorb some and you need the butter to make the 'roux'. Add the flour and stir the mix with a wooden spoon until a thick and smooth paste is formed. If it's too doughy add a few more hunks of butter and incorporate. This paste is the 'roux' and it is frequently used for making sauces, so it is good to become familiar with it. The roux is used for thickening sauces as it has flour in it and by combining the flour with butter, it can be evenly distributed throughout the sauce, and ultimately prevents nasty lumps. Continue to cook the roux for a few minutes so it gets all toasty like, thus developing more flavour. Slowly stir in a few big splashes of the beer until the mixture becomes smooth again.

Gradually stir in both milks, then switch your cooking weapon to a whisk, and start whisking that sauce until it is nice and smooth. Continue to whisk (if you have pansy wrists, switch with a friend) and whisk for several minutes until that sauce is pretty thick.

Now its really time to party. Stir in the cheese, dijon, paprika, chili powder, and a good dash of salt and cracked pepper. 

Add the cooked pasta into the cheesy sauce of goodness, and stir to get everything nice and sloppy. Pour the sauce/pasta party into a big ass casserole dish, something like 9"x13, or a couple smaller dishes, ooor if you're fancy enough to have a individual oven proof ramikans (fancy for bowls), you can use those, too.

Spoon nice dollops of cottage cheese all over the top of the noodle party and crack a little more black pepper over top. Proceed to toss the bread chunks with a splash or two of olive oil, and then spread it out over the pasta. 

Throw it in the cooking box and bake until it is heated through and the top is sexy and golden brown, approximately 30 minutes, but it really depends on the size of the dish used. 

When I cooked this up, I used a mix of a medium aged cheddar, and some extra old cheddar (both Canadian, yay local food!) for nice sharp cheese flavour. You can definitely mix it up with whatever type of cheese you want, and you can even throw in some meat like cooked sausage, ham, BACON!, ground beef, or mix in some small chunks of cauliflower, broccoli, or whatever veges you have on hand. Serve with a nice green salad, and get dedicated.

True Dedication

Not too sure where this commercial is from but I discovered it via my facebook news feed. This Panda is so dedicated to deliciousness that it makes me well up with tears. I don't understand how people don't like cheese. It makes so many things so much tastier. I have always said, you shouldn't trust a person who doesn't like cheese. I have yet to be proven wrong.

Definitely check out the link, as the video won't let me embed it into this post.