MITCH IN THE KITCHEN

braised short ribs with polenta

If there is anything that would ever motivate me to stop cooking meat, it would be laziness. Seems like every time John and I set aside a Sunday evening to make a big batch of something beefy (or porky or chickeny) I get annoyed by raw meat juices dripping everywhere, fat and connective tissue that need to be trimmed (still rather unskillfully), and even the smell of raw meat. What keeps me coming back to it, unsurprisingly, is how good stuff can taste when done right. Also, wine. As long as my other half persists in learning about wine, I will continue seeking out new dishes to go with his picks (and vice versa… I think we’ve found an important positive feedback loop in this relationship).

Freezing spring temperatures (?!) and a new Dutch oven (“new” as in unused since its arrival in June) were reasons enough to finally get around to making braised short ribs. It also helps that I have a better understanding of meat cookery, thanks to a hands-on food science class I’m taking (the most fun dietitians are required to have in their coursework). Well-exercised muscles are full of collagen, which makes them chewy and tough. But after a nice slow braise, the meat becomes tender and stays flavorful. The collagen is converted to gelatin (by hydrolysis, for you fans of chemistry) which disperses throughout the braising liquid. The Dutch oven (an enamel-covered cast iron pot with a lid) goes into the conventional oven, where constant, even heating is maintained more easily than on the stove.

I bookmarked a simple, straightforward recipe: short ribs are browned then simmered with mirepoix, red wine, and beef broth, then you drool and feel your stomach growl (scream?) while delightful aromas drift around your apartment. A few hours later, the tender meat and hearty sauce are ready to drape themselves over something starchy and absorbent, like creamy polenta or fluffy mashed potatoes. Something bright and crunchy (like the simple salad with vinaigrette in the recipe) is a nice contrast to the soft, mushy warmth of the other stuff. If time allows (or while you’re eating and thinking about leftovers), you can remove the ribs from the pot and reduce the sauce a bit.

Speaking of leftovers, shredded short ribs with their sauce + canned tomatoes + garlic + herbs = delicious ragu that can be mixed with pasta or spooned over more polenta.

polenta with greens and eggs

This is one of our favorite go-to dinners here in the T-L household. John gets the (“corn grits also known as”) polenta going with his patient stirring (or handy shortcut methods) while I cobble together whatever chard, cabbage, spinach, kale, collard greens, bok choy, etc. we have with some onions, garlic, and whatever leftover meat and/or beans (or even seitan) we have. Sausages, bacon, ham, etc. are good in this too. We brown the meat in a big pan, then add the vegetables and simmer the mixture with some tomato paste, red chile flakes, and broth. At the end of it, I make little wells and crack eggs into them. Delicious. Sometimes John gets crazy with butter and cheese in the polenta, but the important thing is to make sure there’s enough salt in it. The congealed leftovers are good sliced and fried (though I have never done this successfully) or grilled, or baked with sauce and cheese and an egg on top.