One more snowstorm, one more great excuse for braising. This time – Short Ribs, Hunter’s Style. Yes, I know it’s March and I hope you are reading this in some balmy clime, or at least in Vineyard Haven where apparently there are crocuses (under the snow). But up-Island where I live, the wind whipping over the cold Atlantic is keeping things, well, brisk.
This short rib recipe is a versatile one – the red wine, tomato, herb, and fennel combination can be used with lamb shanks or shoulder chops, too. As long as you keep the proportion of liquid to meat about the same, you can also change up the herbs and aromatics. Add cumin and coriander, substitute peppers for the fennel, and you have a southwestern spin. We served our short ribs (meat slipped off the bone) over Creamy Mashed Yukon Gold Potatoes, but rice or wide noodles would be nice, too.
Braising (browning, then cooking in a small amount of liquid in a covered pot) is also a great way to cook a whole chicken. Try this method for Pot-Roasted Chicken with Veggies and Herbs instead of a roasted chicken sometime. For that you will need a wide Dutch oven.
Which reminds me! (Ha, you knew I had another agenda.) Have I told you how much I love my Le Creuset enameled cast iron Dutch ovens? These super-heavy vessels retain and spread heat like nobody’s business. They’re expensive to be sure, but they last a lifetime.
My first ones (blue!) were hand-me-downs from my Mom (note broken handle, above); more recently my husband has been slowly adding to my collection (red!). In addition to the Dutch ovens (wide, deep pots), I’m also loving a shallower Le Creuset braiser (top, left) I got this year which is great for weeknight braises like Arnie Reisman’s Casablanca Chicken.
If you’re interested in starting or adding to a collection, keep your eye out for Le Creuset’s annual sales (and start picking your favorite color now). Or visit their clearance shop online. And know, too, that Lodge and Staub also make great quality enameled cast iron.
This whole March-roaring-in-like-a-lion thing requires nourishment of every kind, not just braise-y things. I’m craving citrus and berries and colorful vegetables like sweet potatoes and kale. So these two salads will fit the bill: Kale Salad with Sweet Potato Fries and Blackberry-Lime Dressing and Rosemary-Roasted Cauliflower, Lemons, and Shallots.
And for a quick supper this week, I think we’ll have these very comforting (and colorful) Baked Eggs Pizzaiola one night.
And Harvest Minestrone another.
Lastly, a cup of tea and a slice of Abby Dodge’s Coconut Cinnamon Tea Cake will perk up the greyest of days.
We hope all you Vineyarders who are off-Island for school vacation week are having a great time. We'll see everybody right here next week and on Instagram @cookthevineyard. And while you're on Instagram, be sure to check out the amazing work that Chef José Andrés and World Central Kitchen @wckitchen are doing to feed Ukrainian refugees in both Poland and Romania. It will warm your heart.
P.S. Some great news — Cook the Vineyard reader Suzanne Wilsey is the winner of our first ever cookbook giveaway. A copy of Black Food: Stories, Art and Recipes From Across the African Diaspora, edited by Bryant Terry and published by Ten Speed Press/4-Color Books, will be on its way to Suzanne this week!
What's Open on the Vineyard
It's school vacation week here on the Island, and while things are quiet, plenty of restaurants are open for business and offering take-out, too. Be sure to check out What's Open on Martha's Vineyard to find out where to eat, shop, and visit this week.
