Chocolate Ribs

The first time I made this recipes was to make a Valentine dinner for my husband who is a chocolate lover. Since then I've made this at least half a dozen times. This recipe is a real keeper.
BRAISED SHORT RIBS WITH CHOCOLATE AND ROSEMARY

1/4 cup diced pancetta (Italian bacon; about 1 1/2 ounces)
6 pounds bone-in short ribs
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onions
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup finely chopped peeled carrots
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups dry red wine
3 cups low-salt chicken broth
2 cups chopped drained canned diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 very large fresh thyme sprig
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons shaved or grated bittersweet chocolate
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

Heat heavy large pot over medium heat. Add pancetta and saut�� until crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle ribs with salt and pepper. Working in batches, brown ribs in drippings in pot over medium-high heat until brown on all sides, about 8 minutes per batch. Transfer to plate. Add onions and next 4 ingredients to pot. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook until vegetables are soft, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add wine. Boil uncovered until liquid is reduced by half, scraping up browned bits, about 5 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes, parsley, thyme, bay leaf, and pancetta. Return ribs to pot, cover partially, and simmer 1 1/2 hours. Uncover and simmer until rib meat is tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 1/2 hours longer.

Transfer ribs to plate; discard bay leaf. Spoon fat from surface of sauce. Boil sauce until beginning to thicken, about 8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add chocolate, cocoa powder, and rosemary; stir until chocolate melts. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Return ribs to pot. Simmer to rewarm, about 5 minutes.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Bon App��tit
January 2006
Bruce Aidells and Nancy Oakes

My Notes: I don't eat pork so I use boneless beef ribs, and either substitute the pancetta with turkey bacon or leave it out altogether. It doesn't make or break this dish at all.

Grilled Corn with Queso Fresco & Lime Tarragon Butter

This recipe is based on typical street food in Oaxaca, Mexico, where Bernstein once lived. The corn is typically smothered in mayonnaise, dipped in cheese and then covered with a spicy chile powder. Here, Bernstein adds a little melted butter for an American accent. She uses a powdered-sugar shaker to apply an even coating of the chile powder.

6 ears of corn, unhusked
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon finely chopped tarragon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chile powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 pound queso fresco or mild feta, finely crumbled

Soak the corn in a large bowl of water for 1 hour. Light a grill. On a large plate, blend the butter with the lime juice and tarragon and season with salt and pepper. Spread the butter in a 1/3-inch-thick layer in the center of the plate. In a small bowl, mix the chile powder and cinnamon.

Grill the corn over moderately high heat, turning often, until the husks are evenly charred all over, about 25 minutes. Carefully peel back the corn husks but leave them attached to the cobs. Discard the corn silk and use the husks as a handle. Roll the corn in the softened butter, top with a thick layer of crumbled cheese and sprinkle with the chile powder mixture. Serve right away.

Recipe by Michelle Bernstein
Published in Food & Wine magazine
-------
My adaptation:
I thought it would be a real pain in the you know what to try and remove the silks after cooking, but I followed the recipe anyway, and found it actually seemed easier so I'm thinking of cooking my corn this way all the time. Or at least steaming it in the oven. I adore the flavor that corn husks give to foods anyway.

The only changes I made to the corn were that I used Cilantro instead of Tarragon. Thought that would be a bit more authentic. I used the Feta instead of the Queso Fresco, and even though I can't imagine it being any better I still want to try it with the Queso Fresco next time.

Piquant Jelly

12 habanero peppers, stemmed

2 C. Red wine vinegar, 1/2 C. reserved

7 C. sugar

1 pkg. (1 3/4 oz.) Jel Ease fruit pectin

Stem the habanero peppers, and put them (whole) in a blender along with 1 1/2 cups of the red wine vinegar, and whizz them up well. Pour the mixture into a stock pot, and add all the sugar. Let this come to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.

In the meantime get your hot water bath going. Jars, lids and rings may be sterilized (for 10 minutes) in the hot water bath, and kept hot until ready to use.

When the pepper mixture has simmered strain through a fine mesh seive or cheesecloth, and put back into a clean pot. Use the final half cup of red wine vinegar to mix with the Jel Ease Add to the syrup mixture, and bring to a full rolling boil (where the foam can not be stirred down), and boil for 2 minutes. Pour finished product into hot sterilized jars, cap, and place in the boiling water bath (BWB). Process for 5 minutes with lid on. Remove jars from BWB, and set on a dry towel and let sit for approximately 24 hours before moving to allow the jelly to set up.

Yield: 6 half pints.

Recipe & Photo by Mignonne

All rights reserved. 2007

The Folded Napkin

Table linens seem to have fallen by the wayside
so it is a real treat when one is greeted by
a table set with all the linens, silverware and glassware in place.
A simply edged white linen napkin can be folded quite easily,
and will be sure to make your guests feel special
or turn a dinner for two into a more romantic setting.
There are web sites now available where you can easily follow
step by step instructions for napkin folding
from something as simple as this example to ones far more fancy.

Pasta With Four Cheeses & Sauteed Radishes With Cilantro

Pasta With Four Cheeses

8 oz. vermicelli noodles
1/4 C. sharp white cheddar cheese (you can get this at Walmart)
1/4 C. brie cheese
1 to 2 T. dry white wine
1/2 C. ricotta cheese
1/4 to 1/2 C. Parmesan, divided
2 cloves garlic, minced

Garnish: finely sliced fresh chives or scallion and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, add noodles and cook until done about 6 to 7 minutes or according to package directions.

Meanwhile, dice your cheddar and brie into 1/4 inch cubes. Combine the cheeses (half of the Parmesan) and minced garlic with the white wine and ricotta in the top of a double boiler or in a microwave proof container that is large enough to accommodate the cooked pasta. If you are using a double boiler, melt the cheese while the pasta is cooking, if you are using a microwave you can wait until the pasta is done. When the pasta is done, drain, pat dry, and toss it with the melted cheese. Or is you are using a microwave oven, heat the cheese for 1 minute. Whisk it vigorously and return it to the microwave for 20 seconds. Add the drained pasta to the melted cheese, right in the microwave dish, and toss. Season with lots of freshly ground pepper and scallion. Garnish with remaining Parmesan, chives or scallion, and black pepper.

Yield: 2 servings
Notes: When I made the Pasta With Four Cheeses recipe I added one more cheese. As if four wasn't enough. lol Actually, I still only used about 1 1/4 cup of cheeses altogether. I cooked approximately two cups of a mixture of macaroni, shells, and wheels to make it easier for my grandchildren to handle. The cheeses I used were Blue, Butterkaise, Feta, Brie and Parmesan. I blanched some baby red onions to add, and some cut up jumbo shrimp.
Radishes With Cilantro & Lemon

To go with my pasta dish, I sliced up some radishes and sautee'd them in butter with a tad bit of olive oil then after draining I tossed the slices in lemon juice and fresh cilantro.

Note: Fresh Lemon Zest would really look terrific on this dish as well.