There’s nothing like the aroma of something flavorful cooking in the house to lift one’s spirits on a cold and dreary winter’s day. Warms the house – and the spirit!
Yesterday I opted to put my slow cooker to work and try a new recipe.
I chose a recipe called Short Ribs of Beef with Zinfandel and Balsamic Vinegar from a cookbook I had gotten before the holidays. It was fast and easy to assemble; I loaded up the crockpot before going off to work in the morning, and anticipated the meal all day!
I’ll give you the recipe as written, and then tell you the modifications I made. (As the saying goes, “she didn’t always follow the recipe…”)
SHORT RIBS OF BEEF with
ZINFANDEL and BALSAMIC VINEGAR
INGREDIENTS:
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
2/3 cup Red Zinfandel
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2-1/2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 T. dijon mustard
4 drops hot sauce, like Tabasco
½ tsp. salt
3 lbs. beef short ribs, cut into serving pieces of 3-4 ribs
Combine the tomato sauce, wine, shallot, vinegar, mustard, hot sauce, and salt in small bowl and mix till combined.
Arrange the ribs in a 3 quart slow cooker and pour the sauce over them. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours, until the meat is tender and starts to separate from the bone.
Transfer the ribs to a platter and set aside. Cool the sauce until the fat congeals on the surface. Remove and discard the fat.
When ready to serve, return the ribs to the sauce and reheat in a 300° oven until hot. Serve immediately.
Changes I made:
- browned the ribs under the broiler to seal in the juices before putting them in the slow cooker
- used a 12 oz. can of petite diced tomatoes in place of the tomato sauce (it’s what I had)
- cut 2 large shallots into chunks (wanted a chunkier sauce)
- added a healthy dash of worcestershire sauce in addition to the other flavorings
To accompany the short ribs, I made a puree of sweet potato with maple syrup, a touch of butter and salt, and a little milk. For a green veggie, I chose peas that I had frozen from last season’s garden, and warmed a hunk of onion baguette from the market.
The sauce from the dish was quite flavorful and had a nice piquancy to it. (could be thickened if desired)
I had made Dried Cherry – Almond Biscotti over the weekend and served them with fresh coffee. Gotta satisfy that sweet tooth! (email me if you’d like the biscotti recipe)
All in all, a fine repast! Comfort food, easily prepared – satisfies the appetite and the psyche.
