Showing posts with label Guinness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Guinness. Show all posts

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Guinness Short Ribs with Polenta

Every March I get out my "Guinness File" and start making some of my favorite things to celebrate all things Irish. Here's to Arthur Guinness! 


Guinness Short Ribs


Ingredients


1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
4 to 4 1/4 lb beef short ribs, cut into 4 inch pieces
4 medium leeks (white and pale green parts only) chopped (2 cups)
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 carrots, chopped (2 cups) into medium size pieces
3 celery ribs, chopped (1.5 cups) into medium size pieces
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup chopped garlic (5 to 6 large cloves)
1 3/4 cups beef broth (14 oz)
1 440 ml can of Guinness
2 (14 to 15 oz) cans diced tomatoes




Method:
1. Preheat oven to 375F with rack in lower third of oven.
2. Combine brown sugar, paprika, curry powder, cumin, pepper, salt.


3. Pat ribs dry and arrange in 1 layer in a shallow baking pan or a shallow dish, then generously coat all sides of ribs with spice mixture.



4. Wash leeks in a bowl of cold water and drain completely.
5. Heat oil in pot over high heat until hot but not smoking and quickly brown ribs on all 3 meaty sides (but not bone side) without crowding, in batches if necessary, about 1 minute per side.
6. Transfer meat to a large plate, then add leeks, carrots, celery, and bay leaves to pot and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally until vegetables begin to soften (about 3 mins). Add garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
7. Add broth, beer and tomatoes with their juice, then add ribs with any juices and remaining spices accumulated on plate and bring liquid to a boil, uncovered.



8. Cover pot and transfer to oven, then braise until meat is very tender, 2 to 2.5 hours. Skim off excess fat from surface of sauce. Remove and discard bay leaves.



Short ribs improve in flavour if braised 1 day ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then chilled, covered. Reheat, covered, in a 350F oven until hot (1 to 1.5 hours).

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Party Time!Kick off St.Pat's Weekend in Hawaii

Hawaiians love to have parties. Almost every weekend we have a variety of opportunities to go to at least one shindig or two of some kind.  However, last weekend we were invited to a SERIOUS Party (actually two, but the second one is another post).  My friend Teri Suggs , a fellow ceramic artist from the Walnut Creek Clay Arts Guild who moved here last summer and lives in a fantastic kind of Shangrila North of Honokaa. Their property has several houses and acres of fantastic mature fruit and nut trees. Teri is also a musician and plays the fiddle focusing on celtic music, but I learned on Saturday night that she also is a "Sultry Siren" when she sings. She plays the beautiful sculptural ocarinas that she makes. Teri teaches sculpture and ceramics in Honokaa, you can contact her through her link for more information.

Teri's Saint Patrick's Day Party was so much fun. There were over 60 people there and when we arrived there was a large L shaped tent, filled with candle lit tables and twinkling lights. There was a beverage tent (With abundant Guinness) and inside the house was an array of fantastic foods brought by the guests as well as the Corned Beef and Cabbage provided by our hosts.

We met several fun people and a few darling dogs who were absolute experts in begging for food. Bubba in particular had a great style. He was a huge black lab that looked like he probably had a Great Dane ancestor or two. He had this incredibly large head and sweet face. With those eyes it was difficult to resist not giving him a wee piece of corned beef.  I succumbed.

The entire evening was enchanting, but the best part was the music. Here is a video of some of the music. Teri is featured here, but we were also highly impressed with this clarinet player... she was a real "cat" when it came to playing. I don't know her name, but I am sure Teri will e-mail me with her name when she reads this. Sorry for the low lights, I did not want to spoil the mood for others by adding lighting: