Cabernet Throw Down
Ingredients
2 large onions -- halved lengthwise
1 piece fresh ginger -- (3-inch) left unpeeled
4 lb meaty cross-cut beef shanks (sometimes called beef shins -- 1 1/2 inches
thick)
7 qt cold water
2 teaspoons star anise pieces
1 cinnamon stick -- (3-inch)
3 whole cloves
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 piece boneless beef sirloin steak or tenderloin -- (1/2-lb)
1 lb dried flat thin or medium rice noodles (banh pho or pad Thai)
1/2 cup Asian fish sauce (preferably Vietnamese nuoc mam) -- or to taste
1/2 teaspoon salt -- or to taste
Special equipment: cheesecloth -- kitchen string
Accompaniments: fresh bean sprouts -- very thinly sliced onion (rinsed and
drained); fresh cilantro, mint, and basil (preferably Thai) leaves; thinly
sliced scallions; lime wedges; thinly sliced fresh Thai or serrano chiles; Asian
fish sauce (preferably nuoc mam)
Directions
Make broth:
Roast onions and ginger directly on rack of a gas burner over high heat, turning
with tongs, until blistered and blackened, 10 to 15 minutes. (Alternatively,
broil onions and ginger on foil-lined rack of a broiler pan about 5 inches from
heat, turning occasionally, until charred, 20 to 25 minutes for onions; 25 to 30
minutes for ginger.) Transfer to a bowl and cool. When cool enough to handle,
rinse and rub under cold running water to remove any blackened pieces (some
areas will remain browned).
While onions and ginger roast, cover shanks with 2 quarts cold water in a 6- to
8-quart pot. Bring to a boil, then drain in a large colander (discard cooking
water) and rinse well with cold water. Clean pot.
Wrap star anise, cinnamon stick, cloves, and peppercorns in cheesecloth and tie
into a bundle with kitchen string to make a spice bag, then add to cleaned pot
along with 4 quarts water, shanks, onions, and ginger. Simmer, uncovered,
skimming froth occasionally, 2 hours. Add remaining quart water and return to a
boil, then reduce heat and simmer, skimming froth occasionally, until shanks are
very tender, about 1 hour more.
Prepare sirloin and noodles for soup while broth simmers:
Freeze steak until firm but not frozen solid, 30 to 45 minutes, then slice
across the grain with a sharp thin knife into less than 1/8-inch-thick slices.
Soak rice noodles in cold water to cover until softened, about 30 minutes, then
drain in cleaned large colander. Cook noodles in a 6-quart pot of boiling water,
uncovered, stirring, 1 minute, then drain.
Finish soup:
Transfer shanks with tongs to a cutting board. Clean pot. When shanks are cool
enough to handle, remove meat from bones and cut into small pieces, discarding
bones, fat, and sinew. Set aside 2 cups beef (reserve remainder for another
use).
Pour broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a large heatproof bowl, discarding
solids. Measure broth: If there is more than 3 quarts (12 cups), boil in cleaned
pot until reduced; if there is less, add water. Let stand until fat rises to
top, 1 to 2 minutes, then skim off fat if desired.
Combine broth and beef (2 cups) in cleaned 6- to 8-quart pot and bring to a
boil, then add fish sauce and salt and return to a boil just before serving.
Divide noodles among 6 large deep bowls. Top noodles with uncooked sliced steak
and ladle boiling-hot broth (with pieces of beef shanks) over steak and noodles.
(Hot broth will cook steak.)
Ingredients
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts -- cut into bite-size strips
2 ounces pancetta (about 4 thin slices) -- coarsely chopped 2 shallots (about 2
ounces), peeled and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic -- minced
1/4 cup Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter
1/3 cup drained and chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 pound orecchiette pasta -- cooked according to package directions Salt and
freshly ground pepper to taste
3 cups coarsely chopped arugula
1 1/2 cups shaved or grated Kerrygold Dubliner Cheese
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
Directions
Sauté chicken, pancetta, shallots and garlic in a skillet over medium heat for
about 10 minutes or until chicken and pancetta are cooked through. Remove from
skillet and keep warm. Melt butter in same skillet over medium heat. When butter
begins to foam, cook for I minute more until golden brown, being careful not to
bum. Add chicken mixture, tomatoes and cooked pasta to skillet; cook for a
minute more to heat through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in
arugula, cheese and pine nuts and toss lightly.
Ingredients
5 1/2 cups water
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cups fresh (cut from about 3 ears) or frozen corn kernels
1 1/3 cups coarse or medium cornmeal
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 1/2 pounds flank steak
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic -- minced
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup brandy or bourbon
Directions
In a medium saucepan, bring the water, 1 3/4 teaspoons of the salt, and 1/2
teaspoon of the thyme to a boil. Stir in the corn and cook until tender, 5
minutes for fresh, 1 minute for frozen. Add the cornmeal in a slow stream,
whisking. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until very thick,
about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the butter.
In a large frying pan, heat the oil over moderate heat. Sprinkle the steak with
the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and the pepper. Add the meat to the pan and cook
for 5 minutes. Turn and cook to your taste, about 5 minutes longer for medium
rare, depending on the thickness. Remove.
Reduce the heat to moderately low. Add the garlic to the pan and cook, stirring,
for 30 seconds. Add the remaining 1/4 teaspoon thyme, the wine, and the brandy
and stir to dislodge any brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan. Boil
until reduced to approximately 1/4 cup, 3 to 4 minutes. Slice the steak across
the grain and on the diagonal. Serve the steak over a bed of corn polenta, with
the sauce drizzled over all.
Ingredients
1/2 cup bourbon
Four 1 1/2 -inch-thick beef tenderloin steaks (6 ounces each)
1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons unsalted butter -- softened
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 ounces Roquefort cheese -- crumbled (1/2 cup)
Directions
In a large, shallow dish, pour 1/4 cup of the bourbon all over the
tenderloin steaks and cover.
In a small saucepan, boil the remaining 1/4 cup of bourbon over moderately high
heat until reduced to 1 tablespoon, about 3 minutes. Add the cream and simmer
until reduced by half, about 8 minutes; keep warm.
Drain the steaks and pat dry with paper towels; reserve the marinade. In a
large, heavy skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Season the steaks
generously with salt and pepper and cook over high heat, turning once, until
browned, about 4 minutes. Lower the heat to moderately high and continue to cook
the steaks, turning once and basting occasionally with the bourbon marinade,
until the steaks are medium rare, about 12 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the Roquefort with the remaining 2 tablespoons
of butter until smooth. Slowly whisk the Roquefort butter into the bourbon cream
until smooth. Remove the bourbon-Roquefort sauce from the heat and season with
salt and pepper.
Transfer the steaks to a cutting board and slice 1/4 inch thick. Arrange the
slices on plates, spoon some of the sauce on top and pass the rest at the table.
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