I love to savor the promise of a New Year by hosting my friends for a home-cooked dinner during the month of January. And I’m not thinking complex, fancy dishes, either, but rather comfort foods that are best enjoyed at home. That’s my idea of a real celebration.
Braised short ribs in merlot
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Baking time: 1hour, 20 minutes
Refrigerating: 8 hours
Yield: 6 servings
5 pounds beef short ribs, trimmed
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 each: large carrots, diced; small leeks, white and light green parts thinly sliced
1 large onion, diced about 2 cups
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 1/2 cups each: merlot wine, low-salt chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried ground thyme
1. Heat oven to 300 degrees. Season ribs with salt and pepper. Heat oil over high heat in Dutch oven or casserole large enough to hold ribs in single layer;add ribs in 2 batches, searing on all sides until browned. Remove ribs to platter.
2. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of oil. Add carrots, leeks and onion to pot. Cook over medium heat until browned, stirring often, about 12 minutes. Add sugar; stir until melted. Add flour and garlic; stir well. Cook 1 minute; return ribs and juices to pot. Add wine, broth, bay leaf and thyme. Heat to simmer; press ribs down to keep them covered with liquid.
3. Bake until ribs are just tender but not falling apart (ribs will cook more when reheated), about 1 hour, 20 minutes. Cool casserole at room temperature ; refrigerate at least 8 hours.
4. Skim and discard fat; add more water if sauce is too thick. Heat, covered, in 350-degree oven until just hot, about 40 minutes.
Note: Can be refrigerated up to 2 days or frozen up to 1 month.
Nutritional information per serving:
382 calories; 50% calories from fat; 21 g fat; 8 g saturated fat; 83 mg cholesterol; 17 g carbohydrates; 30 g protein; 96 mg sodium; 3 g fiber.
Rutabaga mash
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Can be made a day ahead and refrigerated. Reheat, covered, in 350-degree oven until hot, about 30 minutes.
2 large rutabagas, peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks, about 6 1/2 cups
1 1/2 large russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks, about 3 cups
2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons butter, room temperature
3/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Freshly ground pepper
Cover rutabagas and potatoes with salted water in a large pot; heat to boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Cook, uncovered, until vegetables are tender, about 20-25 minutes. Drain; place vegetables back in pot over medium-high heat, shaking continuously, to cook away remaining moisture, about 2 minutes. Put vegetables in food processor fitted with metal blade. Add salt, butter, nutmeg and pepper. . Pulse until smooth. Adjust seasoning.
Nutritional information per serving:
173 calories; 31% calories from fat; 6 g fat; 4 g saturated fat; 15 mg cholesterol; 28 g carbohydrates; 3 g protein; 577 mg sodium; 5 g fiber.
Warm brownies
Prepartion time: 20 minutes
Baking time: 25 minutes
Yield: 36 brownies
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, at room temperature, quartered
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
2/3 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
For serving, vanilla ice cream, hot fudge sauce
1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease 10-by-10-inch baking pan; coat with flour. Tap out excess.
2. Beat sugar and butter with electric mixer until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time. Continue beating until batter is smooth, about 1 minute. Add vanilla and chocolate. Stir in flour, salt and walnuts with wooden spoon. Pour batter into prepared pan; spread evenly.
3. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out moist but not coated with batter, about 25 minutes. Be sure brownies have not yet begun to pull away from sides of pan to avoid overbaking. Cool completely on rack. Cut into 1 1/2-inch squares.
4. To serve, put 2-3 warm brownies on each dessert plate. Top with ice cream and sauce.
Nutritional information per serving:
102 calories; 55% calories from fat; 7 g fat; 3 g saturated fat; 25 mg cholesterol; 10 g carbohydrates; 2 g protein; 48 mg sodium; 1 g fiber.
Nutritionals by Jodie Shield
