When we lived in Italy, I had a great relationship with my local butchers. I loved the individual attention, the sense of community in their shops and I always looked forward to visiting them for a chat. Their meats were tender and flavorful, yet I was continually curious about the origin of the meat I was buying. Despite my probing questions, it appeared impossible to get accurate information on how the meat was raised and butchered. I imagined animals roaming the idyllic Umbrian countryside, but my fairytale still left me in the dark about the Italian meat industry. My organic grocer sold "organically raised" meat, so I knew there was some difference between that and my butcher shop purchases. Since no one could really answer my questions, I balanced my purchases between the butcher and the organic grocer and hoped I was avoiding hormones and antibiotics.
Back in the States I certainly miss the colorful interactions with merchants in Rome. Although I try to engage people at my local grocery store, no one has warmed up to me the way the Italians did. So recently I've been supporting local farmers at my local Green Market who are much more open to conversation. This winter I also joined a collective of small family ranches that offers a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) share called 8 O'Clock Ranch. They provide organically raised beef and lamb, as well as pastured pork and chicken. It's delicious and convenient and has the added benefit of supporting local, sustainable family businesses.
Part of the fun of a CSA share is using cuts of meat I don't normally make at home, like these beef short ribs. I prepared them for the first meal of 2012, using a recipe reminiscent of the hearty wild boar or ox tail I used to make in Rome. It takes time to build community, but I'm on my way-- one sustainable purchase at a time.
Slow-cook Beef Short Ribs with Polenta
Serves 4
This makes a wonderful, hearty winter meal. I made it a day before serving it, which was helpful because this cut of meat is rich in fat, and refrigerating it overnight made it easy to skim off 3/4 of the fat that separated, making for a less greasy sauce. You can easily double the recipe. If you have extra sauce once the meat has been eaten, simmer it down in a pot and serve with pasta. I have learned from experience to eat a rich meal like this for a weekend lunch instead of dinner, allowing more time for digestion.
Olive oil
4 lbs beef short ribs (about 4 ribs)
1 onion
1 celery stalk
2 medium carrots
3 garlic cloves
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup red wine
5 cups beef stock
leaves from a sprig of fresh thyme
a small handful of parsley
fresh chives
Coat the bottom of a dutch oven or soup pot with olive oil and heat the pan to medium high heat. Season the beef with salt and pepper. Working in batches if needed, sear the meat for a few minutes on both sides until brown. Remove the meat from the pot and set aside.
Process the onion, celery, carrots and garlic in a food processor to a fine dice.
Adding additional olive oil if necessary, sauté the vegetables in the dutch oven until transparent, about 5 minutes.
Add the bay leaf, tomato paste, red wine, beef stock and thyme leaves.
Return the beef to the pot and cover. Simmer over medium or medium-low heat for 2 hours.
**You can cool the dish and refrigerate overnight if you wish (skim most of the separated fat off once cooled) or serve immediately. Remove the bay leaf and sprinkle with fresh parsley and chives before serving. It's wonderful served with polenta.
Adding additional olive oil if necessary, sauté the vegetables in the dutch oven until transparent, about 5 minutes.
Add the bay leaf, tomato paste, red wine, beef stock and thyme leaves.
Return the beef to the pot and cover. Simmer over medium or medium-low heat for 2 hours.
**You can cool the dish and refrigerate overnight if you wish (skim most of the separated fat off once cooled) or serve immediately. Remove the bay leaf and sprinkle with fresh parsley and chives before serving. It's wonderful served with polenta.
Basic Polenta recipe
serves 4-6
6 cups water or broth
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups polenta (I like Bob's Red Mill)
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Boil the water and salt in a heavy bottomed pot. Add the polenta gradually and stir often while the polenta boils (this may take 20-30 minutes). When all the water has been absorbed, stir in some butter and parmesan cheese. Serve hot.
