A Sale at the Farmers Market

Our poor Farmers Market.  I went last Saturday and there were only two vendors.  Yes it was cool and rainy, but I hated that those people who might be visiting for the first time would be discouraged to ever come again.

Obviously, I was buying from both vendors.  I have to do my part to stimulate our local economy.

I walked away with some wonderfully tart local apples, some baby eggplant, and seven pounds of beef short ribs.  (The meat vendor was having a “close-out”—$2 a pound for short ribs.  How could I pass this up?)

About 3 1/2 pounds of local beef short ribs from the FM.

Having never cooked short ribs, I called my sister.   She told me that she used a recipe from Joy of Cooking.  Luckily, she had given me a copy of this book for Christmas!    I found the recipe on page 482.  She also told me that her friend swears by Short Rib Porcini Mushroom Ragu at Fine Cooking.   I looked it up as well.

I had already been to the Farmers Market and grocery store at this point, so I didn’t want to run back out in the rain.  (Rain, glorious rain!)  I had no porcinis so that recipe was out.  Nor did I have any celery or carrots.  Or did I?

I was chiding myself to cook more locally (see my musing ranting  post), so I searched the bottom of my freezer where I was sure I would find one more bag of carrots from last year.   Aha, success.   I figured that since I was braising, they would work fine.    I have never grown celery 🙂 so I decided to add some celery salt to the recipe.

Again, gaining inspiration from a couple of recipes and using what was on hand, away I went.

I used the rest of the torpedo onions and then added a few white onions pulled from the garden that I have stored.

Frozen carrots that were once "fresh" from our garden.

Add the browned short ribs to the pot with the broth and wine.

I have fresh bay leaves in the green house.

Braised Short Ribs with Carrots and Wine

2 T. olive oil
3 1/2 lbs. short ribs
fresh ground pepper and sea salt
2 c.  onions, cut in half and then sliced
4 large cloves garlic, minced
2 c. sliced carrots
1/4 t. celery salt
1/4 t. sea salt
1 1/2 t. fresh ground black pepper
1 c. beef broth
1 c. red wine (I used a zinfandel.)
2-3 bay leaves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

On the stove, heat oil in a large oven proof skillet or Dutch oven.  (I started in a skillet and transferred everything to a Dutch oven basically b/c I didn’t read the recipe through—again.)  Brown ribs on all sides.  Remove and set aside.

Pour off all but 2 T. fat from the pan.  Add the onions, carrots, and garlic.  Stir and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes.   Season with celery salt, sea slat, and pepper.

After 10 minutes, add broth, wine and bay leaves.  Bring to a boil.  Place ribs back in pan.  Cover and place in preheated oven.  Cook until beef falls from the bone, 90 minutes to 2 hours.  Remove the ribs to a platter and over to keep warm.  Skim off as much fat as you can.  Serve ribs with the veggies over egg noodles, rice, polenta, or mashed potatoes.

You will notice that a photo of the finished product is conspicuously absent.

We are in the process of many DIY home improvement projects—new furniture for the living room, new paint and carpet in the master bedroom, and the perpetually unfinished master bath.  Last night we were busy moving all the old living room furniture over the game room above the garage.   We were trying to beat a thunderstorm as we moved.

Besides moving out furniture, we had to move all of these "entertainment center" wires up and over the attic to the opposite wall!

Therefore, by the time we sat down to dinner (exhausted) at 9:00, I had no time or inkling to take any pictures.

Let me just state that this dish was a perfect dinner to sit for awhile.  It was still delicious 90 minutes after coming out of the oven.

I made basmati rice in beef broth and a tomato-pepper salad in a balsamic vinaigrette with basil to go with the short ribs.

The salad was beautiful as well.

You will just have to use your imagination.

Please visit your local farmers market this weekend!   Support local!