Sizzling Skillets and Other One-Pot Wonders - Emeril Lagasse [34]
3. Remove and discard all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the pan and reduce the heat to medium. Add the onions, turnips, and parsnips and cook until the vegetables begin to caramelize, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes longer. Stir in the flour and continue to cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the wine to the pan and bring to a simmer, scraping to release any browned bits that have stuck to the bottom. Stir in the port, stock, parsley, thyme, bay leaves, and black peppercorns, adjust the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil.
4. Return the short ribs to the pan, along with any accumulated juices, then cover the pan and place it in the oven. Cook until the meat is fork-tender and beginning to pull away from the bones, basting the ribs occasionally with the braising liquid, 2½ to 3 hours.
5. Transfer the ribs to a large platter, discard any loose bones, and cover the ribs to keep them warm. Skim the fat from the top of the braising liquid and discard. Gently strain the braising liquid through a fine-mesh sieve, carefully transferring the vegetables from the pot to a platter (discard the parsley and thyme sprigs and bay leaves). Return the braising liquid to a clean Dutch oven and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Simmer until the liquid has reduced to a sauce consistency and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Season the sauce with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper. Return the meat and the vegetables to the Dutch oven and simmer briefly until heated through. Serve hot.
4 servings
Note: These short ribs may be made up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated (covered and in the sauce) until ready to serve. Reheat gently and return to a simmer before serving.
CAJUN SHRIMP STEW
This comforting, simple stew is a Cajun dish that many home cooks in Louisiana enjoy, especially during the Lenten season. It is easy to make and feeds a bunch. The trick is getting the roux to the right color … about a notch darker than peanut butter should do the trick. A homemade shrimp stock makes all the difference in the world. Make sure to add the shrimp just before serving so that they stay nice and tender. Some families boil eggs in their shrimp stew (as it simmers) to make the dish even heartier.
1 cup vegetable oil
1½ cups all-purpose flour
2½ cups finely chopped onion
¼ cup minced garlic (about 12 cloves)
10 cups Rich Shrimp Stock (Rich Shrimp Stock)
2 bay leaves
1¼ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
¾ teaspoon cayenne
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
1½ tablespoons kosher salt
3 large baking potatoes (2½ to 3 pounds), peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 pounds small or medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
¼ cup chopped green onion, green part only
1. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat and, when hot, add the flour. Whisk to combine and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until a medium roux is formed (it should look a bit darker than peanut butter), about 10 minutes. (If the roux begins to brown too quickly, reduce the heat to medium or medium-low and take your time—it is important that the roux not be burned at all or the stew will have a bitter taste.) As soon as the roux is the right color, add the chopped onion and cook until soft, stirring occasionally, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the stock, little by little, and bring the sauce to a gentle boil. Add the bay leaves, black pepper, cayenne, thyme, and 4 teaspoons of the salt and reduce the heat so that the sauce just simmers. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the floury taste is gone, 30 to 45 minutes.
2. Add the potatoes and continue to cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are very tender and the sauce is thick and flavorful, 30 to 40 minutes longer. (Add a bit of water or chicken broth to thin the gravy should the stew get too thick during the cook time.