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shallot-brandy sauce

MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup finely chopped shallots

1 tablespoon minced garlic

¾ cup brandy

4 cups homemade or low-sodium store-bought beef stock

1 cup heavy cream

¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh thyme

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic; cook, stirring often, until soft, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; add brandy. Bring to a boil. Cook until reduced by half. Whisk in stock and cream, and cook until thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in thyme; season with salt and pepper.

short ribs with root vegetables

SERVES 8

This recipe is inspired by ones that use flanken, a cut of beef from the chuck end of short ribs. In Jewish custom, the meat is boiled and served with horseradish. Our version uses braised boneless ribs and pairs them with earthy vegetables.

6 pounds boneless beef short ribs, trimmed

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

¼ cup olive oil

3 large onions (9 ounces each), halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into ¼-inch slices

6 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/3 cup packed dark-brown sugar

2½ cups apple cider

1½ cups low-sodium store-bought chicken stock

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

1/3 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish

1 pound parsnips, peeled and cut into ½-inch slices

1¾ pounds carrots, peeled and cut on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces

1½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Place a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet; set aside. Season beef with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a 9-quart Dutch oven over high heat until hot but not smoking. Working in batches, cook the beef, flipping once, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer beef to the wire rack. Reduce heat to medium-low.

2. Add onions to pot; cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 10 minutes. Raise heat to medium. Add garlic; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in brown sugar, cider, stock, and ½ cup water. Add thyme, rosemary, and parsley. Return beef to pot. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat.

3. Cover; transfer to oven. Cook until almost fork-tender, about 1½ hours.

4. Remove pot from oven. Stir in parsnips, carrots, and potatoes. Return to oven; cook until fork tender, 1 hour 10 minutes more. Gently transfer beef and vegetables to a baking sheet or a plate.

5. Skim fat from cooking liquid. Simmer over medium heat until reduced by about half, about 7 minutes. Return beef and vegetables to pot. Season with salt and pepper; toss gently. Transfer to serving platter. Sprinkle with parsley.

LAMB

spice-crusted rack of lamb

SERVES 2

Rack of lamb is truly a special-occasion treat. Usually, you need to order it through a butcher, at the supermarket or in a butcher shop. Ask him to french the bones. He will know what you’re talking about, and you will sound as if you do, too. This means removing excess meat and fat from the bones, which looks nice and makes the chops dainty and neat to eat. It is really important to let the meat rest for 10 minutes before serving (it will finish cooking and reabsorb juices). This time also lets you pull together the final elements of the meal.

1 rack of lamb (8 ribs, about 1¼ pounds), frenched

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

¼ cup yellow mustard seeds

2 teaspoons fennel seeds

1 tablespoon olive oil

Herb Oil (recipe follows), for serving

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cut the rack into 2 4-rib pieces, and season the meat generously with salt and pepper.

2. Toast the mustard and fennel seeds in a large seasoned cast-iron (or ovenproof) skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool slightly.

3. Heat the oil in the skillet until hot but not smoking. Place 1 piece of lamb in the skillet, bone side down, and