A Successful Cookbook (Recipe: Braised Short Ribs with a Duo of Celery)

Temperatures haven’t reached above freezing for several days, and I craved the warmth of a slowly simmered dish…  I started pulling books off the shelf looking for a new take on braised short ribs, and came across Braised Short Ribs with a Duo of Celery from Daniel Boulud's Cafe Boulud Cookbook .

How many recipes do you cook from a book before you deem it worthwhile? I’ve heard that a mere two recipes is sufficient.  Leafing through this book, I recalled  I’ve made adapted the socca crepes many times, and a few others yet to be blogged about.  This book would certainly qualify as a success by that standard.

Granted, I don’t follow his recipes very closely… but they offer a good starting point.

I winged (wong?) the short-ribs – pulling from various standard braising recipes. I added prunes to the braising liquid – I recall seeing that somewhere – for sweetness.  I love celery root puree and followed my own method – omitting the potatoes, enriching it with cream instead of butter, and balancing the richness with lemon juice.  I did follow his recipe for braised celery, sort of.

Braised Short Ribs with a Duo of Celery
Inspired by Daniel Boulud.

4 short-ribs
2 – 3 tbs. plain oil
¼ cup flour
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 celery stack, chopped
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 – 2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 cup red wine
5 prunes, pitted and cut in quarters
1 tsp. juniper berries, crushed
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup canned tomatoes
Salt and pepper
Truffle oil
Celery root puree
Braised Celery (recipe follows)

1.    Season short ribs generously with salt and pepper.  Let sit for 10 minutes while organizing the other ingredients.
2.    Heat a large skillet over high heat.  Add the oil.  Dust the short ribs in flour and add to the skillet.  Brown on both sides, at least 5 minutes per side.
3.    Remove short ribs from pan and place in an oven proof dish.  Drain oil/grease from pan.
4.    To the short rib pan, add the vegetables and cook for a minutes to take the raw edge off.  Add the wine, prunes, juniper, chicken broth and  tomatoes.   Bring to a boil
5.    Pour veggie/broth over beef.  Put in 325F oven for 2 -3 hours, or until ribs are tender.  Remove short ribs from braising liquid.  Strain the braising liquid, being sure to squeeze out all the liquid from the veggies.  Let the liquid settle so the fat rises to the top.  Skim off and discard the fat. 
6.    Just before serving, reheat the short ribs in the strained liquid.
7.    Serve with celery root and braised celery. 
8.    Drizzle with truffle oil

Braised Celery
1 head celery
2 tbs. olive oil
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 turnip or rutabaga, peeled and diced
1 onion, peeled and diced
2 cups chicken broth
Salt and pepper

1.     Trim celery of leaves and tough outer stalks.  Cut into 3 inch pieces.
2.    Heat a skillet over medium heat.  Add olive oil.  Then add carrots, turnips and onions.  Cook for 3 minutes, or until soft.
3.    Add celery to the skillet and toss to coat in oil and veggies.  Add chicken broth
4.    Bring to a boil, and reduce heat to simmer.  Cook for 15 minutes, or until celery is tender.