Braised Beef Shank

Braised meats, nothing more tender or tastier, but it takes hours!!!! Sometimes hours you don't have, who has time to braise anything when they get home form work. Braising is a weekend endeavor for the home chef or something you have a chef do for you at your favorite restaurant. Enter the Pressure cooker, this nifty kitchen gadget gives you delicious braised meat in under 30 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

• 1.5 to 3 lbs beef shank
• 1/4 Cup Worcestershire Sauce  
• 1 large onion, halved and sliced
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 2 Carrots Diced 
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly smashed
• 1/2 cup Port Wine
• Vegetable/ Beef Stock, to cover
• Olive Oil, for searing
• Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Season both sides of beef generously with salt and pepper and marinate in Worcestershire sauce for at least 30 minutes before cooking. Overnight is even better. 
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the pressure cooker on high heat. Place Beef shanks in pan and cook for 2-4 minutes per side, or until a deep, rich crust is formed.
3. Toss in onions, garlic and carrots and bay leaves. Pour wine over shank and shake pan vigorously. Add stock until till it just covers the beef. 
4. Reduce heat to medium and put the top of the pressure cooker on. When the pot starts to whistle start the timer for 20 minutes. 
5. At the end of 20 minutes turn the heat off and wait for the pressure to be reduced. 
6. Open the pressure cooker and enjoy your braised beef shank. 

Serve over rice or mashed potatoes for a delicious meal.

If you don't have a pressure cooker follow the directions below. 

1. Season both sides of beef generously with salt and pepper and marinate in Worcestershire sauce for at least 30 minutes before cooking. Overnight is even better. 
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in large dutch oven or stock-pot with a tight fitting lid over medium high heat. Place Beef shanks in pot and cook for 2-4 minutes per side, or until a deep, rich crust is formed.
3. Toss in onions, garlic and carrots. Pour wine over shank and shake pan vigorously. Add stock until till it just covers the beef. 
4. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 4 to 5 hours, or until beef is fork-tender. T
5. Open the pressure cooker and enjoy your braised beef shank. 

Feel free to experiment with different herbs and spices, this dish is all about the seasoning, the more seasoning the richer the sauce becomes. Fresh thyme or rosemary can give that added flavoring that is apt to make your mouth water from the fragrant aromas wafting from the pot.

Eat Your Veggies

I learned how to cook this dish at a knife skills cooking class. It doesn't have a name, but it is best described as a duxelles sauce with vegetables added. Every vegetable in this dish is chopped a different way and the prep time takes a while if doing it by hand. However, there are a few shortcuts you can take to make the prep easier.

INGREDIENTS
1 large turnip (Rutabaga) cut into 1/2" cube
6 large Mushrooms (Portabella or Baby Bella work best)
1 tbl spoon togarashi
6 garlic cloves
2 Shallots or 1 small onion
4 carrots
2 zucchini
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
2 stalks basil
1/4 lb feta cheese
4 tbl spoons Olive oil

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Peel turnip and cut into 1/2" cubes.
3. Toss turnips in 2 tablespoons olive oil and togarashi.
4. Bake in the oven for an hour or until soft.
5. Dice mushrooms, garlic and onion.
6. Julienne the zucchini and carrots.
7. Chop red peppers into 1/2" pieces.
8. In a large skillet heat the olive oil and and add the mushrooms, garlic and onion. Saute until the mixture is of a past like consistency. (5 minutes)
9. Add the zucchini, carrots, and peppers and cook on medium heat until soft. (10 minutes)
10. Add the turnips, stir and let cook for 5 minutes.
11. Chop the basil finely and crumble the feta.
12. Turn the heat off and stir in the feta.
13. After serving top with the basil (and shaved pecorino is also a nice touch)

This dish can be served on its own or on a bed of long pasta such as spaghetti or fettuccine.
ENJOY!!!!!

Roasted Cauliflower

For all you veggie lovers out there, this cauliflower dish could be nice dish for vegetarian meal or a side in an omnivore's meal.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup safflower or sunflower oil
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons turmeric

2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
Sea salt to taste
4 heads of cauliflower—halved, cored and cut into 1-inch florets
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped mint

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 425°. In a small bowl, combine the oil, cumin, turmeric, crushed red pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.(If you dont have turmeric you can substitute yellow curry powder.)
   
2. On 2 large rimmed baking sheets, drizzle the cauliflower with the spiced oil and toss well to coat; season with salt. Spread the cauliflower in an even layer and bake for about 1 hour, until browned and tender; switch the baking sheets halfway through cooking.
3. Meanwhile, in a pie plate, bake the pine nuts for about 1 minute, until toasted. Let cool.
4. Transfer the cauliflower to a large serving bowl. Sprinkle with the pine nuts, cilantro and mint and serve. (If you dont have cilantro you can substitute flat leaf parsley)