Taste
This
is the time of year when we find ourselves firmly in the grip of Old Man
Winter. We hunker down on The
Beach Coast and fortify ourselves with comfort food that warms our bodies and
boosts our spirits—the kinds of things mom used to make, like soups, braised
meats, and one pot meals. For some
mouth-watering recipes we went back to our friend, Brad Hindsley, Executive
Chef and Owner of Spire Catering & Events in La Porte, Indiana. Follow his simple steps and wow
your family and friends with these spectacular dishes. Add a simple salad, a crusty loaf of
bread,
a bottle of wine (or beer), and you’ve got yourself a Beach Coast
feast.
Braised Short Rib Ragu
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook
Time: About 4 hours
Serves 6
2 lbs. beef short ribs
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 c. olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
4 plum tomatoes, chopped
4 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
2 stalks celery, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
1 bulb fennel, sliced
1 tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped
1 c. beef stock
3 c. red wine
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 scallion, chopped
1. Pat short ribs dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat ½ of the oil in a 5-quart heavy pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Brown ribs on all sides, 6 to 7 minutes, then transfer to paper towels to drain. Add remaining oil to pot, then cook onion, garlic, plum tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, celery, carrots, and fennel with thyme, and season with salt and pepper, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes.
2. Return ribs to pot with stock, wine, and soy sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until meat is very tender, 3 to 3 ½ hours. Remove the short ribs from the pot and set aside to cool.
3. Continue to cook the braising liquid while skimming the fat. Reduce it until it has thickened, about 15 minutes. When the ribs are cool enough to handle, remove the meat from bones, discarding bones. Return the meat to pot. Simmer ragù, uncovered, stirring frequently, for 15 minutes.
4. Just before serving, stir in scallion. Serve the ragu with cooked penne pasta or potato gnocchi.
Cream
of Mushroom and Wild Rice Soup
Prep
Time: 20 minutes
Cook
Time: 30- 45 minutes
Serves
6
6 tbsp. butter, room temperature
3 stalks celery, sliced
2 medium onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz. shiitake mushroom, stems removed and sliced
8 oz. baby portobello mushrooms, sliced
½ c. dry white wine, such as chardonnay
½ c. dry sherry
2 tbsp. flour
8 c. chicken stock
½ c. heavy cream
¾ c. wild rice, raw
1. Melt 4 tbsp. of butter in large pot over medium-high heat. Add celery, onion and garlic and sauté until onion is translucent, about 8 minutes. Add all mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and sauté until beginning to soften, about 4 minutes. Add white wine and Sherry. Boil until liquid is reduced to a glaze, about 6 minutes.
2. Mix remaining butter and flour in small bowl until smooth paste forms. Add flour paste to mushroom mixture in pot; stir until mixture melts and coats vegetables. Gradually mix in stock. Bring to boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until mushrooms are tender, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Stir in cream. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Working in batches, puree soup in blender or processor. If desired, you can puree only half of the soup for a more textured soup. Return soup to pot.
4. Add the wild rice and continue to cook the soup until the rice is tender, about 20 to 25 minutes, stirring often. Check for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper. Serve hot.
White
Chicken Chili
Prep
Time: 20 minutes
Cook
Time: About 1 hour
Serves
6
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 lb. boneless chicken breast, medium dice
2 tbsp. butter
1 small red onion, diced
1 small red bell pepper, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 carrot, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
3 c. chicken broth
1 tsp. cumin
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
1 c. corn kernels, fresh or frozen
1 c. cannellini beans, cooked
6 each scallion, thinly sliced
1. In a stock pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat until it is hot. Rinse and pat dry the chicken. Season it with salt and pepper. Add to the hot oil in batches and cook to brown the chicken. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
2. Add the butter to the pot and when it has melted, add the red onion, pepper, celery, carrot and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook and stir until the vegetables are tender, but not browned, about 6 to 7 minutes. Add the flour and cook and stir constantly until the roux has reached the color of peanut butter, about 7 to 8 minutes.
3. Add the broth, cumin,
cayenne, and the chicken with any juices that have accumulated in the bowl,
simmer the chili, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked
through. Stir in the corn, beans, and the scallions. Season the stew with salt
and pepper, and serve immediately in bowls.
Spire Catering and Event Planning, LLC
701 Lincolnway
La Porte, IN 46350
(219) 608-5301
www.spirecatering.com
brad@spirecatering.com
Spire Catering’s Owner/Executive Chef, Brad Hindsley, has an AAS in Culinary Arts, a BBA in Hospitality Management, an MBA in Business Management, and a Baking and Pastry Certificate from the Institute of Culinary Arts at Robert Morris University in Chicago. He has also studied under world-class chefs in Florence, Italy
