italian recipes and more from fabio viviani

Dark Beer and Black Pepper Braised Short Ribs

Serves 3/4

Tips:

•When slow cooking, always use meats that have some fat or will be a dry disaster.
•Always brown the meat first to seal the juice in. This caramelization is key to making flavor-packed short ribs!
•Don’t place cold meat in the slow cooker, use it to keep food warm.
•Dark beer and cracked pepper bring out the caramels and deep flavors in short ribs.
•Reducing beef stock helps concentrate the flavors in your slow cooker. A little goes a long way.

Ingredients:

1.5 pounds boneless beef short ribs
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. butter
2 ea. onions, sliced
5 ea. garlic cloves, smashed with a knife
6 fl. oz (about ½ of one bottle or can) stout beer
1 quart beef stock
1 sprig rosemary

Method:

1) Reduce the quart of beef stock to one cup in a shallow sauce pan or deep sauté pan and set aside.

2) Season the short ribs with salt and pepper, and then dredge in flour until well coated.

3) Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

3) Cook the dredged ribs until browned on each side, about 5 minutes per side.

4) When browned on both sides, remove the ribs from the skillet and set aside. Reserve pan drippings for later.

5) To a slow cooker, add the onion as a bed, then add seared short ribs. Add as well any juice or drippings reserved from the pan.

6) Cover the ribs with smashed garlic cloves, fresh herbs, butter, salt and fresh cracked pepper.

7) Add the stout beer and reduced beef stock.

8) Place the lid on the slow cooker and set to high.

9) Cook for approximately 6 hours or until tender.

10) Top short ribs with sauce made from cooking them.

Cashew Pork Tenderloin with Balsamic Lentils

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 cup raw lentils, rinsed
2 cloves of Garlic
2 sprig of rosemary
Salt and Pepper to taste
3 tbsp Extra light olive oil
1 pork tenderloin (1 1/4 lb)
3 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
1 cup cashew nuts, toasted
2 tbsp fresh Oregano, chopped

Directions:

1) Heat oven to 400 degrees.

2) Bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Add the lentils, Garlic, Rosemary and 1 tsp salt; simmer, stirring occasionally, until tender for 20-25 mins. Drain.

3) Add 1 tbsp of the oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Season the pork with salt and pepper and cook, till brown on all sides, then transfer to the oven and roast until cooked through, for about 10 minutes, let rest for 5 more.

4) In a large skillet add the remaining 2 tbsp oil, and add celery, carrot, onion, Cashew and Oregano, and cook till caramelized.

5) Transfer to a bowl and add the rest of the ingredient and serve with the pork.

Enjoy!!!

Mussel Soup with Leeks and Saffron

Serves 4

Ingredients:

3 tbs. butter
20 mussels –cleaned and scrubbed
1 onion –diced
4 leeks – rinsed well and sliced
2 thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
Salt to taste
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
¼ c dry white wine
3 c chicken broth or vegetable broth -hot
1 pinch of saffron
1 x 15 oz. can tomatoes –diced
1 c heavy whipping cream
¼ c fresh parsley -minced

Directions:

1) Mix the saffron threat with the hot stock and set aside.

2) Heat up the butter in a large stockpot and sauté the onions and leeks with a pinch of salt until translucent. Add the red pepper flakes, bay leaf and thyme sprigs.

3) Add the mussels to the pot, give it a stir then add the wine. Cook until the alcohol has evaporated then pour in the saffron infused stock.

4) Bring to a gentle simmer, cover with a lid and cook for about 20 minutes until all the clams have opened. Add the cream and let the soup simmer a couple more minutes.

5) Remove from heat, adjust seasoning and ladle soup into bowl. Serve with the minced parsley on top.

Braised Short Ribs with Red Wine Gravy

Serves 6

Ingredients:

6 lb. beef short ribs
8 thyme sprigs -fresh
8 oregano sprigs –fresh
3 bay leaves
Sea salt to taste
Black pepper to taste –freshly ground
1 Spanish onion –chopped
8 garlic cloves -smashed & peeled
2 large carrots cut into chunks
2 celery stalks cut into chunks
2-½ qt. beef stock – low sodium
1 bottle good red wine
1 x 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
½ c extra light olive oil
4 tbsp. all purpose flour
4 tbsp. butter

Directions:

1) Heat up the oil in a large Dutch oven. Sprinkle the beef ribs generously with salt and pepper then sear in the hot oil until browned. Work in batches so you won’t crowd the pot and transfer to a plate.

2) Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic to the pot, stir to coat in all the drippings and brown bits and sauté together for 10 minutes. Pour in the wine and deglaze the pot, making sure to scrape all the brown bits from the bottom. Add the diced tomatoes, bay leaves, thyme and oregano sprigs and bring to a simmer.

3) Add the beef ribs back to the pot, pour in the beef stock and simmer together uncovered on low flame for 30 minutes.

4) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cover the Dutch oven with a lid and transfer into the oven.

5) Cook for about 3 hours or until the meat falls off the bone.

6) Remove the ribs from the pot and keep warm. Strain the cooking liquid and discard all the solids. Reserve 1 qt. of the liquid and set aside.

7) In a saucepan heat up the butter over medium flame then whisk in the flour. Cook for a few minutes until it starts to get some color then whisk in 1 qt. of the reserved liquid that the ribs have cooked in. Simmer on low flame until thickened and adjust seasonings.

8) Serve the ribs hot with the sauce on top and a side of mashed potatoes.

Enjoy!!!

Risotto Verde – Green Risotto

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

2 cup finely chopped fresh spinach
¼ cup chopped onion
¼ cup thinly sliced celery
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp cooking oil or olive oil
3 cups vegetable broth
1 cup Arborio rice
2 tbsp snipped parsley
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
Dash pepper
½ cup Grated parmesan or Romano cheese (Omit this for Vegan)

Directions:

1) In medium saucepan cook spinach, onion, celery and garlic in olive oil or cooking oil for about 5 minutes or until tender.

2) Stir in chicken broth, rice, parsley, nutmeg, and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat.

3) Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Let stand, covered, for 2 minutes or until rice is tender.

4) Add parmesan, stir. Season to taste. Serve immediately.

Lemon and Sage Chicken Saltimbocca

Serves 8

Ingredients:

8 chicken cutlets (about 6/8oz each)
Salt
16 fresh sage leaves
16 sliced Italian prosciutto crudo
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup broth mixed with ¼ cup white wine
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp of corn starch

Directions:

1) Season the chicken with Salt then place 2 sage leaves on each cutlet; wrap 2 prosciutto slices around each cutlet, securing the sage

2) Heat large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp oil to the pan

3) Cook the chicken on both sides til done and set aside.

4) Combine broth, lemon juice, and cornstarch in a small bowl; Stir with a whisk until smooth.

5) Add cornstarch mixture and remaining 1 tsp olive oil to pan; Bring to a boil, stirring constantly till it reaching a smooth creamy texture.

6) Spoon sauce over chicken. Serve with lemon wedges, if desired.

Lemon Spaghetti with Chilies, Garlic and parsley

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 lbs of Spaghetti
6 Garlic Cloves crushed with the side of a knife
The Skin of 2 Lemon finely Zested or grated
1 tsp of Red Chili flakes
1/2 cup of parlsey
1/ tbsp of Butter

Directions:

-Sautee the Garlic and the Lemon with the Oil and Butter combined on medium fire, once the garlic start to brown, set aside.

-Cook the pasta according to package direction keeping it slightly al dente, reserve about 1/2 cup of water.

-Add the pasta and water to the Lemon sauce and start to stri till the water combine with the fat and start to thicken up on low fire.

-Add the Parsley and some crushed black pepper.