The build is finished. The occupancy permit has been obtained. It is time for us all to move on to our next ventures. There is just one more rite of passage. Thursday, March 25th is the day set for a final walkthrough of the completed house with Taylor, David, Don and me. It is also the day that Olivia will take pictures for the Scott & Scott portfolio. Nathan and Guy are stopping by to lend a hand. We postponed the event several times hoping to see a bud or two on the Saucer Magnolia, but as of this writing the chances are slim. At first, I thought for the sake of “no fuss no muss” to do takeout. But takeout involves such waste. Nor does it send the right message for this day of celebration, rejuvenation and minimizing. I am pooped from the floor mopping, and window washing, but I can make one more effort.
I remembered a one pot dish that can be mostly made ahead (not render the kitchen unsuitable for photographing): Devilled Short Ribs with Pumpkin, Chick Peas, Onion, Kale & Moinette. This is a recipe Anne Rosenzweig created for me early in my career in beer when the imprimatur of a name chef on one of our ales did worlds of good in boosting sales and gaining placements. If you have ever thought – crowd coming… I’ll make chili - try this instead. Vegetarian option, simply omit the beef.
When we returned from Belgium and began importing beer (1982) beer was déclassé in the extreme. But the beers we had discovered in the Land of Gambrinus were extraordinary - gastronomic beers not insipid industrial lager. Surely, if we got them in the hands of people of discerning taste, people who were not hidebound, they’d understand the inherent merit and help us build a following. This proved to be true. I loved Anne Rosenzweig’s Arcadia Restaurant and her Arcadia Cookbook – both its Paul Davis murals/illustrations and the seasonal theme around which it was organized. Rosenzweig was a rare woman at the helm of a fine dining establishment, as I was a rare bird in beer. Not surprisingly then she was one of the first chefs I brought beer samples to. I asked Chef Rosenzweig to develop a recipe using Moinette (abbey ale from Brasserie Dupont) and she kindly consented.
Back in those early importing days I served on the board of the American Institute of Wine & Food. Steve Hindy (Brooklyn Brewery co-founder and our distributor in NYC) and I were the lone trustees from the beer industry. We put together a number of beer and food pairing events which (in addition to enriching the coffers of AIWF) helped elevate beer as a worthy accompaniment to fine food. Anne took part in these events too. For more on the restaurant’s long and storied run read Gently, Arcadia Slips Away by William Hamilton in the New York Times. For a stunning profile of Rosenzweig as an underappreciated force in American cooking, read Mayukh Sen’s essay.
As for tomorrow’s lunch, I hope to convey the message that parting is sweet sorrow - Immense gratitude to the entire team for fascinating journey and a beautiful outcome. On to the next chapter – which in our case is the proselytizing phase in which we shall endeavor to encourage others to move in this direction. We have no doubt that The Scotts, Taylor and Olivia will go on to great things. It will be our pleasure to assist them in any way we can.
Devilled Short ribs with Pumpkin, Chick Peas, Onion, Kale & Moinette ala Anne Rosenzweig
Serves 6
6 short ribs (approximately 1 pound piece)
1/4 cup vegetable or light olive oil
2 tb. kosher salt
2 tb. crushed black pepper
3 cups chopped onions
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tb. brown sugar
12 ounces Moinette
1 quart beef, veal, chicken or vegetable stock (or water)
3 cups diced pumpkin (can be butternut, acorn squash)
2 cups canned chickpeas
3 cups chopped kale (or Swiss chard)
3 tb. Dijon mustard
1 tsp dry mustard
2 tb. white wine
2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
1/4 cup chopped parsley (fresh horseradish root, if desired)
Preheat oven to 325.
Rinse and dry short ribs. Heat oil in a large oven-proof casserole over high heat. Season short ribs with salt and pepper. Sear ribs on all sides so they have a crusty exterior. Remove from pan and turn heat to medium. Stir in onions and let cook about 10 minutes, until lightly colored. Then stir in garlic, brown sugar and beer. Add stock or water. Short ribs should be pretty well immersed. Cover with a lid or foil and place in the oven. Cook slowly for approximately 3 hours or until meat is very tender. Remove short ribs and keep warm. Stir in diced pumpkin and kale and put casserole over medium/high flame. Cook until ragout is thickened and pumpkin is al dente. Turn heat to medium and add chickpeas. Meanwhile turn oven up to 475 degrees or heat broiler. Mix mustard and white wine in a small bowl. Brush mustard and wine mixture onto ribs, sprinkle with breadcrumbs – place the ribs in a roasting pan under broiler for just a few minutes. Spoon the pumpkin-chickpea-kale stew onto a plate, top with ribs. Serve at once with crusty bread, and a glass of Moinette.
