Braised Short Ribs and Basque Cheesecake
Plus: A Scrubbed Pot, Eggs + Fruit, and Omakase at Ki Sushi.
Hey everyone,
It’s feeling springy today, and with my book coming out in May, I’m starting to feel the urge to eat a bit healthier. Now you’ll probably laugh at that considering that the title of this newsletter is “Braised Short Ribs and Basque Cheesecake,” two things that, when taken together, probably comprise 40,000 calories. But that was Friday night. This urge towards healthful eating came the next day!
So let’s rewind the tape….
On Friday night, we hosted two luminaries: Christine Vachon, producer of every indie movie you’ve ever loved (Hedwig, Happiness, The Brutalist, A Different Man, Past Lives, everything by Todd Haynes), and her partner, the artist and activist Marlene McCarty.
(Craig’s working with Christine on a new movie and Christine was also a guest on my podcast!)
I was in “cook to impress” mode, so on Thursday I cooked a bunch ahead. First I made a Basque cheesecake using Molly Baz’s recipe, subbing corn starch for flour because one of my guests was gluten-free (the swap worked brilliantly).
If you’ve never made Basque cheesecake, it’s not just a cinch to make, it’s also a joy to make. You whip up four packages of room temperature cream cheese in a mixer (that’s two pounds of cream cheese) with sugar, add six eggs, two cups of cream (no wonder I’m eating healthier this week), vanilla, and flour (or corn starch).
The fun part is, unlike a normal cheesecake, you don’t need a water bath. You just pour the batter into a springform pan lined with parchment paper and bake in a 400 degree oven for an hour and it not only firms up (though it’s still jiggly when it’s done), it rises and gets all brown and alluring. Look at this beauty:
This is a great make-ahead dessert: just bake it the day before you want to serve it, put it in the fridge wrapped in plastic (I kept it in the springform with the parchment), then un-mold it two hours before your guests arrive. I served with supremed pieces of citrus:
Who wouldn’t love a slice of that after dinner?
As for the dinner itself, I did what any discerning home cook would do in this high-stakes situation: I turned to Dorie Greenspan.
Her Around My French Table is a godsend for anyone looking to make sophisticated, cozy recipes with gallic flair. I was intrigued by her Short Ribs Braised in Red Wine and Port, not only because of the Port but because of other fascinating ingredients: a parsnip in with the vegetables? Lots of ginger? Star anise?
Let’s go to the tape:
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Again, this is a great recipe to make ahead. Not only do you get all of the work out of the way, you get the chance to de-grease the sauce because all of the fat solidifies on top and you just scrape it out with a spoon.
The finished dish was pretty dazzling on polenta with the sauce and gremolata and the best part is if you make too much, you can use the leftovers the next day in a stir-fry with mushrooms, ginger, garlic, and soy sauce:
Yesterday, I started a new workout regimen not on the Peloton (which I’m hopping on after I write this), but with a pot.
I took my dirtiest Le Creuset and slathered it with Barkeeper’s Friend and scrub scrub scrubbed all afternoon:
See that stain on the outside? Now look at my beautiful pot:
Okay, still needs work and I need to deal with the inside (I hear bleach is a good option)? Also someone in the comments of the video said to use oven cleaner. Anyone try that? Sound off in the comments!
In healthful eating mode yesterday, I made breakfast with eggs, spinach, and a little fruit salad. Hey, what is this my kitchen or a spa?
And for dinner, we sought out a good neighborhood sushi spot and discovered Ki Sushi right here on Smith Street.
Feeling a bit indulgent, we opted for the omakase which was $55 a pop and came with the most gorgeous array of sushi, all flown in from Japan:
I have a feeling I’m going to be a regular here. Let’s hope the same thing doesn’t happen the last time I had a favorite local Brooklyn sushi spot (in 2008, I found a roach in my sushi !!!!!!).
Hey let’s look at some links:
How to Make Marmalade… Ben Mims in the NYT! (Gift Link);
Restaurants are leaving Resy for OpenTable… I’ve noticed this… (Grub Street);
Best Brooklyn coffee shops for quiet work (I need this) (Brooklyn Bridge Parents).
That’s all for today, folks!
See you back here on Thursday….
Your pal,
Adam
Dishwasher pods! Ideally place your LC piece in a container that will allow the whole thing to soak and throw a couple of pods into the hot water. Leave for a few hours/overnight and all will be well!
Don’t use bleach because it will erode the shiny smooth surface. I learned this the hard way. After talking to a salesperson at a Le Creuset store I’ve look at the inside of my pans as memories of great meals.