Step One: If mushrooms are large, cut them in half. Small mushrooms leave whole
Step Two: Heat a medium pan with olive oil. Once hot, add the mushrooms. Try to organize the mushrooms in the pan so that one side of each mushroom has contact with the bottom of the pan. This will form a nice color on the mushroom
Step Three: Saute the mushrooms, allowing color to form on the side of the mushrooms. After ten minutes, add the balsamic vinegar, soy sauce and garlic. Stir to combine
Step Four: If the mixture needs more liquid, add chicken broth or water. Scrap the bottom of the pan with a wooden fork to release the flavor. Mix everything up well
Step Five: Add thyme, black pepper and parsley. Give it another mix and serve
Step one: Take the steak out of the fridge one hour before cooking. Place the steak on a paper towel during this time
Step two: Heat a large pot with water – enough water to cook the crab legs. Heat a medium pan with olive oil on medium-high heat. Heavily season the steak with salt and pepper
Step three: Once the pan is hot enough that you see heat rising from the pan, add the steak. Do not move the steak for three minutes. Once the pot of water is boiling, add the crab legs
Step four: Add butter to the pan. Let it melt for a few seconds. Flip the steak. Tilt the pan to one side and use a spoon to baste the steak with butter. Allow this side of the steak to cook for three minutes
Step five: Using a thermometer, check the steak’s temp. Remove the steak if the temperature is 125 (medium center)
Step six: Remove crab legs from the water, and pat the outside dry with a paper towel. Serve the steak and crab legs immediately, with lemon slices and melted butter.
5 lbs bone-in short ribs, at least 1 1/2 inches thick
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 large heads of garlic, cut in half crosswise
1 medium onion, yellow or white, chopped
4 ribs of celery, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups dry red wine, about half a bottle
2 cups beef stock or bone broth
4 sprigs of thyme
1 cup of chopped parsley
1/2 cup finely chopped chives
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
Instructions:
Step one: Heat oven to 275 degrees. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season short ribs on all sides with salt and pepper. Working in batches, sear short ribs on all sides until deeply and evenly browned, 6 to 8 minutes per batch. Transfer browned short ribs to a large plate and continue with remaining ribs
Step two: Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of remaining fat, leaving the good browned bits behind. Reduce heat to medium, and add garlic, cut side down and cook, undisturbed, until golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add onion, celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and continue to cook until vegetables are softened but not yet browned, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and stir to coat. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until tomato paste has started to caramelize a bit on the bottom and up the edges of the pot, about 2 to 3 minutes
Step three: Add red wine and, using a wooden spoon, scrape up any browned or caramelized bits. Let this simmer 2 to 3 minutes, just to take the edge off and reduce a bit. Stir in beef stock along with thyme. Using tongs, return short ribs to the pot, along with any juices that have accumulated, nestling them in there so that they are submerged (if they are just barely covered, nestle them bone side up so that all the meat is submerged, adding more beef stock or water as necessary to cover). Bring to a simmer, then cover and transfer to oven
Step four: Cook, undisturbed, until short ribs are meltingly tender and falling off the bone (you should be able to shred the meat with a fork), 3½ to 4 hours
Step five: Using tongs, remove the ribs from the pot, taking care (for presentation purposes, really) not to let the bone slip out and transfer them to a large plate. (While you could serve the short ribs right out of this pot, the vegetables have all given up their flavor and texture and aren’t worth much now, so feel free to strain the sauce for easier eating.) Scatter parsley, chives and lemon zest over the top of the short ribs. Separate the fat from the sauce, season with salt and pepper and serve alongside
Notes: Serve with mashed potatoes or steamed vegetables. If there are leftovers, shed up the meat and serve as a sandwich.
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast (Fleischmann’s Active Dry Yeast)
1 pound all-purpose flour
1 cup warm water (105 degrees)
2 large eggs, divided
3 tablespoons butter, melted
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 1/4 salt
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Instructions:
Step 1: Place yeast into a bowl of a large stand mixer; whisk in 1/2 cup flour and warm water until smooth. Let stand until mixture is foamy, 10 to 15 minutes
Step 2: Whisk 1 egg, melted butter, sugar, and salt thoroughly into the yeast mixture. Add remaining flour (about 3 cups)
Step 3: Fit a dough hook onto stand mixer and knead the dough on low speed until soft and sticky, 5 to 6 minutes. Scrape sides if needed. Poke and prod the dough with a silicone spatula; if large amounts of dough stick to the spatula, add a little more flour
Step 4: Transfer dough onto a floured work surface; dough will be sticky and elastic but should not stick to your fingers. Gently form dough into a smooth, round shape, tucking loose ends underneath
Step 5: Wipe out the stand mixer bowl and drizzle in olive oil. Place dough in the bowl and turn it several times until the surface is thinly coated with oil. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil and let dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 2 hours
Step 6: Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper
Step 7: Transfer dough to a floured work surface and pat to flatten any bubbles; form into a slightly rounded, 5×10-inch rectangle, about 1/2 inch thick. Dust dough lightly with flour if needed and cut into 8 equal pieces. Form each piece into a round shape, gently tucking ends underneath as before
Step 8: Use your hands to gently pat and stretch the dough rounds into flat, 1/2-inch-thick discs. Arrange buns about 1/2 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Dust buns very lightly with flour. Drape a piece of plastic wrap over the baking sheet (do not seal tightly). Let buns rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour
Step 9: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C)
Step 10: Beat remaining egg with milk in a small bowl, using a fork, until mixture is thoroughly combined. Very gently and lightly brush tops of buns with egg wash without deflating the risen dough. Sprinkle each bun with sesame seeds
Step 11: Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned on top, 15 to 17 minutes. Buns will stick together slightly where they touch. Let cool completely. Tear the buns apart and slice in half crosswise to serve
Notes: These freeze great. Keep in a gallon size freezer bag. When ready to use, take the amount you need out of the freezer bag and allow to thaw on a paper towel for 30 min to an hour. Buns can be microwaved for 30 seconds for a quicker thaw method.
