Christmas Dinner Recipes from Colleen: Short Rib Wellington and Glazed Chocolate Tart

Lots of Puff

Hi Barb,

Yesterday I did a trial run of what is likely to be our Christmas dinner.  Steve and I both saw a recipe in the Williams-Sonoma Catalog for Short Rib Beef Wellington. I made it yesterday ( it takes about 4 - 4.5 hours total with prep and baking) but it was delicious and really not that hard. Very hearty and satisfying.

I am also enclosing a recipe for a terrific tart. I think it was in Gourmet Magazine originally. Very easy, but also a bit time-consuming.

My last day of work today. Yippee! Most shopping done. Just need to wrap and bake. And bake and wrap. And try to sleep a little!

---Colleen


Short Rib Wellington Potpie

From Williams-Sonoma Christmas 2011 Catalog

Serves 6-8

2-3 lbs boneless beef short ribs, cut into 1” dice (you can use brisket)
Kosher salt and ground pepper to taste
2 Tbs olive oil
¼ pound prosciutto, cut into ¼” squares
¾ lb cremini mushrooms, quartered
8 Tbs (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into cubes
½ cup all purpose flour
½ cup red wine
1 ½ Tbs beef demi-glace
3 cups beef stock
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 ½ cups pearl onions
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 sheet puff pastry, 10-11” square
1 egg plus 1 tsp water, lightly beaten
1 ½ cups carrots chopped into small pieces (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Season beef with salt and pepper. In Dutch over, brown beef in oil over medium high heat (in batches). About 8-10 minutes per batch. Transfer to bowl. Reduce heat to medium and sauté prosciutto until crisp. Transfer to bowl. Increase heat to medium high and sauté mushrooms until tender, about 8 minutes. Add to bowl.

Pour off excess fat. Return pot to medium heat and melt butter. Stir in flour and stir 2-3 minutes. Whisk in wine and demi glace; cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in stock. Bring to a simmer. Add in beef, prosciutto, mushrooms, thyme, onions, bay leaf and chopped carrots, if using. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Cover pot and bake 2-2 ½ hours until beef is fork tender. Discard bay leaf and spoon off excess fat. Stir in parsley.

Increase oven to 400. Place puff pastry sheet on lightly floured board. Using sharp knife, score pastry with diagonal lines 2 inches apart forming a diamond pattern. Brush edge of pot with water. Brush pastry with egg mixture. Place pastry egg wash up over pot. Press edges to seal. Trim overhanging pastry to 1 inch. Transfer to oven. Bake until puffed and golden brown, 20-25 minutes. Let rest 20 minutes.

Note: I think it would be better to transfer the mixture to a 9x 13 baker and shape the puff pastry sheet to cover that. The handles on the Dutch oven get in the way and it is a bit hard to serve. You could also cut the puff pastry into serving size pieces and place on top of the mixture and bake so that it is easy to dish up.

   --Colleen

Glazed Chocolate Tart


Ingredients
For crust:
9 (5- by 2 1/4-inch) chocolate graham crackers (not chocolate-covered), finely ground (1 cup)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
For filling:
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
9 ounces bittersweet chocolate (not more than 65% cacao if marked), chopped
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
For glaze:
2 tablespoon heavy cream
1 3/4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
1 tablespoon warm water

Equipment:
a 9-inch round fluted tart pan (1 inch deep)

Preparation
Make crust: Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.

Stir together all ingredients and press evenly onto bottom and 3/4 inch up side of tart pan. Bake until firm, about 10 minutes. Cool on a rack 15 to 20 minutes

Make filling: Bring cream to a boil, then pour over chocolate in a bowl and let stand 5 minutes. Gently stir until smooth. Whisk together eggs, vanilla, and salt in another bowl, then stir into melted chocolate.

Pour filling into cooled crust. Bake until filling is set about 3 inches from edge but center is still wobbly, 20 to 25 minutes. (Center will continue to set as tart cools.) Cool completely in pan on rack, about 1 hour.

Make glaze:

Make glaze: Bring cream to a boil and remove from heat. Stir in chocolate until smooth. Stir in corn syrup, then warm water

Pour glaze onto tart, then tilt and rotate tart so glaze coats top evenly. Let stand until glaze is set, about 1 hour.

Cooks' note:

Tart is best the day it is made but can be made, without glaze, 1 day ahead and chilled. Bring to room temperature before glazing.

     ---Colleen