Short Ribs With An Asian Vibe

Rosh Hashana has always been about rational recipes. These have been served for centuries >However recipes are meant to be rewritten, shaken up and revived. This  definitely applies to short ribs, long a holiday tradition. It's time to rethink this centuries old recipe.

Regular contributor and cookbook author Joan Nathan wrote about this in yesterday's New York Times Wednesday Food section. Short ribs or flanken have always a big part of the New Year;s table. It was a special treat in Jewish homes,It's always been cooked with sweet onions red wine and a savory beef broth . However Ms.Nathan looks to Shaw Fodor for a different spin.She was born Shi Xiatoxia in China;s food capital Chengdu. After moving to Beijing she took a trip to Israel where she met her future husband, Hungarian architect  Thomas Fodor. She took his religion and culture and her kitchen, designed by him is a tribute to both cultures. Her flanken reflects the good luck red of her kitchen.It si filled with warm spices.There are still the spices however they have Asian influence like cumin and a different spin such as jalapeno. There is still red wine and beef broth added to tenderize the meat  along with brown sugar and ketchup. This is just a not too radical recipe. Family and friends will like it.

This is cooked in  the traditional manner. A Dutch oven is still used and olive oil is first heated in it.The meat is seared in it for some color for only three minutes.Take the pieces out and then put the onion in the oil. This is when the "warm" spices such a as cumin curry and cinnamon.Ketchup is also added The meat is the added back along with the red wine and ginger ale(water can be added instead for less sweetness) along with soy sauce ,jalapeno and a large sliced tomato.This is also the time to add the celery ,Bay leaves and carrots.Cook for four hours until the meat is fork tender and falls off the bone .Remove and discard the celery, Bay leaves rosemary and jalapeno.It can be chilled in the fridge  for two days in the Dutch oven.Heat the oven to 150 degrees Farenheit when it;s ready to serve. Remove and discard the solidified fat .Warm for about twenty minutes and take out of the oven. Sprinkle with cilantro or parsley. Ms.Fodor serves her with a side of fiery Szechuan chili oil,. This last can be bought or made with vegetable oil,s spices, ginger and chili flakes. 

Flanken can be livened up with different spices to give out a new Asian vibe. Try it for a different take on this Rosh Hashana classic. It;ll wake up the traditional table.

The Rise Of Omakase Sushi

 Sushi is not just sushi anymore.In most cases it's now omikase  in which  diners thoroughly trusts the chef to decide what they should eat.It's becoming popular with wealthy young men.Are omikase sushi houses becoming the next steak house? Possibly

Regular contributor Brett Anderson wrote about this in today';s New York Times Food section. Omikase sushi is the culinary trend that'[s growing stronger and not limited to just the East and West Coasts anymore.Omikase means "I leave it up to you" and it's at the chef's discretion what to serve. It's usually expensive and fresh ingredients, sometimes frown in straight from Japan.it's also making an impact on men, from their twenties to their forties as well. It's even garnered the nickname "bromokase" because it's such a male bonding experience. These sushi houses are now as popular as steakhouses. They are popping up all across the country. A short five years ago omikase sushi restaurants were only located in New York . Now Austen Texas is home to the popular SUshi Bar ATK, frequented by  popular podcaster Joe Rogen. Austen has become the American capital of omikase., also having it become part of mainstream American dining.

Omikases have been glammed up. Some have cocktail lounges, hip-hop soundtracks and colorful sauces. Some sushi chefs have even infused their personalities into  their restaurants. Chef Saine Wong of Toshokan is even known to pull out his guitar and to lead singalongs after nigiri, a mound of rice topped with different ingredients. His include potato  pave, a kind of scalloped potato and braised short ribs.These new school omikases are similar to previous sushi restaurants. They are extremely high priced and have limited seating. This is turning them into steakhouses which have always been known for their exclusivity and top notch ingredients.There is some criticism regarding this.Ryan Sutton, ANew York City restaurant critic  disapproved of this in his podcast " Free Food Podcast". A dinner for two in New York can easily top one thousand as he implies that omikase restaurants are aimed squarely at the financial industry and the super wealthy. They don't contribute to the food culture in any meaningful sense. Yet they are still popular .

Will omikase restaurants replace regular sushi bars? Possibly. They appeal to a certain type of wealthy young male.They can succeed with that following.

Galbi Fire From Korea

Mid winter is usually the coldest time of the year.The time requires tasty hot meals that are rib sticking and warming.This is gable, Koreanshort lobs.These are great for indoor grilling too and a change from the everyday?Halving is alo a good way of introducing the family to a different meal.They were the subject of yesterday's A City Kitchen Dave Tanis.Mr.Tanis made the pretty simple dish with excellent Basically gable is nothing more than braised short ribs.These are the toughest art of the cow and are usually braised or seared.The Koreans gril them.Most gable are made with flank cuts Koren andKoreanAmericans buy thematic Asiangroceries where the ribs are already cut to the or perfection.Give any cut a cold water bath before marinating to get rid of an the marinade is simple, almost as simple as some American marinades.It is a mixture of soy, garlic and sugar'along with cayenne ,garlic and rice wine.Sone cooks sub in cola or honey for the sugarandmost native cooks recommend adding pureeed fruit also. This he's breakdown the enzymes and any fruit such as pear, kiwi or pineapple will do.They also add flavor as well.Marinate for two to three hours and then gri Led forvonly two or three minutes.Galbi is usually wrapped in raw Ettuce leave and served with a small scoopful of rice. if you want a different Asian meal,then trygalbi.It's a different and easy way to braise short ribs.What a great way to enjoy ribs in an untraditional way.