Braised Short Ribs, Braised Endive, Polenta, Green Beens, Roasted Root Vegetable

To the ordinary person this just looks like a dinner plate. There's meat, starch, and vegetables. But to me, it's 5 recipes, 7 pots, and an accomplishment. I bring this up because when I look at the picture above I immediately imagine all the steps, equipment, and effort that went into making this plate. It's amazing the appreciation we gain for something once we've actually done it ourselves.

Braised Short Ribs
We heated a pan really hot with some butter then added the ribs, fat side down. We browned all sides and then removed the meat from the pan setting it aside while we browned the mirepoix (50% onions, 25% carrots, and 25% celery) in the fat left in the pan. The meat was returned to the pan and Sherry, wine, and a super rich beef stock were added. The mixture was covered and braised in the oven for 1-1 1/2 hours until the meat was fork tender.

Braised Endive
The endive was cut in half and placed on a bed of mirepoix and then covered 1/2 way up the sides with chicken stock, covered and braised. After the endive was tender, the cooking liquid was reduced to make a lovely sauce.

Polenta
The polenta was poured into a pot of boiling water while stirring constantly, trying to avoid lumps.

Green Beans
The green beans were cooked in boiling salted water until they were tender. They were immediately removed to a bowl and tossed with a small amount of whole butter.

Roasted Root Vegetables
I saved the best for last. Heat a small amount of butter really hot in a saute pan, add the vegetables, season with salt and pepper, then roast at 350°. Roast until tender and browned on all sides. These vegetables were so sweet and rich in flavor, it was hard to believe there was no meat on them, and I'm not referring to the ones swimming in sauce in the picture. We had a mixture of turnip, rutabega, and carrot that was just delicious.