Can we talk for a minute about the ridiculous prices of dutch ovens? Specifically Le Creuset?

I found this recipe for braised short ribs and convinced myself that I needed a new dutch oven. Not just any dutch oven, but the purple Le Creuset. I went to Sur La Table (a very dangerous venture for my pocket book every time I visit) in pursuit of my new purple kitchen friend. I almost swallowed my tongue when I saw the prices! For that amount, you should be getting above and beyond just the cooking tool.

• Really good looking Dutch man also included.
• Full breast cup size growth with first use of Dutch oven.
• Life time warranty that any shitty food created in this pot results in full refund.

Unfortunately, none of these things were included when I brought my new La Creuset home. But it does look damn good sitting on my stove top. And it does make some yummy food! I had never tried braising anything before. I was always super intimidated. But when I looked closer at the recipe, I thought… this is doable. Cook some red meat in some red wine for a Wehrly Good Time! Don’t be scared… DO IT.

Braised Short Ribs with Potato Leek Mash

Braised Short Ribs

• 4 portions of short ribs (6-oz. each)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 T EVOO
• 1 medium onion, largely chopped
• 2 large carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 celery stalks, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 sprigs of thyme
• 1 C red wine
• 3 C beef stock

Evenly rub the short ribs with salt and pepper. In your dutch oven, heat the olive oil to high. Sear all sides of the short ribs, about two minutes per side.

Add the onion, carrot and celery. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the bay leaves, thyme and red wine. Cook to reduce the wine by half.

Add the beef stock and bring to a light simmer. Cover and place in the oven. Allow to cook for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, until the meat is starting to pull away from the bone.

Potato Leek Mash

• 2-3 cloves garlic
• EVOO
• 1 leek, white and light green parts, chopped
• 6-8 red potatoes with skins, cut into even pieces for cooking
• Sour cream
• Milk, and melted butter
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Boil the potatoes, with skins until they are fork tender.

In a small pan, heat the EVOO. Add the garlic and leeks (plus salt and pepper to taste) to saute for 5 minutes.

Once the potatoes are finished boiling, drain the water. Add in the leeks and garlic mixture, plus a bit of butter, milk and sour cream. Mash together and add salt and pepper to taste.

You can also add in some veggies- pictured I have brussel sprouts and asparagus.

For plating, put some mash at the bottom of the plate. Add to the top some veggies from the braising and a portion of meat. Then, add any veggies to your liking. Yuhum!

Shrimp and grits… A traditional southern dish.  As a self-proclaimed southerner, you would imagine I would say something like, “I’ve been making shrimp and grits for as long as I can remember.”  Instead, I am letting you know this was a first for me.  I am a 27-year-old shrimp and grits virgin. S&G v-card.

I’m from the Tennessee, you see (smart girl’s a rhymer). I have a Southern accent and big hair and say things like “bless your heart” when I really mean “go to hell.”  See?  I’m Southern.

Sort of.

Well, not really.

It pains me to say, but I was born way north of the Mason Dixon in Indiana.  I moved to Tennessee when I was in high school, right in the moment of youth where acceptance was essential.  I would have adopted the accent of Elmer Fudd or Sid the Sloth if I thought it would help me fit in.  Instead, I picked up some pompoms and started with the “yes ma’am,” “no, sir,” “hey, y’alls.” And it stuck.

Southern.

So a few weeks ago, I was having a particularly shitty day.  I decided I was going to make some comfort food.  Comfort food always makes it better.  And cooking in general is like a happy pill for the soul.  Along with Harry Potter, but that’s neither here nor there.

I had bookmarked a recipe for shrimp and grits in a cook book of mine, “A New Turn in the South.”  I ventured to the grocery store with my list of ingredients and was stumped with gritty ignorance when I got to “hominy grits.”  I could only find the instant grits at this store.  I thought to myself… “I better go to Whole Foods.  They’ll have it.  It’s a specialty grit.”

I walked into the national largest Whole Foods store in Boulder and meandered through the flower sections.  Ooooo Wehrly loves flowers.  Shitty day = Buy flowers for one’s self day.  I grabbed not one, but two bunches of sunflowers and lillies and continue on into the store looking like My Fair Lady.  “Flowas? Fa me?  I do declare Mister Bulregard.”

Taking my arm full of flowers, I got to the bulk foods section and was already feeling happier.  I grabbed a plastic baggie and situated myself to have a free hand to scoop some grits.  First scoop was successful.  Things got tricky, though, as I was balancing my purse, two bundles of flowers, a swinging plastic baggie of one scoop of grits and my scooper.  I went to put another scoop in the bag, over shot, and completely missed the bag.  Grits all over the floor.  Imagine my face, eyebrows raised like, “did that really just happen?”  So embarrassing.  I finally found a whole foods worker and have never been more self conscious of the southern accent.  Aw, southern flower girl done made a mess with the grits.  How cliche.

The whole time I was thinking, this recipe better be damn good.  Luckily it was, and here it is 🙂

• 3/4 t kosher salt
• 3/4 C hominy grits
• 2 C broth
• 1 C water
• 4 T butter
• 1/2 C yellow onion, chopped
• 2 celery sticks, chopped
• 1/2 lb. andouille sausage cut into 1/4 inch slices
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 C roasted red peppers, chopped
• 2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1 t Old Bay, or a creole seasoning of your liking
• 1/4 t red pepper flakes
• 1/2 C tomato juice
• 1 T tomato paste
• 1/2 cup broth
• 1 lb. peeled and deveined shrimp
• 1/2 T fresh thyme
• 2 T fresh flat leaf parsley
• 1 T lemon juice

In a small to medium sized pot, combine 2 C broth, 1C water, 1/2 t salt and the grits.  Place on high heat while stirring with a whisk.  When you get to a boil, reduce to simmer and place the lid on the pot.  Stir the grits every 5 minutes or so for an hour.  Then, stir in 2 T of the butter.  Grits are done.

In a large-ish pan, melt a tablespoon of the butter and stir in onion, celery and the sausage.  Cook for 5 minutes or so, then add the garlic, red peppers, tomatoes, creole seasoning and red pepper flakes.  Cook for 5 minutes more, then add the tomato juice, tomato paste and broth.  Stir well and reduce the liquid for 3-4 minutes.

Season the shrimp with the remaining 1/4 t of salt and add to the pan.  Cook the shrimp until they are no longer translucent.  Add the remaining T of butter, thyme, parsley and lemon juice.  Stir until incorporated.

To serve, place some grits on the bottom of the plate, then spoon the shrimp concoction over the grits.  This recipe makes about 4 servings, so ration appropriately.  Serve Southernly and enjoy.

Feel like a light breakfast?  I kid, I kid.

If you’re in the mood for a savory delight, this is the dish for you.  I served this for brinner, or dinfast, whatever you call it.  Breakfast for dinner. It would also do nicely for brunch-time a.m. eating.  I had never made hollandaise before, but it’s quite simple.  And the southern hash alone is to die for.  I hope y’all have as much luck with this as I have.

Southern Hash

• 2 large sweet potatoes, cubed
• 2 T fresh thyme
• 1-2 T EVOO
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 lb chorizo
• 1 large onion, chopped

First, in a large bowl, combine the sweet potatoes, EVOO, thyme, garlic, salt and pepper until the taters are nice and coated.  Place them on a cookie sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 in the oven.  Make sure to flip the potatoes a couple times while they bake to make sure they cook thoroughly.

In the skillet, brown the chorizo and add the onions.  Yuhum.  Cook the onions in the chorizo until translucent.  Once the potatoes are done, add them to the skillet and viola! Southern yummy hash.  Keep warm while you make the hollandaise.

Hollandaise

• 3 egg yolks
• 1/4 t Dijon mustard
• 1 T lemon juice
• dash Tabasco sauce (Or more to taste.  I also added some cayenne, just a sprinkle)
• 1/2 cup butter, melted and really hot

If you have a double boiler, use that.  Or, you can do like I did and create your own (shout out to Sy).  In a sauce pan, fill the bottom around 1/4 full with water and place a bowl in the water.  Warm up the water until it’s hot without boiling.  In the bowl, whisk together the yolks, mustard, lemon juice and Tabasco sauce well.   While you’re whisking, put the butter in a microwaveable measuring cup (the kind with a spout) and nuke it until its melted and piping hot.  Pour it slowly into the yolk mixture while whisking quickly.  You’ll see it thicken up.  Keep the sauce heated so it doesn’t congeal while you’re making your eggs.  Nobody likes congealed sauce.  Nobody.

Finally, make your eggs.  If you’re fancy pants, you can poach them.  I like mine over easy, though, so that’s what I did for this recipe.  Once your eggs are perfect, plate the hash first, eggs on top, covered in the hollandaise.  Sprinkle some cayenne on top for show.  Enjoy!

Or perhaps I should say, “How to tie for first place in a chili cook-off.” It just doesn’t have the same ring to it.

This is the second year that I have entered into a chili cook-off, which is hosted by my classically trained culinary friend. She’s all together a sneaky jezebel:

“Oh, is that a 15 pound pork shoulder that you have been slow cooking in your green egg for five long days? Yes.”

“Are you really placing a quality over-easy egg atop your steaming chili? Yes.”

“Are you really going around giving all the judges shoulder rubs paired with warm whispers of compliment? Yes. HUSSY!”

Last year, she CHEATED into winning over my lovely white chili, which I will post soon as it’s a crowd pleaser. So this year, I decided to go back to the basics and swoop in dark-knight style. I found a STELLAR recipe on my AllRecipe app on my iPad. It has 2,742 reviews of five stars. I’m not too proud to admit it… I used that recipe with very little changes! Whoever MIGHTYPURDUE22 is deserves serious kudos.

My advice to the chili cook-off contestants? Don’t underestimate PRESENTATION. Nevermind the fact that all the chili-cook off attendees now know that I have enough time on my hands to painstakingly hollow out rolls to create pretty little bowls. It’s worth it. Don’t judge.

The bacon is always an awesome touch. Bake your bacon (Aeeyyoo!) at 350 until it’s browned and to your desired crispiness. Place it on top next to some cheese and sour cream. BOOM.

Here is the link to the original recipe.

• 1 lb. ground chuck
• 1 lb. Italian sausage
• 1 lb. spicy Italian sausage
• 1/2 lb. chorizo
• 3 15 oz. cans chili beans, drained
• 1 15 oz. can chili bean in spicy sauce
• 2 28 oz. cans fire roasted diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 6 oz. can tomato paste
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 2 green chilies, seeded and chopped
• 2 healthy T bacon bits
• 4 cubes beef bouillon
• 1/2 cup beer
• 1/4 C chilli powder
• 1 T Worcestershire
• 1 T minced garlic
• 1 T dried oregano
• 2 t ground cumin
• 2 t Tabasco
• 1 t dried basil
• 1 t salt
• 1 t ground black pepper
• 1 t cayenne (I added more cayenne for some kick)
• 1 t smoked paprika
• 1 t white sugar

In a large pot, brown all meat together and drain the excess fat. Add all other ingredients together and simmer for at least two hours, stirring occasionally. Adjust your salt, pepper, cayenne and chili powder to your liking. Remember, the longer it cooks, the better it tastes. And it’s even better as a left over! You should also try to serve it Cincinnati style over noodles. It’s Wehrly Good.