I’ve never been a huge fan of NYE. I’m not sure if it’s the expectation of the night, the crowds or just that I generally wait until the last minute to make plans but it never pans out as I’d hope. Given that this year has been quite the difficult one I realized there was nothing more that I really wanted to do than spend an entire day doing exactly what I want, alone.
So NYE will be spent curled up on my couch reading, watching my favorite movies, relaxing in a lush bomb bath and making some of my favorite meals throughout the day. Oh and there will be champagne. Duh.
I’m planning on starting my morning off with a denver omelet and a huge pot of coffee, one of my favorite morning breakfasts. Denver omelets are so simple but its amazing how people can mess with a classic. I once went to a restaurant that put bacon and mushrooms in theirs and it totally ruined the ham, onion and green bell pepper goodness.
For lunch I’m going to make one of my favorite indulgences – avocado eggrolls. I don’t know what it is about creamy avocado wrapped in fried wrappers but they make me happy. I like to keep mine very simple by mixing avocado, salt, pepper, cilantro and a little onion and wrapping them into eggroll shape before frying them. You can get a simple sweet and sour chili sauce from the grocery store that makes for a great dipping sauce.
For the grand finale I’m going to make one of my star dishes, Cider Braised Short Ribs with Mashed Sweet Potatoes. The ribs cook for about 4 hours which means your house smells amazing the entire afternoon and in the evening you’re left with decadent meat that just falls off the bone. I choose to pair mashed sweet potatoes with it as I think it gives a richer flavor profile than regular white potatoes, they are also healthier for you! Add in a salad and some gorgeous champagne and well I call that a perfect NYE. The recipe is from Foodness Gracious if you’d like to try it, and I vote that you absolutely should.
Now all that’s left to do is figure out which movie to watch before bed – Casablanca or Les Mis…hmm.
Cider Braised Short Ribs with Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pounds ½ beef short ribs
- Saly and cracked black pepper
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cups ½ sliced crimini mushrooms
- 1 cup ¼ cider divided
- cup ½ beef stock
- 4-5 sprigs fresh thyme
- For The Sweet Potatoes!
- 2 large orange sweet potatoes
- 2 tablespoons butter
- cup ¼ heavy cream
- cup ¼ grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and cracked black pepper
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F.
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In a heavy oven-proof pan, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over a high heat.
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Season the short ribs all over with the salt and pepper.
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Sear the ribs on each side for about 1 minute, transfer to a plate.
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Deglaze the pan with ¼ cup of cider.
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Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
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Add the mushrooms and cook for a further 3-4 minutes and the mushroom are getting soft.
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Add the short ribs back into the pan and add the remaining cider, thyme sprigs and beef stock.
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Bake for about 4 hours or until a sharp pointed knife can pierce the meat easily.
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While the ribs are cooking, peel the sweet potatoes and half them.
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Place them in a pot of boiling water and cook for about 30 minutes and they can be pierced easily.
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Drain and add the butter, cream and Parmesan.
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Using a potato masher, crush them until almost all the lumps are gone and the ingredients are well combined.
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Once the ribs are ready the potatoes can be reheated over a low heat, stirring frequently.
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Shred the meat from the bones and transfer to a plate.
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Discard the thyme sprigs and stir the sauce.
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Bring the sauce to a boil and boil for 3-4 minutes to thicken it a little.
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Serve the meat over the sweet potatoes and pour some of the sauce on top.
Happy eating!
– The Reportery
thereportery.com 