Winter is not even here and already I have cooked two meals that are reminiscent of a wintery meal. What has gotten into me? (obviously I did this over a month ago)
You just can't help yourself when the market begins offering up different ingredients you have not had in many months. I also bought a new pan, or I should say pot. A stove top dutch oven by calaphon. A few of my other pans have faded way past their usage.
I picked up delicata squash and beef short ribs, and decided this would be a weekend meal.We usually eat heavier dishes like this on Friday or Saturday's.
Even though delicata squash is a winter squash it still belongs to the same species as all types of summer squash (including pattypan squash, zucchini and yellow crookneck squash). I clean the outside, cut off one end of it, place it in a pan or wrapped in foil, and roast it in the oven for a good hour on 350 degree oven. Cut it in half, clean the seeds out and then scoop the meat out into a bowl, or if large enough chop into pieces.
Cover the beef short ribs with seasonings, onion, mustard, salt/pepper to taste and a splash of beef stock. Cook for three to four hours in a 275 degree oven until tender. Take the juice from the ribs, adding other beef stock if needed, and cook farro.
First I saute shallots and a bit of onion in dutch oven, add garlic, and then stock from ribs; (adding more beef stock when needed) add farro and place the short rib bones into pan and cook on medium low for another hour and half. Watch the level of stock, add more if needed, and squash pieces, cook until farro is done.