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PrintA Taste of Sedona
L'Auberge de Sedona's executive chef shares a dish with Southwest flavor.
WEB EXCLUSIVE
The ethereal beauty of the red rocks brings countless visitors to Sedona each year. Plein-air enthusiasts venture to the home of the Sedona Plein Air Festival each year in search of the perfect outdoor experience. At the creekside resort L'Auberge de Sedona, guests are enveloped "in the open air" with luxurious accommodations centered on the property's magnificent natural surroundings. As you soak in the sights and sounds of the natural beauty of Sedona, you might get a little hungry.
L'Auberge de Sedona executive chef David Schmidt, a graduate of the Scottsdale Culinary Institute, mixes flavors that result in artistry on the plate and satisfaction in the stomach. Locals and visitors alike flock to the award-winning restaurant to taste Schmidt's delectable creations. But even if you can't make it to Sedona, you can certainly bring the taste of the city home. Schmidt shares with C&I his recipe for BBQ braised beef short ribs with hickory smoked polenta and glazed baby vegetables.
BBQ Braised Beef Short Ribs with Hickory Smoked Polenta
and Glazed Baby Vegetables
(Serves 4)
BBQ Braised Beef Short Ribs
Chef David Schmidt's BBQ Braised Beef Short Ribs with Hickory Smoked Polenta and Glazed Baby Vegetables. Photo courtesy L'Auberge de Sedona.
- 1 plate bone-in beef short ribs
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
- 2 celery stalks, medium dice
- 2 peeled carrots, medium dice
- 1 onion, medium dice
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups red wine
- 1 pint beef stock
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 3 cloves peeled garlic
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Season beef short ribs liberally with salt and pepper. In a braising pan on medium heat, add olive oil, then wait until it is almost at smoke point. Add short ribs, and decrease to low heat. Begin to slowly brown short ribs on all sides.
Once brown, take short ribs out of the pan and set aside. While pan is still on the heat, add onion, carrots, and celery. Slowly caramelize till golden brown. Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add wine and reduce to syrup.
Add beef stock, thyme, garlic, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Add short rib to liquid making sure that 3/4 of the cooking liquid is covered. Take off heat. Tightly wrap with aluminum foil. Transfer to a 350 degree oven and cook till tender (approximately 3 hours).
Hickory Smoked Polenta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, small dice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 cup polenta
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 3 cups stock
- 1/2 cup of milk
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Powdered hickory smoke or Liquid Smoke to taste
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
In a heavy gauge saucepot, add olive oil and onions and cook until translucent on medium heat. Next, add polenta, thyme, stock, and milk, and stir constantly until polenta is cooked through. Add honey and other seasonings to taste. Finish with butter.
BBQ Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 5 Roma tomatoes, quartered
- 8 peaches, quartered and deseeded
- 1/2 onion, medium diced
- 3 cloves whole garlic
- 1 cup red wine
- 2 cups pineapple juice
- 2 cups tomato juice
- 5 sprigs thyme
- 1 sprig oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
In a saucepot on medium heat, add olive oil, onion, and garlic. Cook until soft. Add tomatoes and peaches; cook until almost all liquid has evaporated from the tomatoes. Add red wine, pineapple juice, and tomato juice, and reduce by half. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer sauce back to pot. Add thyme, oregano, and bay leaf. Cook until flavors are incorporated (approximately 10 minutes). Add salt and pepper to taste. Pass through a fine mesh strainer.
Glazed Baby Vegetables
Choose baby vegetables of your choice. Blanch in hot water and shock in ice-cold water. Next, saute in butter and glaze with beef stock and finish with fresh herbs.
Recipes courtesy David Schmidt, L'Auberge de Sedona.
