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Throughout the year, certain things I make get a thumbs up from the in-house critics and are voted into the “Crowd Favorite” category. Other dishes get a “please don’t ever make this again” thumbs down.
For instance, when I produced my tangine and Moroccan food, well that was a “please don’t ever make this again” moment. While I love my tangine and the way it cooks, the others hope they never see my Moroccan cookbooks sprawled on the kitchen table again.
So keeping that in mind, here are two recipes that my family have voted into the “Crowd Favorite” category for the New Year. Let’s get cooking…
Short rib ragu
Serves 6-8
8 short ribs (about 4 lbs.)
Light olive oil for browning
2 28-oz. cans of crushed tomatoes
1 1/3 cup red wine
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 large onion, diced
4 medium carrots, diced
1 fennel bulb, white part only, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 oz. shitake mushroom, stems removed and caps roughly chopped
Salt and pepper
Grated Parmesan cheese for serving
I used to have a love/hate relationship with short ribs. I loved the way they looked in the butcher’s cold case. I loved the idea of them bathed in red wine and braising in the oven on a cold winter’s day. But when it was all said and done, I thought that they were OK at best and still a bit tough. I ended up disappointed until I latched onto a hint from the Sage Room chefs — eight hours of cooking! Well the big taste and melt-in-your-mouth texture of my Short Rib Ragu comes from braising in a slow cooker (or in the oven low and slow) for eight-plus hours. Make this the day before for a more tender bite and even more rich flavor.
Season short ribs with salt and pepper. Heat a little olive oil in a heavy, screaming-hot skillet, working in batches so you don’t crowd the ribs, brown them on all sides until well-caramelized.
Transfer ribs to the slow cooker. Whisk tomatoes, 1 cup of red wine and balsamic vinegar together in a medium bowl. Pour over ribs and set slow cooker on high for 3 hours.
In the same skillet you used for the ribs, cook onions, carrots and fennel over medium heat until softened, about 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and mushrooms; cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
Add the remaining 1/3-cup of wine and cook until syrupy and almost evaporated, about 5 minutes or so. Add the onion mixture to the short ribs, stir to distribute, cover then let the slow cooking begin.
After 4 hours, remove ribs from slow cooker and the meat should fall off the bones. Trim away any gristly fat and discard. Shred the meat and return it to the slow cooker. Continue cooking for another 4 hours on low. Serve over rigatoni, polenta or mashed potatoes with grated Parmesan cheese. 
Chocolate Praline Cake
This is one of the Best. Cake. Recipes. Ever. I came across an out-of-print book called Special Recipes From The Charleston Cake Lady by Teresa Pregnall. Sadly, Mrs. Pregnall passed away in 2008, but her recipes live on. Anyway, the Chocolate Praline Cake is not only easy to make, it received high marks from all the in-house critics. Make it once, and you’ll make it again and again. Makes one 13x9-inch cake.
For the cake:
2 cups flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sour cream
½ cup butter, room temperature
2 cups light brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
Cooking spray
For the frosting:
1 ½ cup butter, melted
1 ¼ cup dark brown sugar, packed
½ cup whipping cream
2 cups pecans, finely chopped
Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 13x9 inch pan with cooking spray.
Whisk flour, cocoa, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Melt butter in the microwave or on very low heat in a small saucepan. Let cool slightly.
Beat eggs and sugar in a large bowl on low speed until combined, about 2 minutes. Add sour cream, beat until combined then add flour mixture and vanilla, beat until batter is smooth. Pour into prepared pan and spread batter to corners using a spatula. Bake for 20-25 minutes until a tester comes out clean. Let cool about 10 minutes.
To frost the cake
Preheat broiler. Lower the oven rack. Stir melted butter, sugar, whipping cream and pecans together in a medium bowl. Spread frosting over warm cake and broil no more than 5 minutes, just enough to allow the frosting to bubble – check often to prevent burning.
Note: recipe adapted from Special Recipes From The Charleston Cake Lady.
