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There are many components to this dish. They all can be prepared the day before with the exception of the salmon, and dressed at the last minute

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

Cut the greens from the beets, leaving 1/2 inch of stem still attached. Clean the beets well, and toss them with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 teaspoon salt. Place the beets in a roasting pan with a splash of water. Cover tightly with foil, and roast for about 40 minutes, until tender when pierced (roasting time will depend on the size of the beet). When the beets are done, carefully remove the foil. Let cool, and feel the beets by slipping off the skins with your fingers. Cut the beets into 1/2 inch wedges.

Once the beets are in the oven, toss the potatoes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, the thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt. Place in a roasting pan, cover with foil and cook in the oven about 30 minutes, until tender when pierced. When the potatoes have cooled, cut them in half. 

Remove the salmon from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking, to bring it to room temperature. 

Turn the oven down to 250 degrees F and place a shallow pan of water on the bottom rack.

Finely grate the zest of lemon until you have 1 teaspoon. Combine the lemon zest, shallots, dill, tarragon and parsley in a small bowl, and stir in 2 table-spoons olive oil.

Place the salmon, skin side down, on a baking sheet, and season with 2 tea-spoons kosher salt and some freshly ground black pepper. Smear about a third of herb mixture on the fish, and turn it over. Slather the skin side of the fish with the remaining her mixture, and season with the fleur de sel and a little more black pepper. 

Place the salmon on a wire rack set on a baking sheet, or in a roasting pan. Bak the salmon about 25 minutes, until medium-rare to medium. The center will still be slightly translucent. To check if the salmon is done, peek between the flakes. If it doesn’t separate into flakes, it’s not ready yet. 

Meanwhile, bring a small pot of water to a boil, and carefully lower the eggs into the pot. Turn the heat down to low, and gently simmer exactly 9 minutes. Immediately transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. When they’re completely cooled, peel the eggs, and cut them into halves. Season with salt and pepper. 

Season the beets with a healthy pinch of salt, a pinch of pepper, the remaining tablespoon olive oil, and squeeze of lemon juice. Season the potatoes with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons vinaigrette. Taste both for seasoning. 

Scatter the arugula greens on a platter and drizzle 1/4 cup vinaigrette over them. Nestle the potatoes and beets in and around the greens. Using your hands, pull the salmon into 2-inch chunks, tucking them throughout the salad. Spoon another 1/4 cup vinaigrette over the salad, and tuck the eggs in and around the other ingredients. Season the salad with a healthy squeeze of lemon juice, and pass the rest of the vinaigrette at the table. 

Vinaigrette:

Place the minced shallot, vinegar, lemon zest and lemon juice in a non reactive container and let the shallots macerate for 10 minutes in the acid – this softens their flavor and brings out sweetness. Add the mustard, salt, pepper and olive oil and stir. Dress the salad or cover and put in the fridge if prepared in advance.

Serves 6

Pair with: 2021 Román

Short Ribs:

Season the short ribs with 1 tablespoon thyme and the cracked black pepper. Use your hands to coat the meat well. Cover and refrigerate overnight. 

When you take the ribs out of the refrigerator, preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat a large sauté pan over high heat for 3 minutes. Pour in 3 tablespoons olive oil, and wait a minute or two until the pan is almost smoking. Place the short ribs in the pan, and sear until they are nicely browned on all three meaty sides. Depending on the size of your pan you might have to sear in batches. Don’t crowd the meat or rush this step; it will take at least 15 minutes. When the ribs are nicely browned, transfer them to a braising pan. They should lie flat, bones standing up, in one layer.

Turn the heat to medium in the sauté pan, add the onion, carrot, celery, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. Stir with a wooden spoon, scraping up all the crusty bits in the pan. Cook 6 to 8 minutes, until the vegetables just begin to caramelize. Add the balsamic vinegar, port and red wine. Turn the heat up and reduce the liquid by half.

Add the stock and bring to a boil. Pour the liquid over the short ribs, scraping any vegetables that have fallen on the ribs back into the liquid. The stock mixture should almost cover the ribs. Tuck the parsley sprigs in and around the meat. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and a tight fitting lid if you have one. Braise in the oven for about 3 hours.

To check the meat for doneness, remove the lid and foil, being careful of the escaping steam, and pierce a short rib with a pairing knife. When the meat is done, it will yield easily to a knife. Taste a piece to make sure.

Let the ribs rest 10 minutes in their juices, and then transfer them to a baking sheet.

Turn the oven up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place the short ribs in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, to brown.

Strain the broth into a saucepan. Skim the fat from the sauce and, if the broth seems thin, reduce it over medium-high heat to thicken slightly. Taste for seasoning.

We sautéed chard to put the meat on and served mashed potatoes as well. You could do mashed potatoes and a side salad as an alternative. 

Horseradish Cream:

Combine the créme friache, horseradish and lemon zest in a small bowl. Taste for balance and seasoning. Add salt and pepper to taste. It will be tart which is a wonderful balance to the richness of the short ribs. 

Serves 6

Ribs:

Make caramel with coconut sugar, white sugar and water. Put ingredients in a heavy saucepan on medium heat till caramel forms. Add fish sauce, garlic, shallot, ginger and lemon juice. Once the caramel is made and the aromatics added,  let it cool before you add the ribs. Marinate ribs overnight in cooled caramel sauce in sealed container. The next day, cook the ribs for 3 hours on low in a heavy bottomed pot. Once the ribs are tender, pull them out and reduce the liquid in the pot till its a syrup consistency. Add the ribs back and serve garnished with scallion and fresh fresno chili.

Cucumber Salad:

• Cucumbers- slice the cucumbers and salt for ½ hour. Rinse cucumbers and spin in a salad spinner
• Dressing – combine the minced shallot, ginger and vinegar for 15 minutes and allow to macerate. Then add the remainder of the dressing ingredients and toss with the cucumbers and put in the fridge till ready to serve.

Coconut Rice:

Cook the rice in the coconut water – 1 cup rice to 1.5 cups coconut water. Put the bay and whole knob of ginger in with the rice while it cooks.

Serves 6

Pair with: 2021 Nadi Riesling

Mushroom Ragu:
Peel carrot and onion, then dice into 1/4” cubes along with celery. Sauté in large pot over a medium-low flame with bay leaves until fully tender. While the vegetables sauté, clean and wash mushrooms and cut into bite-sized pieces. Season with salt and sauté in olive oil until cooked through and lightly browned, then add to vegetables.

On the side, sizzle 4 cloves of garlic that have been chopped fine until very fragrant. Add thyme and cook briefly, then stir into mushrooms and vegetables, add water, and simmer together until the water has reduced most of the way and the mixture is juicy and flavorful. Remove and discard the bay leaves.

Gremolata:
Peel the rind from the lemon and remove any white pith from the inside. Chop rind finely, along with parsley and one clove of garlic.

To Serve:
Heat ragu in a large sauté pan. Boil pasta in salted water until desired doneness, and when a few minutes remain, add English peas to the pasta water and cook together until tender. Remove pasta and peas from water and add to ragu.

Sauté together, adding pasta water as needed, until ragu forms a saucy consistency. Divide onto plates, grate Pecorino over the top, and sprinkle with gremolata.

Pair with: 2018 Game Trail Cabernet Sauvignon

More Spring Recipes:

Grilled Sirloin + 2019 EX MARIETTA Syrah

Citrus & Spiced-almond Salad + 2020 Román Zinfandel