Idaho® Potato & Short Rib Pierogi with Caramelized Onion Sour Cream
Ingredients:
- Short Ribs*
- 10 beef short ribs (9 to 10 pounds total)
- 2 cups dry red wine
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1 sprig thyme
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 black peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 carrot, roughly chopped
- 1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
- 1 white onion, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 quart veal stock
- Caramelized Onion Sour Cream
- 3 large white onions, thinly sliced
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 16 ounces sour cream
- Salt and pepper as needed
- Pierogi
- 4 large Idaho potatoes (60 count), peeled and cut into 2 1/2 inch pieces
- Salt as needed
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon sour cream
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons butter, softened
- Pepper as needed
- 1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
- Oil as needed
- Minced chives for garnish
- * Note: The quantity of prepared meat and potato filling will yield enough for several batches of pierogi, from 2 to 3 times the amount needed for the pierogi dough recipe given below. Freeze unused filling in 1-quart containers. When needed, prepare a fresh batch of the dough.
Directions:
- Prepare Short Ribs: Place ribs, wine, garlic cloves, shallot, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf and peppercorns in sealed container; refrigerate overnight (or up to 4 days).
- Remove short ribs from marinade, reserving marinade liquid. Pat ribs dry. In a large, heavy pot (12 to 16 quart) over high heat, heat oil. Working in batches, sear short ribs on all sides to a deep brown color, about 1 1/2 minutes on each side. Remove short ribs; reserve.
- Add carrot, celery and onion to pot; sauté until soft and caramelized, 8 to 10 minutes. Add tomato paste. Cook, stirring and scraping, until paste thickens and caramelizes on bottom of pan, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in marinade liquid and veal stock. Add short ribs; bring to boil.
- Cover pot; braise in 375°F oven until short ribs are very tender, 3 to 4 hours. Remove from oven; shred meat while still hot; reserve. Strain cooking liquid; save for other use.
- Prepare Caramelized Onion Sour Cream: In large sauté pan over medium-high heat, cook onions in 1 cup water until water evaporates and onion is translucent, 5 to 6 minutes. Add oil; sauté until onions are deep golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Purée onions and sour cream in blender until well incorporated and smooth, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Reserve refrigerated.
- Prepare Pierogi: Put potatoes in large pot with cold water to cover potatoes by 2 inches. Salt water. Bring to boil; reduce heat; simmer until potatoes are soft, 20 to 22 minutes.
- Drain potatoes well, spread out evenly on sheet pan; place in a 300°F oven to dry out, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from oven; let cool until potatoes are warm to the touch, about 10 minutes.
- While potatoes are still warm, pass them through a potato ricer or food mill; set aside half for filling.
- Place remaining riced potatoes on floured board. Add egg, sour cream and flour. Knead dough briefly into ball until ingredients are just incorporated. (Dough should be a bit sticky. Do not overwork dough or it will toughen.)
- Generously flour work surface. Roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Using a pastry cutter (or small can, washed, top and bottom removed), cut dough into 48 circles, 3 inches in diameter. Roll out scraps as needed; handling dough as little as possible.
- Combine reserved riced potato with reserved shredded short ribs, cream and butter. Season with salt and pepper.
- Place 1 tablespoon filling on each dough circle. Moisten edge of each circle with egg wash, fold over; press to seal. (Pierogi may be frozen at this point; stored in sealed airtight container with parchment paper between layers of pierogi. Defrost overnight in refrigerator; dust with flour before cooking.)
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pierogi in small batches (about 10 at a time) until they rise to the surface, 2 to 3 minutes. Do not overcrowd pot. Stir occasionally so pierogi don't stick to pot. Remove with slotted spoon, drain well on plate lined with paper toweling.
- In nonstick sauté pan over high heat, heat just enough oil to coat bottom of pan just to smoking point. Sauté pierogi in oil until golden brown, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes per side. Season with salt and pepper. Reserve warm.
- Per portion: Place 3 warm pierogi on plate; serve with ramekin of caramelized onion sour cream for dipping. Garnish with minced chives.