From Araxi: Seasonal Recipes from the Celebrated Whistler Restaurant

PICKLED MUSHROOMS

• 2 cups sweet pickling brine (recipe below)
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups torn pieces of fresh wild mushrooms (such as chanterelle, cauliflower, pine, black trumpet)
• 1 cup torn pieces of cultivated mushrooms (such as cremini, maitake, oyster)

SHORT RIBS

• 3-inch square cheesecloth
• 2 sprigs fresh parsley
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 cups red wine
• 3 Tbsp grapeseed oil
• 4 beef short ribs, each 12 to 14 oz and containing 3 bones
• 3 cloves garlic
• 5 shallots, quartered
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 stalk celery, roughly chopped
• 12 cups veal stock (recipe below)
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme for garnish

CAULIFLOWER PURÉE

• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 3 cups cauliflower, in florets or small pieces
• 2 cups whipping cream

If you can find them, use Kobe-style beef short ribs; in other words, the more marbling in the meat, the better, because more fat means moister cooked ribs. The pickled mushrooms in this recipe have a great texture and keep well if you have leftovers.

This rib dish has been on the menu at Araxi for the last two winters. (John Sherlock/Douglas & McIntyre)

PICKLED MUSHROOMS: Heat the pickling brine (recipe below) in a medium saucepan on medium heat and add the shallots, thyme and bay leaf. Once the brine is simmering, stir in the wild and cultivated mushrooms and turn off the heat. Allow the mushrooms to cool and soften in the liquid. Will keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to three days.

SHORT RIBS: Preheat the oven to 300 F. On the cheesecloth, place the parsley, thyme and bay leaf. Gather the edges of the cheesecloth and tie them together tightly with kitchen twine to make a bouquet garni.

Place the red wine in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil on high heat and immediately reduce the heat to medium. Simmer the wine until it is reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Heat the grapeseed oil in an ovenproof casserole fitted with a lid on high heat. Season the short ribs with salt and pepper, then add them to the pan. Sauté uncovered until deep brown on all sides, about 4 minutes, then transfer the short ribs to a cooling rack. Reduce the heat to medium.

Drain excess oil from the pan, then stir in the garlic, shallots, carrots and celery and gently sauté them until lightly golden, about eight minutes. Add the short ribs, the red wine reduction and the veal stock. Bring to a boil on medium heat, then add the bouquet garni, cover and place in the oven for three and a half hours or until the meat is very tender.

Remove the short ribs from the braising liquid and allow them to cool. Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve or a cheesecloth into a small saucepan, discarding the solids. Cook on medium heat to reduce the liquid to a sauce-like consistency, about 20 minutes. Trim the cooled ribs of any excess fat, place them in the reduced sauce and warm them through, about 10 minutes.

CAULIFLOWER PURÉE: Heat the butter in a medium saucepan on medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until softened but not coloured, about eight minutes. Add the cauliflower, lightly season with salt and cook for two to three minutes to release the flavours. Be careful not to brown the vegetables. Add the cream, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, until the cauliflower is very tender and the cream has reduced. Drain any remaining cream into a small bowl. Purée the cauliflower in a blender or using a hand-held blender. Add enough cream to give the purée a smooth consistency. Press the purée through a fine-mesh sieve and season with salt and pepper. Reheat in a small pot on low heat.

TO SERVE: In a small pot, reheat the mushrooms in a little of the pickling juices on low heat. Divide the cauliflower purée among four plates, arranging it in a pool in the centre. Top each serving with a short rib and some of its juices, and garnish with pickled mushrooms and a sprig of thyme.

WINE: Pair these ribs with some big New World reds like Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, Barossa Shiraz, Argentine Malbec or even a powerful Italian red like Amarone. If you can, use some of your drinking wine in the recipe for best flavour.

SWEET PICKLING BRINE: (Yields four cups)

• 3 cups water
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup white wine vinegar
• 1 Tbsp pickling spice

This pickling liquid keeps very well, so make lots and use it to pickle vegetables such as daikon radishes, carrots or crosnes. The pickling spice I use contains allspice, coriander seeds, bay leaf, cloves and fennel seeds, but other spices work equally well. Combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil on medium heat. Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool. Before using, strain the brine through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl, discarding the pickling spice. Will keep refrigerated in an airtight container for two to three weeks.

VEAL STOCK:

• Yields 18 cups
• 10 lbs meaty veal bones (such as knuckles, skin and neck)
• 2 pig's feet (trotters)
• 16 to 20 cups water, cold
• 1/4 cup grapeseed oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 3 large carrots, chopped
• 4 stalks celery, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic
• 3 cups red wine
• 1/2 cup tomato paste
• 2 cups canned tomatoes, juice reserved
• 10 black peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 sprigs fresh parsley

Pig's feet, also known as trotters, are available from your local butcher.

Araxi was published by Douglas & McIntyre. Preheat the oven to 375 F/190 C. Place the veal bones and pig's feet in a deep roasting pan and roast for 40 to 45 minutes. Turn the bones and roast them for another 45 minutes to one hour, or until they are deep brown and the oils are cooked out. Transfer the bones and pig's feet to a large stockpot, pouring off and discarding any fat. Cover the bones with cold water until just covered and bring to a boil on high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and allow to simmer, skimming the surface frequently with a slotted spoon to remove any fat and foam.

In a separate saucepan, heat the grapeseed oil on medium-high heat and add the onions, carrots, celery and garlic and sauté until nicely browned, about 20 minutes. Pour in the red wine and cook until the wine has reduced by two-thirds, about 15 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for five minutes, then add the tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes. Add this vegetable mixture to the veal bones. The liquid should now be two to three inches above the bones. Add the peppercorns, bay leaf and parsley, reduce the heat to low and simmer for six to eight hours. Using a slotted spoon, skim off and discard the fat when it accumulates. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve or a cheesecloth into a clean bowl. Refrigerate for two hours, until chilled. Will keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to one week or frozen for up to one month.

(Recipe excerpted from Araxi: Seasonal Recipes from the Celebrated Whistler Restaurant , © 2009, by James Walt. Published by Douglas & McIntyre: an imprint of D&M Publishers Inc. Photography by John Sherlock. Reprinted with permission of the publisher. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.)