SHORT RIB RAGU

Reheating time: 7-10 minutes

Woof. Look at me, I’m barking like a dog for tonight’s dinner. Sit, stay, paw, roll over, you name it, I’d do it for the short rib. This ragu is something very special to us- it’s the product of lots of time, careful application of flavor, and last minute execution. Our team toiled over this one, from meticulously searing each shortrib before placing them in the braise, to shredding them once they were out, to crushing every single tomato by hand to release the sweet juices… there’s a reason why pasta warms your heart and soul- it is made with intention and love. Our team really loves you guys, not only because you make WECO a possibility, but because you all single handedly provide us with a living. And we get to feed you all this amazing food, which is just a perk of the job. Rigatoni is a great shape- it captures sauce and provides structure for the chunkier components, while still holding up and making a statement. Whipped ricotta? Yes please. Chopped romaine salad and caesar dressing? Absolutely. Chef Theo’s (slightly played out but still delicious) famous GARLIC BREAD!? I’m done. Take me now. Get in there!

For the short rib ragu and pasta:

Best way to assemble is to warm the ragu first, and add the pasta after. In a large saucepan over medium heat, warm the ragu with a splash or two of water until it’s happily bubbling and steaming. Make sure to stir to prevent scorching on the bottom. Once the ragu is hot, drop the pasta in, and add a tablespoon or two of butter (always helps). Stir to mix the pasta into the sauce, and if it looks a bit dry, add more water. If your pasta is taking a bath in the sauce, and it’s more like a pasta soup, you might have added a bit too much water- don’t worry, you can just cook it down for a minute or two until it coats the rigatoni nicely. Once you’re happy with the consistency of your sauce, and the pasta is nice and hot, it’s time to plate. Scoop some of this luxurious sauce and pasta into a bowl, and top it off with a dollop of whipped ricotta on top.  

For the salad:

So easy! Toss everything in a bowl, dress with caesar dressing, season with some salt and black pepper, mix it all up and enjoy! 

For the garlic bread:

Warm up the garlic bread in the toaster or conventional oven to give it some crunch. This is literally the best vessel for pasta sauce. Do not be afraid to forgot the pasta in tonight’s dinner and simply eat garlic bread and short rib ragu. It’s not an entirely terrible idea, and we won’t judge you. Maybe we should replace pasta with garlic bread always. I wonder if we could put the garlic bread through the pasta extruder to make… garlic bread pasta… one day we will have a test kitchen to work on important things like this. 

Thanks for a great week!

As always, we are so happy that we could feed all of you this week. We have a very special connection with you all (unless you don’t want that- and you’re like get these weird people away from me- I just want tasty food, in which case, disregard any personal messages directed towards you), and we can’t do this without you 🙂 Can’t wait to bring you dinner next week! #weareallweco

CAULIFLOWER STEAK

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Preheat oven: 400F

The week of fulfilling WECO fam requests continues tonight, with an old-time fan favorite coming back for its debut as a second option- the cauliflower “steak”. Cauliflower is incredibly versatile, and a great winter staple. Hearty and resilient, yet still tender and functional, this veggie has made its way into the hearts of so many, as a substitute for proteins (think buffalo cauliflower or things of the like), and also as a legitimate contender in the battle of plants vs. meat. When roasted, it takes on a beefy flavor- all those sugars and starches caramelize and soften into something beautiful. Top it off with some whole grain mustard aioli and garlic breadcrumbs, and you start thinking you’re actually eating a steak. I mean, no, it’s a cauliflower- and it looks, feels and tastes like a cauliflower, but some of the elements are there. A crisp sear is replaced by crunchy breadcrumbs, glistening fat replaced by caramelized aioli, and fibrous muscle replaced by tender florets. Now that I think about it, this may just be better than beef. To reheat, remove the container of pesto from the box, and scoop the cauliflower and couscous onto a sheet tray lined with tinfoil (or into a saute pan for easier plating), and pop the whole thing in the oven for 5-7 minutes. We want the cauliflower to get nice and hot, and for the breadcrumbs/aioli to toast and bubble. Once it’s hot, scoop the couscous into a bowl, place the cauliflower on top, and go nuts with the pesto (no, there’s no nuts in the pesto- just a figure of speech). Enjoy!