Author Notes
This ain’t the prettiest dish around, but when you want red meat it will do in a fix. It’s cheap and easy, and yet it feels like a treat.
I jokingly refer to this as “steak tower” because the hardest part is the assembly before serving. There is no need to stack it as I do, I just think it is fun and looks interesting. Feel free to serve each part separately if you prefer.
And as always, substitute scallions or ramps or garlic scapes or whatever you have if the mood strikes you. I find the larger mushrooms work better, but feel free to use your favorite. This is my kind of comfort food, and I hope it can be yours too.
—checker
Ingredients
- Beef Shanks with Portobellas and Baby Vidalias
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2
small beef shanks
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2
large portobella mushroom caps
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1
bunch baby Vidalia onions
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olive oil
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salt & pepper
- Garlic Crostini
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baguette or other crusty bread
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olive oil
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1-2 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
Directions
- Beef Shanks with Portobellas and Baby Vidalias
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Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.
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Remove the green parts of the Vidalia onions and slice into approximately two inch long pieces. Slice the remaining light green and white parts into roughly half inch slices and toss with some olive oil, salt and pepper.
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Cover the beef shanks with olive oil and a good coating of salt and pepper.
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In a cast iron skillet, place the portabellas with their gills facing up. Cover the mushrooms with the light green and white sliced onions. Put the beef shanks on top of the onions. Finally, pile the green parts of the onions on top of the beef. Beef shanks really need to be cooked with liquid, and the goal is to smother them with the onions so they have a way to stay moist. You may need to use some of the light green and white parts to help with the smothering.
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Roast in the oven for approximately an hour.
- Garlic Crostini
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Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.
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Slice the bread into half inch slices and brush with olive oil.
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Place them on a cookie sheet and bake in the oven for 5 – 10 minutes, or until pieces are golden and crispy.
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Rub the cut halves of the garlic over the crispy bread.
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To serve, put the crostini on the plate first then layer the meat and veggies as they were cooked on top of the crostini. You will have a delicious pile of crostini, portabella full of beef and onion juice, cooked vidalias, and beef. Enjoy, remembering to scoop out the marrow and savor.
Someone once said, "the wise man knows that he knows nothing at all." Therefore if I spend my days seeking knowledge than I am simply trying to be a better fool. Hopefully I will eat well along the way.
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