InGoodTaste

Short Rib Pie

Guest Chef J.J. Johnson

For Harlem-based celebrity chef J.J. Johnson, food is a language that can break down barriers. Johnson is a James Beard-nominated chef best known for his Pan- African/ Caribbean culinary style and for his ability to transform simple cuisine with bold flavors and unexpected ingredients.

In 2018, Johnson–who grew up watching his mother’s Puerto Rican grandmother cook–published his first cookbook, Between Harlem and Heaven. He believed the book reflected the trend toward young Americans who grew up around other cultures cooking their own heritage.

“There’s truly something for everybody, and the headnotes make you feel like I am in the kitchen with you,” Johnson said of the recipes from the culinary melting pot of Africans, Asians, West Indians and other cultures.

Ingredients:

Coconut oil

3 pounds boneless beef short ribs, cut into 2-inch pieces Kosher salt

10 pearl onions, peeled and halved

2 cloves garlic, minced 2 scallions, roughly chopped 1 tablespoon turmeric powder

And now–in addition to his Manhattan eatery, The Henry–Jonson has his own show on CLEO TV, TV One’s aspirational lifestyle and entertainment network targeting Millennial and Gen X women of color. The show, JUST EATS WITH CHEF JJ, is set in a hip New York City loft, where Johnson prepares meals from his kitchen and entertains his celebrity friends. Each episode features notable special guests including TV personality Yandy Smith, actor Laz Alonso, singer Kimberly Locke, actress Naturi Naughton, rapper and activist Tamika Mallory among others. Favorite recipes include Biscuit Sammys, Egg Rice, Brown Paper Bag Fried Chicken, and Collard Green Salad. He shared the following recipe for Short Rib Pie on the Today Show.

2 teaspoons curry powder

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 cups dry red wine

4 cups low-sodium beef stock

2 tablespoons chopped thyme

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

1 egg yolk, mixed with 1 tablespoon coconut oil, for brushing

2 pie crusts, homemade or storebought

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Set a large Dutch oven/pot over medium heat and add drizzle of coconut oil. Season ribs with salt and sear on all sides until golden brown. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Instructions:

2. Add onions and sauté until golden brown. Reduce heat and add garlic and scallions and cook until soft. Add turmeric and curry powder and stir together. Add tomato paste. Let fry slightly with other ingredients, stir to combine.

3. Add red wine and bring to a simmer, scraping the pan of any bits and reduce by half. Return the short ribs and their juices back into the pot along with beef stock and 2 cups of water. Bring to a low simmer. Cook covered 3 hours or meat is tender and sauce is slightly thickened. Stir in onions, parsley and thyme; take off heat to cool slightly.

6. Place 1 prepared pie crust into a 2-quart pie dish. Pour cooled filling into dish and cover with second pie crust. Crimp the edges from both layers of dough together to seal pie. 7. Make 3 small slits in top crust. Brush with egg yolk/oil mixture. Bake 1 hour or until crust is golden brown. Let sit 10 minutes.