Steal This Recipe® Beef Short Rib Crêpe | Crêpes: etc.

Braised Beef Short Rib Crepe with a Gorgonzola Butter Sauce

This week's recipe, Braised Beef Short Rib Crepe with Gorgonzola Butter Sauce, was 'stolen with permission' from Chef Eric Kelly of Crepes: etc in St Louis. The restaurant is located in the hip Central West End area; one of the many interesting neighborhoods in St. Louis - a few examples are The Ville which in the 1920s was home to an elite African American community, the picturesque Lafayette Square neighborhood with its "Painted Ladies" (houses dating from the 1870s and 1880s), and the Hill which was settled by Italian immigrants in the early 1900s; even its fireplugs are painted in green, white and red in a patriotic tribute to the colors of the Italian flag.

Crêpes: etc is a lively, approachable café, blending French tradition with a dash of “moderne". Guests can choose from a selection of signature crepes – sweet or savory – or devise their own made-to-order custom crêpe. Or they can choose from salads, sandwiches, homemade soups, quiches, pastries, sweets and gelato. It is also the only restaurant in St. Louis that carries illycaffè – Italy’s premium espresso coffee.

About the chef: when the weather is nice in St. Louis, you may catch Chef Eric Kelly riding his Harley Road King around the streets of the Central West End. Chef Eric Kelly moved to St. Louis in 2009 and he is executive chef and partner of two restaurants; Crepes: etc. and Scape – both located in the Central West End. Throughout the week Chef Kelly floats between the sister restaurants, alternating between preparing extensive wine-paired dinners at Scape bistro and concocting the craziest, yet tastiest crepes at Crepes: etc. 

Crêpes: etc.
52 Maryland Plaza
St. Louis, MO 63108 
314 367 2200

Braised Beef Short Rib Crepe with Gorgonzola Butter Sauce is served at Crepes: Etc for $11.95. 
This recipe makes 4 restaurant servings.

Buckwheat Crêpes Ingredients:
(Makes 4 Cups)
2 oz Buckwheat Flour
6 oz All Purpose Flour
4 Eggs, lightly beaten
3 Tablespoons Butter, melted
2 Teaspoons Salt, iodized
2 Cups Milk, whole

Steal This Recipe® Step by Step Instructions for the Buckwheat Crêpes:
Place both flours to a mixing bowl. Add eggs and stir with a whisk until mixture begins to look oily.
Add milk slowly. Mix until smooth. Do not over mix.
Add melted butter and mix.
Add salt and mix.
Pass through a china cap and rest for at least an hour in the refrigerator.

Braised Boneless Beef Short Ribs Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
½ Cup Celery, ¼” dice
To Taste Salt, Kosher
To Taste Black Pepper, fresh cracked
6 oz Flour, All Purpose
1 ½ lb’s Boneless Beef Short Rib, Trimmed, fat removed 
½ Cup Carrot, ¼” dice
1 Cup Onion, ¼” dice
3 Garlic cloves, crushed
3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
4 Sprigs Thyme, fresh
4 Sprigs Oregano, fresh
3 Bay Leaves
2 Cups Red Wine
4 Cups Beef Stock

Steal This Recipe® Step by Step Instructions for Braised Boneless Beef Short Ribs:
Heat your oil in a large roasting pan over moderate heat. 
Meanwhile, cut the beef into 4 – six ounce portions. 
Season each with salt and pepper, then dust exterior with flour. Be sure to shake off excess flour. 
Carefully place each portion into hot oil and cook on each side until golden brown. Remove beef portions to a paper towel lined platter. 
Add the carrot, celery and onion to hot oil. Cook vegetables until deeply roasted 15-20 minutes. Add garlic and cook 2-3 minutes. 
Add tomato paste, stirring with a wooden spoon to coat vegetables. 
Cook 3-4 minutes to caramelize the sugars of the tomato paste. 
Add thyme, oregano, bay leaves and red wine. Scrape the bottom of the pot with your wooden spoon. 
Bring the wine to a boil and add the reserved cooked beef portions. Reduce the wine by half, then add the beef stock, bring to a simmer. 
Cover tightly with foil then place the covered pan into a 300 degree oven for 90 minutes. 
Carefully remove pan from oven. 
Carefully remove foil, be sure beef is fall apart tender. Gently remove beef rib portions to a warm platter and hold until ready to use. Strain the braising liquid and cool on an ice bath. Reserve for another use.

Butter Sauce Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 Tablespoon Shallots, minced
2 Tablespoon Rice Wine Vinegar
2 Tablespoon White Wine Vinegar
2 Tablespoon Heavy Cream
8 oz Butter, diced

Steal This Recipe® Step by Step Instructions for the Butter Sauce:
Heat your oil in a heavy bottom sauce pan over medium heat. 
Add shallots and sweat for 4-5 minutes until shallots are translucent, (be careful not to brown your shallots, this will discolor your finished sauce). 
Add both vinegars and cook until lightly syrupy. Add cream and cook until reduced by half.
Add butter, a few cubes at a time, while constantly whisking over medium heat.
When butter is 95% melted and whisked smooth, remove from heat and whisk until 100% melted. 
Strain sauce through a fine mesh strainer into a thermos or bowl that can be kept warm, (110 degrees) until ready for use.

Braised Beef Short Rib Crêpe with Gorgonzola Butter Sauce Ingredients:
4 Buckwheat Crepes, 12”-14”
1/2 Cup Caramelized Onions
16 oz Braised Beef Short Rib
8 oz Butter Sauce
6 oz Gorgonzola Cheese
1 Tablespoon Chives, minced

Steal This Recipe® Step by Step Instructions for Plating:
Spin and cook crepe until lightly golden brown, repeat until you’ve made 4 large crepes. 
Place each crepe on a platter, separated with a paper towel, until ready to use.
When ready to fill and serve, place one crepe on each warm service plate. 
In the upper right quadrant of the crepe, add 2 tablespoons caramelized onion. 
Top each onion portion with 4 ounces of braised boneless beef short rib. 
Fold crepe in half, then in a quarter. Adjust crepe to the center of each service plate.
Using a small ladle top the crepe with 3 tablespoons of the butter sauce.
Garnish top with equal amounts of crumbled blue cheese and chives. Serve.