Why it works:
The rich, plummy notes of Malbec coupled with its signature tobacco and leather undertones create a perfect harmony with the Northern Lights & Tabak candle's smoky essence, while whiskey brings warming vanilla and caramel notes that enhance the cozy atmosphere. When paired with slow-braised short ribs, the meat's rich flavors and caramelized notes complement both the drinks and the fragrance, while whiskey brownies for dessert intensify the tobacco depth through dark chocolate while creating a harmonious bridge between the candle's vanilla notes and the spirits' sweetness.
Drink Selections: Malbec
Specific Suggestion: Catena Malbec 2022
or
Whiskey
Specific Suggestion: Woodford Reserve
Dinner: Slow-braised Short Ribs
Ingredients
3 Tablespoons garlic olive oil
1 yellow or onion, diced (or shallots)
3 large carrots, chopped
8 bone-in beef short ribs
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup dry red wine (Cote du Rhone is perfect)
2 cups beef broth (or homemade stock)
1 Tablespoon of Rao's Spicy Arrabbiata (Marinara) Sauce, or Tomato paste
½ bunch fresh thyme (this will be really herby - can reduce if not your preference)
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
Steps
Preheat the oven to 350*
Get out your big dutch oven and heat a Tablespoon of garlic olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and carrots and cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly. Remove veggies to a plate.
Season the ribs with salt and pepper, on all sides. Add 1-2 more tablespoons of garlic olive to the pot and turn heat to high. Using large tongs, brown all the sides of each rib (one at a time) for about 45 seconds per side. Once browned, set them all aside on a plate.
Slowly add the wine to the pan, scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon or spatula. Bring to a boil and cook for about 2-3 minutes.
Slowly add the beef broth and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in Rao’s sauce. Then, nestle the ribs into the pan, and add the veggies all around, and (whole) sprigs of thyme and rosemary around the pot - you will pull these out after cooking.
Cover with the lid and place into the oven. Cook at 350 degrees for about 2 hours, then reduce heat to 325 degrees and cook for an additional 40 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow it to rest for about 15 minutes, with the lid on, before serving.
Remove the thyme and rosemary sprigs, and skim off the fat that has risen to the top of the liquid, before serving. (If you want, you can take the remaining juices and make gravy in the dutch oven - remove veggies & ribs first).
Serve ribs on top of mashed potatoes and pour over the juices from the dutch oven.
Dessert: Whiskey Brownies with Caramel Drizzle
Ingredients
1 cup brown sugar (dark preferred)
½ cup butter, melted (can use unsalted, salted is preferred)
2 ½ Tablespoons whiskey (Woodford Reserve preferred)
2 large eggs
½ cup all purpose flour
1 bar of Baker’s chocolate, semi-sweet 56% cacao (for melting)
¼ teaspoon salt
caramel sauce, for drizzle
Steps
Preheat oven to 350°
Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper (butter the paper to stick) on the bottom and grease the sides liberally with butter.
In a medium bowl, sift in the flour and salt and whisk until well combined, set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, melted butter and whiskey, then whisk to combine.
Add in the eggs (one at a time) and whisk until they are well incorporated (don’t overmix).
Melting the chocolate can be done in the microwave or setting up a double broiler: 1/ microwave: break the chocolate bar in small pieces and microwave in 30 second increments stirring each time until melted, OR 2/ Using a (heat safe) bowl over a pot with about an inch of boiling water - break the chocolate bar in small pieces and add, stirring continually to melt (do not let it burn). Once melted, remove from the heat and let it cool a little - still needs to be melty enough to add to wet ingredients, but not hot enough to cook the eggs (ew!) When your chocolate is ready, stir it into the wet ingredients bowl.
Then add the flour to the wet ingredients bowl (adding about ⅓ each time and mixing) until you have batter (will look like cake batter).
Pour the brownie batter into the baking pan and bake in a preheated oven for about 20 minutes. Brownies as or shiny on top but will be really gooey if tested with a toothpick in the center. If they smell done and they don’t jiggle, just take them out!
This is the hardest part - let the brownies cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into squares and drizzle all over with caramel sauce, you’re welcome!
