Anna Simon’s Italian comfort food recipes include beef spare ribs, cheesy polenta and warming winter soups

From nourishing soups to slow-cooked beef ribs served over creamy polenta, Anna Simon has brought a taste of Italian winter dining to Sunrise.

Her easy, affordable recipes are designed to warm both the kitchen and the soul.

Slow-Cooked Beef Spare Ribs with Cheesy Polenta

Ingredients

• 1.5–2kg beef spare ribs
• 1 celery stick, diced
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 2–3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2–3 bay leaves
• 1 sprig thyme
• Basil stems
• Plain flour
• Salt & pepper
• Olive oil
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 cup passata
• 1 x 400g tin crushed tomatoes
• 2–3 cups beef stock, or enough to mostly cover the ribs

Method

1. Season the spare ribs with salt and pepper and lightly dust with flour.
2. Heat olive oil in a heavy-based pot and brown the ribs well on all sides. Add the garlic while browning.
3. Remove the ribs and set aside.
4. In the same pot, cook the onion, carrot and celery until softened and sweet.
5. Pour in the red wine and simmer for a few minutes, scraping up all the flavour from the bottom of the pot.
6. Return the ribs to the pot. Add the bay leaves, thyme, basil stems, crushed tomatoes, passata and stock.
7. Season again and make sure the ribs are mostly covered. Add a little water if needed.
8. Cover and cook on low for 3–4 hours, or until the meat is tender and falling off the bone.
9. Remove the ribs, skim any excess fat if desired, and serve with plenty of the sauce spooned over the top.

Cheesy Polenta

• 250g instant polenta
• Water
• Knob of butter
• Grana Padano, to taste (I put a lot!)
• Pecorino, to taste
• Salt

Method

1. Bring salted water to a simmer.
2. Slowly whisk in the polenta.
3. Keep stirring and adding water until smooth and creamy.
4. Finish with butter, Grana Padano, pecorino and salt.
5. If the polenta firms up, just add a splash of water when reheating to loosen it again.
6. Spoon the cheesy polenta onto a platter or into bowls, top with the beef spare ribs and plenty of the rich tomato sauce.

Cannellini & Silverbeet Soup

Ingredients

• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 2–3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 x 400g cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (or dried beans, soaked overnight and cooked)
• 500g silverbeet, roughly chopped (spinach can also be used)
• 1 Parmesan rind
• 1 litre chicken stock
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Method

1. In a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, sauté the onion until translucent.
2. Add the garlic, rosemary and bay leaf and cook until fragrant.
3. Add the cannellini beans, silverbeet and Parmesan rind. (I like to sauté the silverbeet beforehand so I can chop it more finely, but you can add it raw if you prefer.)
4. Pour in the stock and bring to a gentle boil.
5. Scoop out a few ladles of the beans and stock, blend until smooth, then return to the pot. This helps create a thicker, creamier soup without adding cream.
6. Simmer for around 30 minutes. If you’d like a thicker soup, remove the lid for the last 10–15 minutes of cooking.
7. Remove the rosemary sprig, bay leaf and Parmesan rind before serving.
8. Finish with cracked pepper, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and plenty of grated Parmesan.

Zuppa di Lenticchie (Italian Lentil Soup)

Ingredients

• 2 celery stalks, finely diced
• 2 carrots, finely diced
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 2–3 ripe tomatoes, diced
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 500g dried lentils, rinsed
• 2 zucchinis, diced
• 2 potatoes, diced
• 350g baby spinach
• Handful of parsley, chopped
• 1.5 litres chicken or vegetable stock
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Heat a generous drizzle of extra virgin olive oil in a large pot.
2. Add the onion, celery and carrot and cook gently until softened and translucent.
3. Stir through the garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste and a pinch of salt. Cook for a few minutes until fragrant.
4. Add the lentils and pour in the stock, ensuring the liquid sits above the lentils.
5. Add the bay leaves, bring to a gentle simmer and cook until the lentils begin to soften.
6. Add the potatoes and continue simmering.
7. Once the potatoes are almost tender, add the zucchini and cook until all the vegetables and lentils are soft.
8. Stir through the spinach and allow it to wilt into the soup.
9. Add the parsley, adjust seasoning if needed, and serve.

Tip: If the soup becomes too thick, simply add a little extra stock or water. For a heartier soup, leave it thick and serve with crusty bread or add small pasta or risoni . It also freezes beautifully and tastes even better the next day.

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