Braised Short Ribs

My version of Braised Short Ribs as adapted from Food & Wine "Chef Recipes Made Easy"

Magnificent.  Total and compete deliciousness. Awe-inspiring.  And, I must admit to never before really buying into the "depth of flavor" catch phrase, until now.  There is depth, width, height, multidimensional flavor coursing through this dish.  Try it now.  Don't wait.  Run to the butcher.

That said, before trying this recipe, do not do what I did.  Do not go to the store without a plan, discover short ribs behind the meat counter and then think you will be making them for dinner.  You will be sad.  Very, very sad.  This recipe requires forethought and planning.  It requires patience and time.  Lots of time. Like days of time (Don't panic.  It will all be so worth it)

The beautiful short ribs I thought I would be whipping up for dinner one night.

 Ingredients (six servings)
2 Tbs Coconut Oil
6 short ribs cut about 2 inches thick
Himalayan Sea Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large onion chopped
2 sliced carrots
5 thickly sliced garlic cloves
One 750 Mil bottle dry red wine (We used a Malbec)
4 thyme sprigs
3 C chicken stock

Active time One hour  Total 3 hours 15 min + overnight marinating.

The sizzling ribs browning in my favorite pan.

In a large skillet, heat the oil.  Season the ribs with salt and pepper, add them to the skillet and cook over moderate heat, turning once, until browned and crusty. (Patience is key) Transfer the ribs to a shallow baking dish.  (See photo below which includes marinade)

Almost ready to move to the shallow baking dish.

 On to the marinade (where I got so involved in chopping and cooking that I forgot to photo document).  Add the onion, carrots, and garlic to the same skillet used for cooking the ribs.  Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally until soft and lightly browned.  Add the wine and thyme and bring to a boil over high heat.  Pour hot marinade over the ribs and let cool.  Next, cover and  pop in the fridge overnight, turning the ribs once.

Our marinade boiling before pouring over the ribs.

End of day one of cooking frenzy.  The smell in the kitchen is heavenly and these babies are ready for the fridge.

 Day Two
Preheat the oven to 350.  Transfer the ribs and marinade to a large enameled cast-iron casserole.  Add chicken stock and bring to a boil.  Cover and cook in the lower third of the over for 90 min or until the meet is tender but not falling apart.  Uncover and braise for 45 minutes longer.  Turn the ribs once or twice until the sauce is reduced by half

Almost done!

 Transfer the meat to a clean shallow baking dish and discard any bones if they fall off. Strain the sauce into a a heat proof measuring cup and skim off as much fat as possible.  Pour the sauce over the meat. Quite frankly, this is where I transferred the meat directly to my plate.  (I skipped the next broiler section.  It was late.  We were hungry and the dish smelled so divine we couldn't wait any longer)  If you chose to continue on....Preheat the broiler.  Broil the meat, turning once or twice, until glazed and sizzling, about ten minutes.  Now you patient chefs can transfer the meat to plates and spoon the sauce on top and serve.  Enjoy!

Enjoy the flavors, the aroma and the experience.  Fun and over the top delicious!

Served over grilled Non Gmo sweet corn.

Fragrant South Indian Beef Curry

Since starting this blog at the beginning of the year I have come to the conclusion that most recipes need the "three times at bat" rule.  The big exception to that was the Chile Spiced Skirt Steak Taco Recipe.  That won me and my family over on the first try and we keep going back to it time and again.  Since not every recipe is going to be that captivating here is my plan:

• First try:  Follow the recipe as closely as possible omitting or substituting only absolutely when necessary to stick with our dietary restrictions.  (Coconut Oil for Canola Oil is a good example)
• Second Round:  This is where I either liked the recipe and try it again to make sure you followed it correctly or I  mix it up to make improvements.
• Round Three:  Is where I either experiment with sides or re-try my round two improvements.

The Fragrant South Indian Beef Curry recipe required all three rounds, even though I changed very little. (As noted, I switched out the steamed rice and used Quinoa and, of course, went with the healthier Coconut Oil)  The reasons for all three rounds:  I can't decide if I like this dish or not.  I clearly don't dislike it since I made it three times but I'm also on the fence about liking the very strong "fragrant" flavors.  Star anise is a very new ingredient for me and wow, does it pack some seriously strong, perfume-y flavor.  Should I eat it or dab it behind my ears?

Either way, the dish does smell amazing while cooking!  If you give it a try I would love comments back to see what you think.

Curry with a side of steamed brocolli

Fragrant South Indian Beef Curry

2 tablespoons canola oil Coconut Oil

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

12 fresh curry leaves or 2 bay leaves

6 garlic cloves, grated

4 teaspoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger

1 tablespoon tomato paste dissolved in 1/2 cup of water

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon garam masala

1 teaspoon cayenne

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

4 small dried hot chiles

4 star anise pods

Two 3-inch cinnamon sticks

1 3/4 pounds boneless beef short ribs, cut into 3/4-inch pieces

Salt

In a medium enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion and curry leaves and cook over moderate heat until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Stir in the dissolved tomato paste along with the coriander, garam masala, cayenne, turmeric, dried chiles, star anise and cinnamon sticks. Add the ribs, season with salt and stir until coated with spices. Cover partially and cook over very low heat until the meat is tender, about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Spoon off as much fat as possible and discard the star anise, cinnamon sticks and bay leaves, if using.

MAKE AHEAD

The beef curry can be refrigerated overnight.

SERVE WITHSteamed rice. Quinoa

SUGGESTED PAIRING

Spiced, dark-berried red. We went with our usual Rex Goliath Malbec.  Its heavy, fruity flavor worked well with the hot, spicy, perfume-y beef and this curry dish needs a wine that can stand up to its bold flavor.

Food & Wine Annual Cookbook 2013, page 212