It is a warm, windy day today…. but tomorrow it is supposed to be very cold.  Joe this recipe is for you.  Let me know how you like it.

Lots of playoff football on later today, and my dinner is simmering on the stove.  It is a wonderful pot of Braised Beef Short Ribs.  It is a variation of a Mario Batali recipe from his Molto Italiano cookbook.  I love his cookbooks and use his recipes or a variation of his recipes a lot.

This recipe starts with a Basic Tomato Sauce.  I use this sauce for a multitude of different meals.  I use it for Eggplant or Chicken Parmigiano; I use it as my go to marinara sauce.  It is easy quick and delicious and I always have the ingredients.

Basic Tomato Sauce:

¼ cup olive oil

1 Spanish onion, ¼” dice

4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

3 Tablespoons of fresh thyme

½ medium carrot, finely shredded

2 28 oz. cans of whole tomatoes – I prefer San Marzano tomatoes

Salt

1. In a 3 qt. saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic, cook until soft and light golden.  And thyme and carrot and cook until tender
2. Add tomatoes, with juices – (I crush them with my fingers prior to adding) Bring to boil and then simmer for 30 mins.
3. Season with salt.

 

 

Be careful when you shred the carrots – watch out for your knuckles, I tend to shred mine.  Ouch!  Whenever I read to slice garlic thinly I think of the movie Good Fellows where they slice the garlic with a razor.  No need to slice it that thinly but the thinner the better because it will practically dissolve in the sauce.

 

The next step is the ribs… These are wonderful and easy to make.

Braised Beef Short Ribs:

6 tablespoons olive oil

4-5 lbs. beef short ribs bone in

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

2 large Spanish onions ½” dice

1 medium carrot ½” slice

2 ribs celery ½” slice

4 oz. diced pancetta

2 cups dry red wine – I used a Malbec this time

2 cups of the Basic Tomato sauce above

 

1. In a large Dutch oven heat oil over high heat until smoking. Season meat with salt and pepper.  Working in batches brown all the meat until dark golden brown – 10-12 mins. per batch.  Transfer to platter and set aside.
2. Pour excess oil out of pan.  Add sliced and dice veggies and pancetta and cook until tender.
3. And wine and tomato sauce.  Bring to a boil.
4. Add meat and bring back to boil. Cover and cook until meat is tender – 4-5 hours.  Transfer to platter.
5. Bring cooking liquid to a boil and reduce to 2 ½ cups.  Season with salt and pepper and pour over meat.  Serve immediately.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am serving this with Roasted Garlic mashed potatoes, a salad and warm crusty bread, and of course the rest of the Malbec that I used to braise the meat.

 

Enjoy the football games and what ever delicious meal you are making.

Be Kind….

Faith