Braised Short Ribs over Soft Polenta
These measurements are not precise, nor should they be. If you find yourself anxious about how much or how little — drink some wine, relax, and call a friend to come over with dessert. This is a good dinner for a date you want to impress. This is NOT a good place for a diet.
Ingredients
PreparationIngredients
Braised Short Ribs
- 3 tablespoons olive oil Add to list
- 1 tablespoon Vignalta herb salt Add to list
- Freshly ground pepper Add to list
- 3 1/2 to 4 pounds beef short ribs (10 to 12 good-sized lean ribs) Add to list
- 3 ribs of celery, chopped Add to list
- 2 large or 3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped Add to list
- 1 yellow onion, diced Add to list
- 1 medium bell pepper, seeded and chopped Add to list
- 1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced or chopped Add to list
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped Add to list
- About 1/2 cup good red wine Add to list
- 2 28-oz cans diced tomatoes Add to list
- Fresh basil, oregano, Italian parsley — at least 1/2 cup chopped of each Add to list
- 4 to 8 drops white truffle oil Add to list
Soft Polenta
- 6 cups of vegetable or chicken broth (for extra rich polenta, reduce to 4 cups of broth and 2 cups of half-and-half or cream) Add to list
- Pinch of Vignalta herb salt Add to list
- 1 package (or 16 ounces in bulk) de la Estancia Organic Polenta Add to list
Preparation
Braised Short Ribs
Preheat oven to 425° F. Place a deep Dutch oven or something that has a well-fitting lid and can take high heat in the oven to warm up. While the pot is heating, prepare the short ribs.
In a shallow baking dish, add the olive oil and Vignalta herb salt. Sprinkle thoroughly with fresh black pepper. Coat each side of each short rib with the oil, salt, pepper mixture.
Place the heated Dutch oven on top of the stove, over medium-high heat. Add the oiled ribs to the pan when it is hot enough to sizzle. Pour the oil that’s left in the baking dish into the hot pot. Brown each side of each rib, turning after a few minutes with long tongs. When each side is brown, reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pot.
While the ribs are cooking, prepare the vegetables. Place them in the pot in the following order: celery, carrots, onions, peppers, mushrooms, garlic, wine, and then canned tomatoes — just keep pouring everything on top and scooting it around the pot to make room for what comes next.
Finish with the freshly chopped herbs and then take a digital photo of your gorgeous pot of short ribs. E-mail the photo to everyone you want to make jealous. This is a very important step, and if you skip it you might be in danger of taking this too seriously.
Bake for 3 to 4 hours. You know it’s done when the meat is already falling off the bone before you touch it with tongs.
Serve over Soft Polenta (recipe follows).
Soft Polenta
Bring broth to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer. Add herb salt and stir to dissolve. In a steady stream, pour in half of the polenta and stir vigorously. When the polenta has been incorporated, add the remaining polenta and stir quickly. Break up any lumps and keep stirring until it is smooth and thick. If you like firm polenta, keep cooking. If you like it soft, turn down the heat and add more liquid to taste.
To serve:
Place a ladle-full of polenta in a pasta dish or swirl it on a plate. Make a small well for the sauce and veggies. Place one or two beef ribs on top, spoon on the sauce and veggies, and serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, good wine and salad.
Recipe by , PCC Grocery Merchandiser
Source: September 2009
Comments
Chime in! (our commenting policy)
Please use proper table manners when sharing food for thought on this or any other PCC Natural Markets forum. If a food fight starts, email webmaster@pccsea.com to blow the whistle.
Sound Delicious
Sound delicious! I actually do this kind of dinner party often, whenever I'm feeling anxiety is getting the best of me. There's nothing quite like a home-cooked warm meal with wine and good company to help you stay relaxed, no matter what!
March 08, 2011 at 07:08 AM — Shona (not verified)
StrangeTimes
Yeah... these are strange times to live in, and anxiety is waiting behind every corner, looking for a chance to seize our hearts. I think a good way of keeping a healthy perspective on the world is open communication. Be honest with your kids, and encourage them to always be honest with their feelings. That will make their life so much easier and less stressful.
March 08, 2011 at 07:19 AM — Shona (not verified)
best dinner ever
OK, I admit that I'm biased.
but this past weekend was the weekend before Thanksgiving. I seared my short ribs Saturday night, chopped up the veggies, and had myself set. I put everything into LeCreuset cast iron covered pots on Sunday morning and into a 275* oven. Because they'd be in the oven for a long time unattended, I put them on baking pans in case there was spill over.
Then I was out and about taking care of our stores for more than seven hours. When I got home, all I had to do was add a little more broth (you could add water, wine, whatever floats your boat), make the polenta, and serve.
Shorter time = higher temp. Longer time = lower temp.
I can't wait to have the leftovers for dinner!
and YES my date was impressed!
November 22, 2010 at 12:24 PM — Anonymous (not verified)