If you want a holiday recipe that tastes luxurious but is secretly effortless, this ones a winner.
Scripps News food and wellness contributor Jessica DeLuise brings us red wine braised short ribs. Paired with a cheesy root vegetable mash, its comfort food with a festive twist.
Red Wine Braised Short Ribs
Ingredients
4 lbs trimmed and cut beef short ribs 3 large carrots 2 ribs celery 1 medium yellow onion cup tomato paste 2 cups beef stock 1 cup red wine 3-4 cloves garlic 2 tbsp fresh thyme 1 tbsp fresh rosemary 1 tbsp oregano 1 tbsp + 1 tsp salt 1 tsp black pepper 1 tsp avocado oil
Instructions
Pat the short ribs dry with paper towels. Lay them out the short ribs on a platter and season all sides evenly with 1 tablespoon of the salt. Preheat the oven to 350F. Heat a large dutch oven or oven-safe stock pot over medium heat and add the avocado oil. Place the short ribs in the pot in a single layer and sear on all sides until deeply browned, about 34 minutes per side. Work in batches if needed so they dont steam. Remove the browned short ribs and set them back on the platter. Turn off the heat to the stock pot. Peel and dice the carrots into inch dices. Chop the celery and onion in similar – sized pieces. Turn the heat back on to the stock pot to low-medium. Add the carrots, celery, and onion to the pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and begin to brown, about 68 minutes. While the vegetables cook, mince the garlic. Add the garlic to the pot and cook for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 23 minutes, stirring constantly, until it darkens slightly and coats the vegetables. Chop the herbs into a mince. Add the fresh herbs, oregano, salt, and pepper to the stock pot. Pour in the red wine and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits. This is called fond and is rich in flavor. Let the wine simmer for 57 minutes, until slightly reduced. Add the beef stock to the stock pot and mix. Return the short ribs to the pot, nestling them into the liquid so they are mostly submerged. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer, then cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. Transfer the pot to the oven and cook for 2 to 3 hours, until the short ribs are fork-tender and pulling away from the bone. Carefully remove the pot from the oven. Carefully remove the short ribs from the sauce.
Optional steps
Use an immersion blender to blend the sauce together into a thick sauce. Strain the sauce through a mesh sieve to catch any fragments from the sauce. Let the short ribs rest in the sauce for 1015 minutes before serving. Serve the short ribs on top of the mash. Spoon some of the sauce over the plate. Tops with fresh parsley and more pecorino romano cheese if desired.
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Cheesy Root Vegetable Mash
Ingredients
2 large parsnips 3 small-medium Yukon Gold potatoes 4 cups of chicken stock cup grated pecorino romano cheese 2 cloves garlic 1 tbsp butter 1 tsp salt
Instructions
Wash and peel the vegetables. Chop the vegetables in 1 inch square pieces. Add the vegetables, broth, garlic, and spices to a saucepan. Simmer the vegetables until fork-tender. Use a potato masher or the edge of a spoon to mash the vegetables with broth and garlic. Use a mixing spoon or spatula to mix the butter grated cheese into the mash. Serve warm with the short ribs.
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