Short Ribs Braised In Red Wine
By: Laurel Lyman
Published: Wednesday, December 16, 2009 - 10:24am

Ingredients




2 bottles dry red wine (I'll be using the other Chilean Cabernet from this week)
1 1/2 tblsp vegetable oil
6 short ribs, trimmed of excess fat
Freshly ground pepper and sea salt

Flour, for dredging

6 large shallots, peeled, trimmed, split, rinsed and dried
1 large carrot, peeled, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
1 medium-sized leek (white and light green parts), coarsely chopped, washed and dr
8 cloves of garlic, peeled
A few sprigs of Italian parsley

1 1/2 bay leaves
1 1/2 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 1/2 tblsp tomato paste
2 quarts low sodium beef broth

Preparation

1 Pour the wine into a large saucepan set over medium heat. 2 When the wine is hot, carefully set it aflame. Let the flames die out, then increase the heat so that the wine boils; allow it to boil until it cooks down by half. 3 Remove the wine from the heat. 4 Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350°F. 5 Warm the oil in a large, heavy, ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. 6 Season the ribs all over with salt and the crushed pepper. Dust half of the ribs with about 1 tablespoon flour. 7 Then, when the oil is hot, slip the ribs into the pot and sear 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until well-browned. 8 Transfer the ribs to a plate. 9 Repeat with remaining ribs. 10 Remove all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pot, lower the heat under the pot to medium and toss in the vegetables and herbs. 11 Brown the vegetables lightly, 5 to 7 minutes, then stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. 12 Add the wine, ribs and broth to the pot. 13 Bring to a boil, cover tightly and place in the oven to braise for 2 1/2 hours or until the ribs are very tender. 14 Every 30 minutes, skim and discard fat from the surface. (It's best to make the recipe to this point, cool and chill the ribs and broth in the pan overnight; scrape off the fat the next day. Rewarm before continuing.) 15 Carefully transfer the meat to a platter; keep warm. 16 Boil the pan liquid until it has reduced to 1 quart. 17 Season with salt and pepper and pass through a fine strainer; discard the solids. 18 Serve over some creamy mashed potatoes and pour the sauce onto the plate around the potatoes.

About


Chile is definitely producing some excellent wines these days, and Cabernet Sauvignon seems to be some of the best.  Though I had a little trouble picking the "winner" this week because I really did enjoy all three, I've decided that the Montes Alpha is my favorite.  It's complex yet pleasant, full-bodied yet comforting, hearty yet soft, like a warm blanket on a cold day.
A wine like this needs a hearty meal that can really stand up to it.  J and I were recently watching No Reservations, Anthony Bourdain's show on the Travel Channel, and he happened to be in Chile.  Near the end of the episode, he had a braised shortrib with a red wine sauce that just looked amazing.  Although I haven't been able to find the exact recipe from the show, I've decided to make something similar this week to accompany the Montes Alpha.  I found a great recipe on Epicurious, which I'll be adjusting here and there, as always.  J's out of town this weekend, so I'm headed to Pop's and SM's house to cook for them.  I have no doubt it'll be a hit....