Braised Short Ribs
We’ve been experiencing the joys of springtime in Nevada these past days, with all its unpredictability and days that bring us everything from sunshine and warm temps right back to snow, “snain” and everything else. It’s certainly never boring! And while our local weather folks are predicting sunshine for our Easter weekend, anyone who’s been here more than a minute knows the odds of hunting eggs in the snow or not are about equal.
Either way, Easter is a time for family and friends and a priceless opportunity to make memories, full of color and smiling children super-charged on too much sugar and bunny-induced excitement. Enjoy every moment!
Speaking of enjoyable moments ...
Tickets for the 10th annual Concert Under the Stars, A Benefit for The Greenhouse Project, July 11, are on sale now at www.carsoncitygreenhouse.org. Carson City welcomes Rock & Roll Hall of Famer’s Jefferson Starship and Midnight North, led by Grahame Lesh, son of The Dead’s Phil Lesh ... yep! I’m looking forward to this. Thanks to John Procaccini and Chili Bop Entertainment for your professionalism and generosity each year. Putting on this show requires a lot of planning, energy and heart from a lot of people, mostly volunteers, and thanks to the community, the show has grown every year allowing TGP to continue its mission of “Growing a Greener & Healthier Carson City.”
Thanks to each of you! And happy Easter.
Now let’s get cooking! This recipe is suitable for special events or a simple evening at home, as you can never go wrong with ribs. Besides being delicious, once prep is done, you’re free to enjoy the day while dinner slow-cooks in the oven.
Short Ribs A la Café at Adele’s
Serves 6
Ingredients:
8 whole, thick-cut, meaty short ribs
2 teaspoons sea salt (I prefer Maldon)
1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose organic flour
6 pieces thick-sliced bacon
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup diced, sweet yellow onion
1/2 cup diced carrots
1 cup chopped celery
3 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into one-inch cubes
8 cloves of garlic, rough chopped
8 cloves of garlic, whole
1/4 cup scallions or green onion, fine chopped (set aside for garnish)
2 cups red wine (a hearty cabernet works well)
1 cup beef bone broth (available at Butcher Block, Bentley Ranch and Trader Joe’s)
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
Directions:
Place flour, along with half the salt, pepper, rosemary and thyme, into a bowl and combine.
Cut the short ribs along the bone, so each is approximately 2-by-2-inches. Once that’s done, place “riblets” in flour mixture, dredging until completely covered.
Chop bacon into 1/2-inch squares and cook in a frying pan until almost crispy. This will render the bacon fat.
While the bacon is cooking, it’s time to start cooking the other ingredients. In a Dutch oven, place 1 tablespoon canola oil, onion, garlic, celery and carrots, and cook slowly over medium heat until vegetables appear translucent. Add bacon, reserving bacon fat in the frying pan.
Add 2 tablespoons of the leftover flour and herb mixture to the vegetables to make a rue. Now add the wine, pouring slowly over the vegetables and bacon; add the broth and allow to cook 20 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring frequently.
Returning to the frying pan, sear and braise the riblets on all four sides until dark brown. Once done, place carefully in Dutch oven and ladle a little bit of the broth into the frying pan to deglaze. Once deglazing is complete, ladle back into Dutch oven, and cover with the lid. Place in preheated, 350 degrees oven for three hours.
Make sure ribs are covered by liquid. You may have to add a little more wine, which is never bad.
One hour into baking, remove Dutch oven from the oven and add potato cubes. Return to oven and finish baking the additional two hours. Once done, pull out of the oven and carefully arrange short ribs on a serving platter, ladling sauce over the tops. Garnish with scallions or green onion.
This is nicely paired with a beautiful green salad and a craft beer.
Chef Charlie Abowd co-owns Café at Adele’s with his wife Karen Abowd. His recipes are online at Charlie’s Recipes, www.charlieabowd.com. At 1112 N. Carson St., Café at Adele’s is open daily at 8 a.m. for breakfast. Lunch is served from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and dinner from 5 to 9 p.m. For information or to makes reservations, call 775-882-3353, or visit adelesrestaurantandlounge.com.