BALTHAZAR BRAISED SHORT RIBS

BALTHAZAR BRAISED SHORT RIBS image

Yield 8 people

Number Of Ingredients 14

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2 tablespoons vegetable oil;
6 to 8 pounds thick and meaty short ribs;
2 carrots, peeled and chopped;
2 celery stalks, chopped;
2 onions, chopped;
6 to 8 shallots, chopped;
1 tablespoon tomato paste;
1/4 cup all-purpose flour;
1 head garlic, halved crosswise;
Bouquet garni: 1 parsley sprig, 1 thyme sprig, 1 bay leaf, 3 peppercorns, and 2 cloves, tied in a cheesecloth square;
1 bottle (750 ml) full-bodied red wine;
1/2 cup (4 fl ox/125 ml) ruby port;
4 cups veal stock or canned low-salt beef broth;
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Steps:

Preheat the over to 350 degrees F. In a large, flameproof casserole or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat the oil and brown the meat on all sides. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to a plate and set aside. In the same pan, saute' the carrots, celery, onions, and shallots for 5 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Stir in the tomato paste. Sprinkle with flour and cook 3 to 4 minutes longer, stirring to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the meat, garlic, bouquet garni, wine, and port. Increase heat to high and cook to reduce the liquid by half. Pour in the stock or broth and bring to a boil. Cover and bake in the preheated oven for 3 hours, or until the meat is fork tender. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to a serving dish and cover with aluminium foil to keep warm. Strain the sause through a fine-meshed sieve and return it to the pan. Cook over high heat to reduce the sauce to a nice gravylike consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the short ribs and serve.