Tomorrow's Dinner

I can't tell you how much I like fall and winter - mostly fall, really. One of the reasons is that there are certain recipes that I love to cook that are just not suited to the summer months. Either they're too heavy or the slow cooking or braising process just heats up the house until it's just unbearable even with the air conditioning at full blast.
I'm making one of the best of these meals for dinner tomorrow and I'd like to share the recipe with you so you can get in on the autumnal flavor and comfort-food feeling of it.
Now, before I go on, I want to make something really clear. I don't use a recipe for most of the cooking I do at home and I rarely cook by taste anymore. After many years of study, training and catering experience I have learned that recipes only help if someone ELSE is making your food and I got out of the habit of tasting things all along the cooking process when I had to cater for groups. Every sip, bite or morsel that you taste is money lost from profits! I cook by smell and sight and experience. The only thing I do from written recipes is baking because that's all about chemistry and balance and needs to be precise.

So, here goes....let's make some OVEN BRAISED BEEF SHORT RIBS!

3 pounds beef short ribs
 Flour, seasoned with salt and pepper, for dredging
1/4 cup olive oil

1or 2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, diced
2 medium carrots, diced

2 ribs celery (with leaves if any) chopped

1 parsnip, diced (trust me...even if you don't think you like parsnips)
4 large cloves garlic, peeled and smashed with side of knife
1cup dry red wine (use a wine you would actually DRINK)
1-1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 can (14.5 ounces) whole tomatoes broken apart, with juices (I usually just open the can and use my kitchen scissors to cut the tomatoes in the can)
1 cup beef stock

2 bay leaves
1 bouquet garni - one sprig of fresh thyme, rosemary and a handful of parsley stems tied together. I usually use unflavored dental floss because it's strong and doesn't disintegrate during long cooking.
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste(I like a LOT of pepper)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Lightly coat the ribs with seasoned flour, shaking off excess. 

Heat the oil over high heat in an ovenproof dutch oven large enough to hold the ribs in one layer.

DON'T CROWD THEM

Brown the ribs  on all sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove the ribs and reduce heat to medium. 

Add a bit of butter to the oil and let melt.

Add onions, carrots, celery and parsnip to the pan and saute gently until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. 

Add the garlic and saute one more minute. 

Pour in the wine and deglaze the dutch oven, scraping any browned bits in bottom of pan. 

Add the tomato paste and stir well to combine. 

Add the remaining ingredients, then return the browned ribs to the pan, making certain they are on the bottom in a single layer.
Cover the dutch oven and place in center of 350 degree oven and cook for about 2 hours or until the ribs fall apart easily with a fork. 

Check about every 30 minutes and add more wine and or stock if the level gets low.
Remove ribs from dutch oven and set aside. Also remove bouquet and bay leaves. You can leave the garlic if it hasn't already dissolved during cooking but it's sweet and non-offensive now...COOK's TREAT!

Skim any visible fat off the remaining sauce. If desired, further reduce the sauce over high heat. 

I usually serve with smashed potatoes but it's equally good with pasta or rice, ladling plenty of sauce over all.

You don't need a lot of meat in this meal; it's pretty rich. But, holey moley, it's good. Enjoy!

If you decide to make this dish I hope you'll comment on it. I'd love to know what you think.