Ingredients
- 6 short ribs, trimmed of fat
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup good olive oil
- 1 small fennel: fronds, stems, and core removed, large dice
- 1 leek, cleaned, large dice white part only
- 1 1/2 cups chopped onion (2 onions)
- 4 cups celery (6 large stalks), large-dice
- 2 carrots, peeled, large dice
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 750ml bottle Cotes du Rhone or other dry red wine
- fresh rosemary sprigs
- fresh thyme sprigs
- 3 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
- 6 cups veal stock
Method
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Place the short ribs on a sheet pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast for 15 minutes.
- Remove ribs from the oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F.
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the fennel, leek, onion, celery and carrots and cook over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the garlic and cook another 2 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste and wine, bring to a boil and cook over high heat until the liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
- Add 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.
- Tie the rosemary and thyme together with kitchen twine and add to the pot.
- Place the roasted ribs on top of the vegetables in the Dutch oven and add the brown sugar and beef stock. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Cover the Dutch oven, place in 300°F oven and bake for 2 hours, or until the meat is very tender.
- Carefully remove the ribs from the pot and set aside. Discard the herbs and skim the excess fat.
- Cook the vegetables and sauce on the stove over medium heat for 20 minutes, until reduced.
- Return the ribs to the pot with the vegetables and heat through. Serve with the vegetables and sauce.
