Red Wine Braised Short Ribs

1. Pat the short ribs dry and allow them to sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes. Season them generously with salt.
2. Heat a large Dutch oven (or heavy-bottomed pot) over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to very lightly coat the bottom. Once the oil is hot, work in batches to sear the short ribs on all 6 sides, 2-3 minutes per side, or until deeply browned (about halfway through searing all the short ribs, lower the heat to medium so the oil doesn’t burn). Transfer the short ribs to a plate.
3. Add the onions, celery, and carrots to the pot. Season with a good pinch of salt & black pepper. Cook until softened and starting to brown, 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another minute or so.
4. Pour in the red wine and bring to a simmer. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Then, stir in the beef broth, bay leaves, and bundle of herbs. Add the short ribs back to the pot. Bring the liquid to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pot, leaving a slight crack to allow steam to escape.
5. Braise the meat for 3 ½ to 4 ½ hours, or until fork tender (about halfway through the braising process, flip the short ribs over & stir the liquid). Cook time will vary based on the size of the short ribs. Transfer them to a cutting board when they’re done (you want the bones to be falling off and the meat should be fork tender).
6. Use a large spoon to skim as much fat as possible from the braising liquid (I also like to use a folded paper towel to blot the fat). Strain the liquid. Wipe out the pot, then return the liquid to the pot over medium-high heat. Bring it to a boil. Whisk the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl. Pour the mixture into the boiling liquid, whisking to incorporate. Reduce the heat to medium. Simmer the liquid for about 5 minutes until thickened.
7. Meanwhile, remove the bones from the short ribs (they should just fall off). Use a paring knife to remove the tough membrane from the bone side of each short rib.
8. Add the short ribs back to the pot and coat with the sauce to warm through. Serve the short ribs over the parmesan risotto (recipe below).

Parmesan Risotto

1. Heat the beef stock, bundle of thyme, and bay leaf in a saucepan over low heat (keep this warm as you cook the risotto).
2. Heat a medium Dutch oven (or heavy-bottomed pot) over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of butter. Once melted, add the shallots and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or so. Season with about 40 cracks of coarse black pepper.
3. Stir in the arborio rice. Allow it to toast for a minute or so. Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the sherry wine. Use a wooden spoon to stir until the rice has absorbed the liquid.
4. Start to ladle the stock into the pot, one ladle at a time, stirring after each addition until the liquid has been absorbed. Continue until you’ve added all of the liquid (this process should only take 20-25 minutes). You don’t have to stir constantly, but stir often enough so that the rice doesn’t start to stick to the bottom of the pot.
5. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and parmesan cheese until melted. Season with salt if needed (the parmesan already adds a salty bite so you shouldn’t need much, if any). Serve immediately.