PRUNE AND ALMOND BRAISED SHORT RIBS

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Prune and Almond Braised Short Ribs image

When the chef Tony Maws's grandparents died, he decided to start having Passover Seder at his restaurant, Craigie on Main in Cambridge, Mass. This short rib recipe, brought to The Times in 2011, was among the dishes he served, both to his family (on the first night) and his diners (on the second and third nights). It's a Sephardic take on his grandmother's tsimmes and brisket, prepared a day in advance and refrigerated to let the flavors meld and the fat float to the top to be skimmed. Serve it as part of a Seder, or for just about any special occasion. It is sure to impress.

Provided by Joan Nathan

Categories     dinner, main course

Time 3h15m

Yield 6 to 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 22

7 pounds beef short ribs or 5 pounds flanken, cut in 4-inch portions
Salt
Black pepper
1/4 cup rendered duck fat or chicken fat, or canola oil
1 large Spanish onion, diced
3 large carrots, peeled and diced
2 celery stalks, diced
3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1 (1-inch) piece ginger, peeled and smashed
2 cups ruby port
2 cups red wine
4 cups pitted prunes
1 1/4 cup slivered almonds, lightly toasted
4 ounces shiitake, crimini or other mushrooms, diced
1/2 cup loosely packed chopped parsley
4 fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
1 clove
1 star anise
Zest of 1 orange, in strips
4 cups veal, beef or chicken stock, or as needed

Steps:

  • Heat oven to 325 degrees. Season short ribs or flanken with salt and pepper. Place a heavy wide pan over medium-high heat. Add the fat or oil and heat until shimmering. Add beef and brown well on both sides. Transfer to a plate.
  • Add onion, carrots, celery, garlic and ginger to the pan, and stir until the onions begin to brown, about 3 minutes. Add port and wine, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Simmer until reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
  • In a large Dutch oven or heavy braising pan, combine 2 cups of the prunes, 1 cup almonds, and the mushrooms. In a piece of cheesecloth, tie up 1/4 cup of the parsley with the thyme, bay leaf, cinnamon, clove, star anise and orange zest, and add to the pot. Add the meat, the vegetable mixture and enough stock to cover. Place over high heat to bring to a boil, then transfer to the oven. Cook, covered, until the meat is falling off the bones, about 2 1/2 hours. Cool completely in the pan, then refrigerate overnight or until well chilled.
  • Skim the fat, then transfer beef to a large bowl, discarding any loose bones. Discard the cheesecloth packet, and transfer remaining broth and vegetables to a food processor. Purée, then return to a clean pan. Add meat and remaining 2 cups whole prunes. Place over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until gently reheated. Garnish with remaining 1/4 cup parsley and 1/4 cup almonds.

Salamatu Kabba
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I would not recommend this recipe. The short ribs were tough and the sauce was bland.


Olanike Toyin
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This recipe was way too complicated. I spent hours in the kitchen and the short ribs were not even that good.


Mpho Manthose
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I followed the recipe exactly and the short ribs turned out tough. I'm not sure what went wrong.


Danica Booysen
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These short ribs were a bit dry for my taste. I think I should have cooked them for a shorter amount of time. The sauce was delicious though.


Jss Senevirathna
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I made these short ribs for a special occasion and they were a huge hit. The meat was so tender and the sauce was amazing. I will definitely be making this recipe again.


Adejare Aboidun
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These short ribs were delicious! The meat was fall-off-the-bone tender and the sauce was rich and flavorful. I served them with mashed potatoes and they were a perfect meal.


Ramiro Padilla
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I love this recipe! The short ribs are always so tender and the sauce is always so flavorful. I've made it several times and it's always a hit with my family and friends.


Maurisha Loots
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These short ribs were amazing! The meat was so tender and the sauce was so rich and flavorful. I followed the recipe exactly and they turned out perfectly. I will definitely be making this recipe again.


Haylee livings
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I've made this recipe a few times now and it's always a hit. The short ribs are so tender and the sauce is so flavorful. I love serving them with mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables.


Khairul Ahamed
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This recipe was easy to follow and the short ribs turned out amazing. The meat was fall-off-the-bone tender and the sauce was delicious. I served them with mashed potatoes and they were a hit with my family.


Monir Shaokh
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I made these short ribs for my family and they loved them. The meat was so tender and the sauce was so flavorful. I will definitely be making this recipe again.


Inemesit Idemudo
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These short ribs were delicious! The meat was so tender and the sauce was amazing. I followed the recipe exactly and they turned out perfectly.


Dolat khan
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I love short ribs and this recipe did not disappoint. The meat was fall-off-the-bone tender and the sauce was rich and flavorful. I served them with roasted vegetables and they were a perfect meal.


Angel Alfredito
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These short ribs were a bit more work than I expected, but they were worth it. The meat was so tender and the sauce was out of this world. I'll definitely be making this again for special occasions.


Eivis Salmis
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This was my first time cooking short ribs and I was really impressed with how easy it was. The recipe was very clear and the short ribs turned out perfectly. They were so tender and juicy, and the sauce was delicious.


Moses Malunga
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I'm not a huge fan of prunes, but these short ribs were so good I didn't even notice them. The meat was perfectly cooked and the sauce was amazing. I'll definitely be making this again.


Devkumar Mehata
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These prune and almond braised short ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender and incredibly flavorful. The sauce was rich and complex, with a perfect balance of sweet and savory. I served them over mashed potatoes and they were a hit with my family.