Sunday, November 15, 2009

short ribs with cheesy polenta


It's that time of year to start enjoying the earthy succulence of slow cooked meat and vegetables. My wonderful artist friend, Mary Ann, was asking about the short ribs on my sidebar last week. It happens to be a favorite here at the manor. The sweetness of the corn polenta pairs nicely with the wine and tomato sauce. If you're not a big fan of polenta, like I am, it's also as delicious served with rice or mashed potatoes. This one is super fabulous, take my word for it.


Short Ribs with Cheesy Polenta

4 medium carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 cups frozen pearl onions or 1 large onion chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 pounds bone-in beef short ribs
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 can, 14.5 oz., diced tomatoes
3/4 cup low sodium beef broth
1/4 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup coarsely chopped flat leaf parsley or 2 Tbsp dried
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1 cup quick cooking polenta
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup finely shredded Parmigiano-Regiano

1. Combine carrot, onions and garlic in 6 qt. stock pot
2. Season ribs with salt and pepper. Brown ribs in oil on all sides and transfer to pot.
3. Stir together tomatoes, broth, wine, parsley, cornstarch and tomato paste in a bowl; pour over ribs, add bay leaf, cover and cook 275 degrees for 4 hours or until meat is tender. Skim off fat. Discard bay leaf.
4. Combine 3 3/4 cups water, the polenta and salt in a large saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add cheese and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes.
5. Serve ribs over polenta and garnish with parsley, if desired.This is also great in the crock pot, 9-11 hours on low or 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 hours on high. Serves 4.

34 comments:

  1. Oh I am coming over for supper. It looks delicious. Better for the old bod than my sausage balls. But around holiday time, I just can't resist. Good Sunday tomorrow. or is it already Sunday.
    QMM

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  2. I really want to try this recipe...
    we're having rack of lamb roasted with rosemary ...roast potaotes and asparagus for dinner....smells so good!

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  3. willow, i can't take it any more!!! i've just oiled the chain on my bike, packed up a change of clothes - the evening jacket may be a bit crumpled by the time i get there but it will have to do - i've also stuffed a special bottle of port and a tasty slab of stilton into my panniers. i'll be there in a few weeks!!! keep dinner warm for me will ya!! steven

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  4. Steven, peddle fast! I'm keepin' it warm. The port sounds lovely.

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  5. It looks so good. I am a big fan of polenta, fixed any way and I love ribs of all beasts. I've got lamb thawing for tonight, a huge roast, and I find that I'm all alone...one son went down to Cal Poly to see his girlfriend and the other is up at Travis AFB for his reserve weekend. Oh, well, more for me! They'll get the leftovers tomorrow night...let's see if I can find a nice pinot noir!

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  6. Willow are you trying to fatten us up? You can't possibly stop at one helping....or at least I could not.

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  7. You had me at cheesy. Polenta has been added to my list. You present the dish beautifully.
    Thanks for sharing Willow.

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  8. Oh Willow, Perfect timing...I am off to the store for this weeks shopping! The short ribs are going to taste so wonderful with the chessy polenta on one of our cool evenings this week. Thanks for the mention, if you lived a little closer I would be following Steven over for dinner!
    Mary Ann

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  9. I love short ribs! My mom used to cook them. I never had them come out right when I did them. Maybe I should try this. I actually cook quite a bit.

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  10. willow, you are speaking my love language now...yum! happy saturday!

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  11. your recipes and accompanying image are always so mouth watering inducing delicious looking-- and I love polenta.

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  12. OK Willow. Another "must try" just like the short ribs. Keep them coming. Was I right about the amount of cookies the recipe made? Yours said 18, mine made 38. And, I used a cookie scoop (like ice cream scoop) and they were large balls. Bigger than golf balls, that's for sure. I agree with Steven: I'm heading that way right now too. I'm arriving via train though as I hate to fly. Or...maybe I can talk B into driving me there.

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  13. I shouldn't read your recipe posts before supper--now I'm so hungry! Looks just great.

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  14. Now why wouldn't that be tasty?! I love this time of year for the cooking that comes with it. I made a Roast Pork Butt the other day. I'd marinated it in olive oil, garlic, rosemary, lemon, s & p, fennel seed, and chili flakes. I grilled polenta cakes for the starch and served steamed rapini. My guests really enjoyed it. Wish you could've joined us. Carry on!

    David
    http://www.globalaroundtown.blogpost.com

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  15. And I had a bowl of Cheerios with sunflower seeds for supper...

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  16. I actually prefer short ribs to steak -- so fine!

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  17. In all honesty, I would be interested if cheese wasn't an ingredient. To me, it's poison, not a philosophy.

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  18. Well, I'm a pig. A pig man, I mean :-). SO, this recipe is right up my street.

    I forgot to mention the other day that I love your new avatar. Was it you who drew it?

    Greetings from London.

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  19. Looks - and sounds - scrumptious.

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  20. Mmmm ... !
    Would you like to have a slice of my apple pie for dessert?

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  21. Oh Willow...this meal speaks to me!
    Oh how comforting and delicious!

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  22. This looks delish! We're not great fans of polenta, but I'm sure it would be great with mashed potatoes.

    I love the new blog look. Very nice!

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  23. We just had a rich, delicious pork roast last night. Still have leftovers. I love to roast meat and vegetables but I seldom think of short ribs. Your recipe and picture made me decide to make that my next roasted dinner. Ymmm!

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  24. This recipe sounds delicious.

    I just made quick pull pork BBQ from leftover port roast. Surprisingly husband had two helpings.

    Anything I buy in roasts and larger cuts of meats, leaves too much leftovers for two persons. I think I may start cutting the roasts in half. I buy the smalles sizes, and still have too much left.

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  25. Well, Move over Queenmother.
    Make room for me. If I were to paint that dish I would end up
    eating the canvas.
    It's raining here, watching Meet the Press. Thinking of Polenta w/ my pasta sauce. HUMMMM

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  26. Mmm~ one of my favorites! I can almost smell them from here!

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  27. Yum - is all I can say without drooling!

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  28. What serendipity!...Although I have never made it before, I just found a recipe for short ribs with polenta that intrigued me enough to buy all the ingredients for it....I may switch over to your recipe it sounds so good:)

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  29. I've not been able to find ribs out here - it seems it is not a popular cut of meat for the French - what are they missing, eh?

    Looking at the picture of your ancestral home, I wonder if the English hairdresser Trevor Sorbie could be a relation of yours.

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  30. Polenta is Mmmm with all king of things, sauces and colours ... :)

    It doesn't even need ribs...:)

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  31. Your post will encourage me to have a go with Polenta -- adding cheese sounds so yummy! I've been doing slow oven braised food, too! Have you ever tried doing the same sort thing with bite sized chunks of shoulder of pork -- a few prunes added in is so delicious. Oh and I find that leeks are a nice change from the ubiquitous onion I highly recommend Delia Smith's British cookery books -- I guess she's a huge TV cooking star in the UK...

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  32. Sounds scrumptious, Jane! I must keep my eye out for Delia Smith. She's new to me. Thank you!!

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  33. Thank you, Willow, for providing me with my Christmas Eve supper recipe. We are spending it with dear friends who moved away a few years ago. I had in mind something rich and comforting and this fills the bill beautifully. Of course I must give it a trial run before the day of, just because I don't think I can wait until then to taste it!

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Inject a few raisins of conversation into the tasteless dough of existence.
― O. Henry (and me)