Syrah Braised Short Ribs
3 bottles Cave B Syrah
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 short ribs, trimmed of excess fat
Salt and black pepper
8 large onions, peeled and cut in 1/8ths
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch lengths
2 celery ribs, peeled and cut into 1-inch lengths
10 cloves of garlic, peeled
6 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
2 bay leaves and 2 thyme sprigs
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 quarts unsalted beef broth
1. Pour the wine into a large saucepan set over medium heat, increase the heat so that the wine boils; allow it to boil until it cooks down by half. Remove from the heat.
2. Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350°F.
3. Warm the oil in a large, heavy, oven proof pot over medium-high heat. Season the ribs all over with salt and pepper, when the oil is hot, slip the ribs into the pot and sear 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until well-browned. Transfer the ribs to a plate. Repeat with remaining ribs. Remove all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pot, lower the heat under the pot to medium and toss in the vegetables and herbs. Brown the vegetables lightly, 5 to 7 minutes, then stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add the wine, ribs and broth to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover tightly and place in the oven to braise for 2 1/2 hours or until the ribs are very tender. Every 30 minutes, skim and discard fat from the surface.
5. Carefully transfer the meat to a shallow container. Boil the liquid until it has thickened to a sauce consistency, pass through a fine strainer; discard the solids. Pour sauce over ribs as a sauce.
6. Reheat the ribs and sauce together slowly, Serve.
Pumpkin Puree
2 cups potatoes cut into 1 inch cubes
2 cups pumpkin cut into 1 inch cubes
1/4 # butter
1/4 c cream
1. In a large sauce pan cover potatoes and pumpkin with water. Bring to boil and simmer until potatoes are tender. Drain potatoes and pumpkin and return to pan, and lower the heat to the lowest flame possible. Mash with a potato masher, mixer or immersion blender. Add cream and butter to thin a bit and make mash creamier.
A great reminder of the cool fall days, lounging around sipping delicious full bodied wine, with the aroma of a great meal wafting through the air. From my kitchen to yours, ENJOY!
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