Estofado de Catalan

These Spanish-style short ribs are certainly in the Insalatas Hall of
Fame. We have a list of people to call when we run them as a special. The
combination of sherry, orange and chocolate are seductive and a great
match up with the rich and meaty ribs. Choose meaty short ribs4 ribs each,
cut across the bone into 2-inch wide slabs. We accompany this hearty
braise with roast carrots, parsnips and cippolini onions. Our starch of
choice is mashed potatoes, but creamy polenta or pappardelle noodles would
work equally well. You can also serve a traditional Spanish side dish such
as fried potatoes with these ribs.

Short ribs:
5-5 1/2 pounds short ribs of beef
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups yellow onions, cut into chunks (about 2 medium onions)
1 cup carrots, cut into chunks (about 2 carrots)
1/2 cup celery, cut into chunks (about 1 stalk of celery)
2 teaspoons mashed garlic (about 2 cloves)
2 cups red wine
1/2 cup tomato paste
8 ounces canned plum tomatoes, cut into chunks
12 cups beef stock or good quality, low-sodium, store-bought beef stock
1 sprig fresh thyme

Sauce:
2 cups dry sherry
3 tablespoons unsweetened chocolate
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram
2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest (about 2 oranges)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Gremolata:
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
3 teaspoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Serves 6

To make the short ribs, preheat oven to 300˚. Generously salt and
pepper the ribs. In a large casserole pan, heat 4 tablespoons olive oil
over high heat. Add the ribs and brown on all sides until golden, about
4-5 minutes. Remove the ribs and set aside. Saute carrots, celery, onion
and garlic in the same pan until well caramelized, about 10-15 minutes.
Add red wine and cook over high heat until the red wine is reduced by
half. Stir in tomato paste, tomatoes and thyme. Add browned ribs and beef
stock. Bring to a boil, cover and bake for approximately 3 hours, or until
meat pulls easily away from the bone. A long, slow braise is the key
here. Cooking at too high of a temperature will result in a flavorless,
tough, stringy meat. It tastes even better if its made the day before. No
rushing necessary!

To make the sauce, remove the meat from the pan and set aside. Strain
the remaining sauce through a colander, and then through a fine mesh
strainer, into a large casserole pan. Add the sherry and reduce the sauce
by half. Stir in the chocolate, thyme, marjoram, orange zest and butter.
Taste and season with salt and pepper. Return the ribs to the pan an
simmer until heated through, approximately 2 minutes.

To make the gremolata, mix together parsley and orange zest in a small
bowl.

To serve, mound 1/2 cup of starch of your choice, such as mashed potatoes
in the center of 6 warm shallow bowls. Put 2-3 short ribs on top of the
mashed potatoes. Spoon the sauce over the short ribs, and sprinkle with
the gremolata.


Though Catalan cuisine is Spanish and consumed in Spain, Catalan
cuisine looks outwards towards mainland Europe and the Mediterranean. Many
of the ingredients that are used in Catalan cooking are familiar, but the
unusual and unexpected combinations of those familiar ingredients are what
sets Catalan cooking apart. The addition of chocolate and fruit in savory
dishes is a classic Catalan combination. Also note the interesting fish
and fruit combination in the Catalan relish that accompanies the salmon
wrapped in grape leaves. These unusual combinations result in complex
flavors, distinct from traditional European and Mediterranean cuisine.

Insalata's, an upscale Mediterranean venue, is located in San Anselmo,
California.

Source: <http://www.insalatas.com/html/estofado_catalan.html>





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