Star chef and restaurateur Geoffrey Zakarian collaborated with his two daughters for his latest cookbook.
Geoffrey Zakarian also serves as chairman of City Harvest Food Council, a New York organization that fights hunger.
“This recipe is from my new cookbook, The Family That Cooks Together (Little, Brown and Company), that my daughters and I wrote. It’s a terrific compilation of recipes my kids love and cook with me all the time. Short ribs are great for entertaining because they basically can’t be messed up. Braising is a perfect choice for tougher pieces of meat like short ribs since they need time to break down and create tender, fall-off the- bone goodness. During the cooking process, a magnificent broth develops, and the vegetables also take on a deep, rich flavor. When you’re ready to serve, pair the beef with egg noodles. Their density holds up to the savory notes, and their curved shape holds some of the broth and pulled beef.” (Serves 6)
INGREDIENTS
4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
6 thick bone-in center-cut short ribs, each about ¾ lb. Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 yellow onions, peeled and cut into eighths
4 medium carrots, cut into thick slices
2 large leeks, washed thoroughly and cut into thick slices
4 heads of garlic, halved crosswise
2 Tbsp. coriander seeds
2 Tbsp. black peppercorns
8 sprigs fresh rosemary
8 sprigs fresh thyme
2 fresh bay leaves
2 cups beef stock
2 cups red wine
12-oz. package egg noodles, cooked al dente
HELPFUL TOOLS
Dutch oven or lidded 8-quart heavy pot, tongs
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 325 F. Heat 2 Tbsp. of the olive oil in a Dutch oven or heavy pot over high heat. Season the short ribs generously on all sides with salt and pepper. Add the meat to the pot and sear on all sides until browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the short ribs from the pot with tongs and set aside.
Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining 2 Tbsp. olive oil to the pot. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the onions, carrots, leeks and 1 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic, coriander, peppercorns, rosemary, thyme and bay leaves. Return the ribs to the pot, pour in the stock and wine to just cover the ribs, and bring to a simmer. Cover and transfer to the oven. Simmer the ribs, turning them every 30 minutes, until they are tender, about 3 hours.
Transfer the ribs to a platter. Let the braising liquid cool slightly until the grease floats to the top. Skim and discard the grease with a large spoon. Remove and discard the herb sprigs and bay leaves. Place the Dutch oven with degreased braising liquid over medium-high heat and bring it to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes, until the sauce has reduced and thickened. Plate the short ribs with a healthy spoonful of egg noodles, using the reduced braising liquid as a sauce.
Photography by: Portrait by VIATEK; food photo by KC AND GAIL KRATT
