Short Rib Terrine

Short ribs are easily my favorite cut of beef. I adore them. They need minimal TLC (barely any hands on cooking, just a bit more time in the oven or on a burner) and yet yield so much flavor -- a simple braise with fresh vegetables and herbs is all they need in my book; deglaze the braising liquid with some red wine and you've got sheer perfection.

To change things up a bit, this past weekend I tried my hand at this Short Rib Terrine and I am pleased to say it's now one of my favorite tapas and a really great way to use my beloved short ribs. Served with fresh homemade bread dotted with leeks and garlic the terrine was full of flavor. Just be sure to add some briny capers to your serving tray when offering up this tapa as they pair beautifully with it.

What's even better though, is that the cooking process yields a fragrant beef broth that can be used to enhance the flavor of other dishes. (I stored a couple of cupfuls in separate glass storage containers and placed them in the freezer for future use.)

Do try this Short Rib Terrine, you won't be disappointed.

Short Rib Terrine
(Adapted from a recipe on Epicurious.com)

6 pounds short ribs
2 onions, quartered
2 celery ribs, quartered
2 carrots, cut into large chunks
1 large leek, cleaned and quartered
4 fresh parsley stems
2 fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
6 to 8 whole black peppercorns
12 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

To finish terrine:
8 large garlic cloves, peeled but left whole
1/3 to 1/2 cup olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons Spanish paprika
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Season short ribs with some coarse sea salt and spread in a roasting pan along with the onions, celery, leek and carrot. Roast, turning occasionally, for about an hour.

Make a bouquet garni with the parsley, thyme, bay leaf and peppercorns. Transfer meat (with bones) and roasted vegetables to a large pot and add 12 cups water, salt and bouquet garni. Add a bit of water to the roasting pan and scrape all the brown bits up then pour the liquid into the pot. Bring to a boil and skim froth as necessary. Reduce heat to low and gently simmer, uncovered for anywhere from 3 to 4 hours, until meat is extremely tender and broth is reduced.

Transfer mixture to a bowl and cool completely, uncovered, then cover and chill overnight.

Remove fat from chilled mixture. Reheat mixture over moderate heat until warm. remove from heat and transfer short ribs to a platter; once slightly cooled, discard bones and fat. Finely chop short rib meat and set aside. Pour broth through a cheesecloth-lined sieve and store as desired.

To complete the terrine: Heat oil in a saucepan and cook garlic over low heat, turning occasionally, until golden, about 15 minutes. Remove garlic with a slotted spoon and reserve the oil. Mash the garlic to a paste with a fork.

Add paprika, salt and pepper to the oil remaining in the saucepan and cook over low heat until fragrant, a couple of minutes. In a large bowl, stir together the paprika oil, garlic paste and short rib meat. Pack the mixture into a terrine or crock, cover tightly and chill overnight. Bring the terrine to room temperature before serving with slices of fresh bread, crackers or pita triangles and capers.

Pastitsada

Short ribs are one of my favorite cuts of beef. The other day I decided to stray away from my usual braising of the ribs with different vegetables and try them out in a specialty dish from Kerkyra, known as pastitsada.

I've tried many versions of this dish across Kerkyra, some made with rooster and others with beef. My favorites have never been based on which meat (I've enjoyed both the rooster and the beef) but always on the sauce. For me, the more the spices the better.

I made my version with loads of cinnamon and cloves, bay leaves and some red wine. The short ribs are quite a rich cut of meat and the hours--yes I said hours--of braising leave them so tender the meat just falls off the bone. Served with a side of penne, this is a meal my family loved.

Beef Short Ribs Pastitsada

Serves 6

5 pounds of beef short ribs

2 onions, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 bay leaves

6 cloves

2 cinnamon sticks

1 cup dry red wine

1 box good quality chopped tomatoes (26.5 oz)

Pinch of sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

1 box of penne

3 tablespoons of butter

Grated cheese

Season short ribs with salt and pepper. In a large dutch oven over medium high heat, sear the short ribs and remove to a plate once well browned. Add the onion to the dutch oven and cook until soft, stir in the garlic and cook a minute more. Toss in the cinnamon sticks, bay leaves and cloves and stir well. Add the red wine and deglaze until the wine is reduced. Stir in the tomatoes and bring to a boil. Season with the pinch of sugar, add some salt and pepper and simmer for a couple of minutes.

Add meat back to dutch oven. Cover with lid and transfer to a 325 degree oven and braise the short ribs for about 3 hours, until the meat is falling off the bone.

Meanwhile boil the penne until al dente. Drain pasta and then brown the butter in the pasta pot. Once butter has browned, add the penne back to the pot and toss to coat. Stir in some of the braising liquid. Top individual portions of penne with short ribs and sauce and sprinkle with grated cheese.