Lazy Sunday...

Today has been darn near perfect so far.  Let's start with the weather. Sunny blue skies, low 70's, Mt Baldy in the distance is clear as a bell with lots of snow still from the last storm. Went out to breakfast with Frank to this little cafe in town that makes these giant pancakes that fall off your plate, the waitresses are hardworking and friendly, and they never let you see the bottom of your coffee cup!

Then we went to HD to buy some new flowers and roses which we immediately planted. A day like this makes you want to stay outside even to do yard work! The dogs just love to romp around when we are out there with them and they got good and tired.  My roses and lilacs are blooming and soon the hydrangeas too.
It seems like a silly thing but just looking at my flowers makes me smile and puts me in a good mood.

Then we came in and I went to work on getting dinner going. Tonight it's Braised Short ribs, which are already in the oven and smelling delicious.  Christina is on her way home already and the Angels game is about to start. Can this day get any better? We'll yes, it woud be nice if they beat the Yankees two games in a row. But now I'm getting greedy.

 　 If you can't find boneless ribs then use with the bones but just add a few pounds to allow for the weight of the bones. I like to trim off any excess fat as well. These are delicious with roasted garlic mashed potatoes. After I take them out of the oven I let them rest a bit first. Then take 5 or 6 paper towels and lay them across the top of my ribs to absorb any excess fat before plating. These ribs do not dissapoint. They come out succulent and fork tender.

            

Braised Boneless Short Ribs

Braised Boneless Short Ribs


4 lbs Boneless beef short ribs
6 ounces chopped pancetta (or bacon)
1 large onion chopped
3 carrots chopped
2 shallots and 2 cloves garlic chopped
3 TBS olive oil
3 cups red wine
2 cups beef stock
1 porcini mushroom buillon cube crumbled
2 cups cremini mushrooms halved and stems removed
1 tsp each salt and pepper
2 sprigs each fresh rosemary and thyme (1 tsp of dried thyme is ok if you don'y have fresh)
flour for dredging
Salt and pepper the rib pieces, dredge them in flour, shake off the excess and set aside.

Heat a large dutch oven over med/high heat. I use my big Le Creuset pan for this. Add the chopped pancetta to the pan and cook until the fat is rendered and it is browned nicely.
Remove the Pancetta with a slotted spoon and set aside. Now add the olive oil and brown the ribs on all sides. You will need to work in batches so that you don't crowd them in the pan. Remove the ribs to a plate. Now add the onions, carrots and a bit more olive oil as needed and saute for a few minutes. Add the shallots and garlic and cook for a few minutes longer. Now add the wine all at once and cook for 3 to 4 minutes till boiling and slightly reduced. Add the ribs back into the pan along with the beef stock, buillion cube, salt and pepper, rosemary and thyme sprigs, and cooked pancetta. Give it all a good stir and taste to see if more salt or seasoning is needed. Cover and place your pot in a 350 degree oven for 2 hours. Remove from oven, add the cremini mushrooms on top and carefully spoon some of the beefy gravy over the mushrooms. cover and cook for another 30 to 45
minutes.