INGREDIENTS
4 (6-oz.) portions short ribs, trimmed of connective tissue
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium sweet onion, peeled and coarsely cut into large dice
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice
1 celery stalk, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice
1 dried ancho chile
2 bay leaves
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 cup dry red wine
3 cups beef stock or store-bought beef broth
2 cups canned hominy
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 leek, cleaned and cut into 1½-inch dice
2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. canned roasted green chiles
1 lb. fresh tomato, peeled, seeded and cut to ½-inch dice
½ tsp. freshly ground cumin seeds
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
PREPARATION
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
• On a large plate, lay out the short ribs and evenly rub with salt and pepper.
• Heat a cast-iron Dutch oven over medium-high heat. (If you do not have a Dutch oven you can sear in a cast-iron skillet and transfer to a casserole dish with a lid for braising.) • Add the olive oil and sear all sides of the short ribs for 2 minutes per side. Make sure the hood vent is turned on before searing; this process is smoky!
• Add the onion, carrot and celery. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the chile, bay leaves, thyme and red wine. Cook to reduce the wine by about half.
• Add the beef stock and bring to a light simmer. Cover and place in the preheated oven. Allow to cook for 3 to 3œ hours, or until the meat is starting to pull away from the bone.
• Remove the short ribs from the Dutch oven. Place them on a large plate and set aside.
• Using a fine-mesh strainer, strain the braising liquid into a 2-cup or larger maeasuring cup and discard the onion, carrot, celery, bay leaves and thyme. Skim all the fat off of the surface. If there is less than 2 cups of the braising liquid, add enough water to bring it up to 2 cups.
• Drain and rinse the honminy. Set aside.
• Lightly heat a 2-quart or larger soup pot.
• Add the butter, leek and garlic. Sweat the vegetables while occasionally stirring for 4 minutes.
• Add the roasted green chiles, the tomato, cumin, thyme and the 2 cups of braising liquid. Simmer for 5 minutes.
• Season with salt to taste.
• Add the hominy and cook for another 5 minutes.
• Add the short ribs to reheat, spooning the hominy stew over them as they simmer for 5 more minutes.
• Turn off the heat and stir in the parsley.
• Ladle the stew into 4 bowls, nestling the short ribs on top.
This article appears in May 2012.