Estofado de Catalan
These Spanish-style short ribs are certainly in the Insalata’s 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 ribs—4 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.
Sauté 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 it’s
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.
Sidebar
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.