Braised Short Ribs with Herb Gremolata and Melted Gouda Polenta

Wow! It's been forever since the last time I've blogged, this feels great! The best part is, I just got married on June 15, 2013 and my husband LOVES my cooking:o) You know what they say, "the way to a man's heart is through his stomach". So true! Since we've just returned from our honeymoon and I no longer have any tedious wedding planning to do, I can now return to what I love to do most, and that is to cook. Tonight I made Nick a special recipe out of a cookbook given to me by my grandparents at our wedding shower. It's appropriately called "The Newlywed Cookbook" by Sarah Copeland.

Braised Short Ribs with Herb Gremolata and Melted Gouda Polenta

(dinner for two)

Short Ribs

1 bay leaf

1 sprig of thyme

1 garlic clove

5 whole black peppercorns

1 lb beef short ribs (about 4 pieces)

2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup dry white wine (I used sauvignon blanc)

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 large onion, chopped

2 large carrots, chopped into 2 in chunks

2 stalks celery, chopped into 2 in chunks

cheesecloth

kitchen twine

Herb Gremolata

1 lemon

1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley

1 tbsp evoo

kosher salt, to taste

freshly ground black pepper

Polenta

3 cups water

1 cup polenta

1 tsp salt

1 1/4 cup whole milk

2 tbsp unsalted butter

1/2 cup smoked gouda cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Wrap the bay leaf, thyme, garlic and peppercorns in cheesecloth and tie with kitchen twine to make an herb sachet. 

Place short ribs on a piece of parchment and season generously on all sides with salt and pepper, rub into the meat.

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven with lid over medium-high heat. Add the short ribs and cook about 2 minutes on each side until they have a deep brown crust. Transfer the short ribs to a plate. 

Add the white wine to the Dutch oven and scrape the brown bits off the bottom with a wooden spoon. Add the broth and return the short ribs to the pan with the carrots, celery, onion and herb sachet. Cover and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. When it reaches a constant simmer, put the Dutch oven in the oven and cook about 2.5 hours or until meat is tender and falling off the bone. During the cooking process, be sure to flip the short ribs so they are constantly immersed in liquid. This keeps them moist and tender.

Remove the ribs and large veggies to a plate, cover with foil to keep warm. Place the Dutch oven on the stove over medium-high heat. Skim off any excess fat on the surface. Simmer the liquid over medium heat until it has thickened slightly and reduced to about 1 3/4 cups.

Meanwhile, make the herb gremolata. Use a veggie peeler to strip two or three long pieces of lemon zest. Slice the zest as thinly as possible with a very sharp knife and stir together with parsley and olive oil. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

To make the polenta, boil water in a medium saucepan. Chop polenta into large sized cubes and add to boiling water. 

Season with salt. Over medium heat, cook while stirring occasionally about 20 minutes or until polenta is soft and melted. Add milk, butter and cheese, stir together.

Serve short ribs, two per person, on top of melted polenta in a shallow bowl. Top with cooked veggies and herb gremolata. Serve with cooking liquid to spoon over.

Enjoy!