GOT YA BY THE SHORT RIBS!

I just love meat, especially when it has a bone!  Short ribs are one of my all time favorites. I like to think of the slow braise as foreplay to a most gratifying orgasmic culinary experience. If ya ain't gettin any under the sheets, you might as well get some in your oven!

BRAISED SHORT RIBS WITH TAMARIND NECTAR

These will definitely get your “pod” on! Tamarind is also known as “Indian Date.” So, if you are so inclined, serve them on a special night!

Ingredients: serves 4

5 pounds beef short ribs, bone on
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper 
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
3 garlic cloves, with skin left on
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 can (12 fluid ounces) Tamarind Nectar
 3 bay leaves
 1/2 cup Marsala wine
1 cup dry red wine (I used Cabernet)

Preparation: 4- 5 hours...read a good book

1. Heat the oven to 225 degrees. Season the short ribs with salt and pepper. Heat a large heavy Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the oil, then the short ribs (you might have to add them in batches) and brown on all sides. Transfer the ribs to a plate as they finish browning. Pour off  most the fat, leaving about 2 tablespoons.

2. Add the onion and brown then add the carrot, celery, and garlic to the pot, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the vegetables are soft and all the browned bits in the base of the pot have been loosened. Put the short ribs (and any juices that have collected on the plate) back in the pot.

3. Add the light brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, tamarind nectar and bay leaves. Pour in the Marsala and red wine. Bring the liquid to a boil, then cover the pot and transfer to the oven.

4. Braise the shortribs until they are very tender when pierced with a fork, about 3 ½ - 4 hours (longer if the short ribs are big). Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shortribs to a plate. Strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer, discard all the vegetables except the pieces of carrots, set aside with the ribs. Let the cooking liquid settle; spoon off as much fat as possible (This is best when done over a course of 2 days as you would put the liquid in the fridge overnight and peel off the layer of fat in the morning. Then heat the ribs in a low oven as you reduce the sauce). Set the pot on the stove over medium high heat. Bring the cooking liquid to a boil and reduce the heat until the sauce is a syrupy consistency.

5. Place a few short ribs in each of 4 wide shallow bowls. Spoon some sauce over the ribs and serve with a few carrot pieces. Salivate with pleasure.