4.10.11 Braised Short Ribs & Rosemary Roasted taters

Today is the 19th anniversary of our engagement...and just coincidentally my 1/2 birthday...37 & 1/2 today.   We had a generous GC to Whole Foods so we went and shopped like mini-Rockefellers today.  Tonight is braised short ribs and roasted rosemary taters.  We are following Ina Garten's recipe that is in her "Family Style" book.  We've always talked about cooking short ribs...I'd heard they were simple..but we were initially initimidated.  We'll see

5-6 short ribs
1/4 cup good olive oil (we used Greek extra virgin)
3 minced garlic cloves
2 large diced carrots
6 large diced celery
2 onions, large chopped
s&p
a few sprigs fresh rosemary...from our special "girl"
a few sprigs fresh thyme
1 TBS brown sugar
1 bottle dry red wine (we used the Oak Leaf Merlot)
6 cups beef stock (we used the beef base diluted...hope it's not too salty)

oven to 400...roast ribs (seasoned lightly with s&p for 15 min on sheet pan, no oil) lower heat to 300
meanwhile ,in a large dutch oven, heat oil and cook vegies for 20 min over med/low heat (against my instincts to brown the crap out of them...but I followed recipe)
add garlic...cook two more min.
add wine and reduce by half (about 10 min)
add herbs...add 1 TBS salt, 1 tsp pepper.
Add ribs back on top of vegies, add stock and brown sugar, bring to simmer. 
Clamp on lid and put in 300 oven for at least two hours or till tender

remove ribs, set aside and reduce sauce for about 20 min,...add meat back to reheat & eat!

We are going to serve a baquette too...gotta sop up juices.

decided to serve it over roasted rosemary garlic taters...since we had a big bag of taters in the pantry. 

The house/apt smells amazing right now...I've not gotten used to the aroma as you often do with a constant smell.  Only 10 more minutes till I can check it.  Hope its as yummy as it smells.

Today was a great day...sleep, rest, food, time together, cooking, blogging, life.