Braised Short Ribs
with Guava Barbecue Sauce
From "Seriously Simple Holidays" by Diane Rossen Worthington
5 pounds lean short ribs of beef, preferably boneless
cut into 3- to 4-inch pieces
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 onions, sliced thickly into rings
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup favorite barbecue sauce
1 1/2 cups guava nectar
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley for garnish
1. Preheat the oven to 450ºF.
Place the ribs in a large roasting pan and season
them evenly on both sides with salt and pepper.
Roast the ribs for 25 minutes. Turn them and roast for
another 25 minutes, or until the ribs are very brown.
Remove the ribs from the pan, blot with paper towels,
and set aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 325ºF.
2. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick Dutch oven or heavy
flameproof casserole, heat the oil over medium-high
heat. Cook the onions, stirring to prevent them from
burning, for 10 to 12 minutes or until brown and
slightly caramelized. Add the carrots and sauté for 3
minutes, or until slightly softened. Add the garlic and
sauté for 1 minute. Add the barbeque sauce and
nectar, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
3. Place the ribs in the pot and spoon some of the
vegetables over the ribs. Cover the pot and reduce
the heat until the liquid is at a simmer. Transfer to the
oven and braise for 2 1/2 hours or until the meat is
tender. Bring to room temperature and then cover and
refrigerate overnight.
4. Remove the top layer of fat from the sauce and any
accumulated fat from the ribs. Gently reheat the ribs
over medium heat and bring to a boil. Braise for about
10 minutes, or until the ribs are heated through and
the sauce is simmering. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
Place in a large serving bowl and garnish with
the parsley. Serve immediately.

Suggested Wine-Zinfandel

Franco-Mexican Onion Soup
Adapted from Gourmet Magazine
2 pounds sweet onions (like Vidalias) halved lengthwise,
then thinly sliced lengthwise
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 Turkish bay leaves or 1 Californian bay leaf
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup dry white wine
4 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
1 1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
6 one-inch thick diagonal slices of baguette
1/2 pound Oaxaca Cheese
1/4 cup shredded Parmigiano Reggiano
6 (8 to 10 oz) stoneware soup bowls
Cheese plane
1. Melt butter in a 4 to 5 quart heavy pot. Over
medium-low heat, sauté onions, thyme, bay leaves,
and salt, stirring frequently, until onions are very soft
and deep golden brown – about 45 minutes. Whisk in
flour and cook for about 1 minute. Add wine and
continue whisking for about 2 minutes. Finally, stir in
broth, water and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, for
about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Meanwhile, put oven rack in middle position and
preheat to 350°F. Once preheated, arrange bread in a
single layer on a large baking sheet and toast, turning
over once, until completely dry, about 15 minutes.
Remove croûte from oven and preheat broiler.
3. Put soup bowls in a shallow baking pan. Discard
bay leaves and thyme sprigs and divide the soup
among bowls; float a croûte in each. Slice enough
Oaxaca cheese (about 6 ounces total) with the cheese
plane to cover the tops of the bowls. Allow the ends of
cheese to hang over the rims of the bowls, then
sprinkle with Parmigiano Reggiano.
4. Place the bowls in a broiler 4 to 5 inches from heat
and cook until cheese is melted, golden and bubbly;
this should only take about 1 to 2 minutes. Eat!

Suggested Wine-Chardonnay