CHOCOLATE AND ROSEMARY SHORT RIBS
Ingredients
Serves 6
6 lbs (3 kg) bone-in short ribs
salt and pepper, to taste
⅓ cup (75 ml) diced, thick-cut bacon
1½ cups (375 ml) finely chopped yellow onion
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups (500 ml) dry red wine
3 cups (750 ml) unsalted vegetable stock
1 x 28 oz (794 ml) can diced tomatoes
2 sprigs thyme
1 sprig rosemary
3 tbsp (45 ml) bittersweet chocolate
2 tbsp (30 ml) Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 tsp (5 ml) finely chopped rosemary leaves
HERBED ISRAELI COUSCOUS:
2 tbsp (30 ml) unsalted butter
2 cups (500 ml) Israeli couscous
4 cups (1 L) unsalted vegetable stock
1 tsp (5 ml) salt, plus extra, to taste
1 tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
½ cup (125 ml) finely chopped, flat leaf parsley leaves
2 green onions, finely sliced
Instructions
- Season short ribs with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add bacon and sauté until crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- In same Dutch oven, over medium-high heat, working in batches, brown ribs in drippings until brown on all sides. Transfer to a plate.
- Add to same Dutch oven onions, carrots, celery and garlic. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook until vegetables are soft, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add wine, bring to a boil and let cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Stir in stock, tomatoes, thyme, rosemary and reserved bacon. Return ribs to Dutch oven, cover partially with lid, and simmer on low for 1½ hours. Uncover and simmer until meat is tender, stirring occasionally, about 1½ hours longer.
- Transfer ribs to a plate and discard thyme and rosemary sprigs. Spoon fat from surface of sauce. Boil sauce until it begins to thicken, about 8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add chocolate, cocoa powder and rosemary leaves, stirring until chocolate melts. Season to taste. Return ribs to Dutch oven, cover partially. Simmer to rewarm, about 5 minutes. Serve ribs with Herbed Israeli Couscous.
- HERBED ISRAELI COUSCOUS:
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm butter until melted. Add couscous and stir to coat. Allow to cook, stirring constantly, until couscous starts to toast and is fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add stock and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer couscous until tender, about 10 to 12 minutes. Drain if necessary. Stir in lemon juice, parsley and green onions. Season to taste.