Recipe of the Month

Two for the price of one actually.  One of my family's favorite meals:

Chianti  Braised Short Ribs

3 lbs. boneless beef short ribs

Salt and pepper to taste

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2 cups Chianti

1 32 oz can crushed tomatoes

3 cups beef broth

2 teaspoons fresh rosemary

Pat short ribs dry and season with salt and pepper. Coat a large, nonstick pan with olive oil. Sear the short rib pieces over medium-high heat for about 2-3 minutes on each side or until brown. Transfer short ribs to a bowl. Add onions to pan and cook over medium heat for approximately 3 minutes. Once onions are translucent, add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Do not brown. Add Chianti, rosemary, beef broth and tomatoes to the pan one at a time, allowing liquid to partially evaporate before each addition ( about 2 minutes). Return short ribs to pan, including any juices that might have accumulated in the bowl. Cover and let simmer for 3 hours on low heat to complete the braising process. Remove short from pan and boil the liquid until it is reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Return short ribs to pan and heat thoroughly. Serve with potatoes or risotto and vegetables.

 Risotto

¼ cup olive oil

½ cup yellow onion, finely chopped

1 ½ cups Arborio rice

½ cup white wine

5 cups chicken or vegetable broth

2 Tablespoons butter

½ cup parmesan cheese

Salt & Pepper to taste

Fresh parsley, chopped.

Heat oil, add onions and cook 3 minutes or until onions are soft. Keep broth warm in a separate pot. Add rice to onions and stir for 2 minutes. Add white wine and let evaporate. Add the broth, about 1 cup at at ime, stirring frequently. Wait until each addition is almost completely absorbed by the rice. Continue to add broth until rice is creamy and cooked al dente. Turn off heat. Add butter and Parmesan cheese. Stir to combine with rice/risotto. Transfer to large bow. Garnish with parsley. Serve immediately.

Note; Finished risotto is creamy and rice is firm.