Chef Matt Kantor’s Honey-Braised Short Ribs with Parsnip and Dandelion
When I asked Matt to share a recipe as part of the Chefs #LoveCDNBeef series of monthly recipes from Ch efs featuring Canadian Beef, he offered to share his recipe for Honey Braised Short Ribs with parsnip and dandelion. I could not have been more delighted. I love Matt’s braises and I’d been asking him for advice on improving my own so this was the perfect recipe.
If you try this at home, and I recommend that you do, you’ll find that with just the first 5 simple ingredients your kitchen will fill with the most wonderful aromas. You might even get lost in imagining the exotic places that inspired this dish. And that’s not a problem since the prep work on this dish is low and there’s not a lot you have to do but sit, inhale and wait.
Once all the the elements in this dish are on your fork, you’ll find they come together beautifully. Even the parsnips. (More on that later)
A couple of quick notes before you get the recipe:
- this dish takes 2 days. It is prepped one day by doing the braise, then finished and eaten the next. It doesn’t take much work, but it does take time.
- make sure you have something great to eat the first night because you don’t want to eat something meh with these amazing aromas wafting out of your kitchen.
- Note to Matt and possibly the parents and partners of parsnip haters: For someone like me, with the right amount of this incredible sauce, it is possible to eat an entire serving of parsnips. (note: this is a lifetime first!)
Honey Braised Short Ribs
These short ribs are crazy easy to make, they just take time. They are so worth it. Perfect for a celebration or date meal.
Ingredients
- 1 lb beef short ribs, cross-cut, bones in
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 small white onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 pieces star anise
- salt, as needed
- 4 cups water (approx.)
- juice of one lemon
- 1/4 lb of butter
- chopped chives
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Season the short ribs liberally with salt
Place the short ribs, onion, garlic, water, honey and star anise in a pot
Cover 3/4 of the way with water. Place the pot on medium heat and bring to a boil
Place the pot in the oven and cook for 3 hours, adding a little hot water every hour to ensure the level does not decrease too much during the braising. The Short ribs should be partially exposed to the oven air during the cooking process. Turn them over every hour
Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for one hour
Remove the short ribs and place on a sheet tray in the refrigerator to cool overnight.
Strain the sauce, and skim off any fat. Return to the pan and reduce to about 3/4 cup of liquid. Reserve.
[You’ll finish this tomorrow]
The Next Day
Preheat the oven to 350F.
Remove the short ribs from the fridge. Cut off any bones and connective tissue holding the bones on. Divide the short ribs into 2 portions.
Place the portioned short ribs, reduced sauce, lemon juice and butter into a pan and bring to a boil. Place in the oven to warm up.
Remove the short ribs from the oven, baste to ensure they are covered. If the sauce is still thin, you can reduce it by placing the pan on the burner.
Notes
Serve with wilted dandelion and the pureed parsnips, recipes below.
Parsnip Purée
Ingredients
- 1 lb parsnips, peeled
- 1 lb white potatoes
- 4 TBSP butter
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 gallon of cold water
- salt as needed
Instructions
Put the water into a suitable sized pot – it should fill the pot halfway. Peel the potatoes. Cut into eights, and place in the pot.
Cut the parsnips to be a similar size as the potato pieces. Place in the pot with the potatoes.
Bring the pot to a boil and reduce to a simmer.
Cook until parsnips and potatoes are easily pierced with a knife, about 30 minutes.
Strain the potatoes and parsnips. Combine with the butter and pass through a food mill or tamis. Reserve.
The Next Day (or when preparing to serve)
Place the potato/parsnip mixture in a sauté pot.
Add the cream and bring to a boil, stirring constantly for 2 minutes until the mix is heated through.
Check for seasoning and add salt if needed. Remove from the heat and cover until you are ready.
Wilted Dandelions
Ingredients
- 1 lb dandelion greens
- pinch of nutmeg
- butter, as needed
- salt, as needed
Instructions
Wash the dandelions.
Remove any stalky stems.
Heat a large sauté pan on high.
When the pan is hot, add the butter and let foam.
Toss in the salt and nutmeg, stir and then add the dandelions.
Cook and toss the dandelions until they are completely wilted but not brown.
Remove and blot dry on paper towels.
Notes
NOTE: Do this step last when preparing Chef Matt Kantor's Honey-Braised Short Ribs with dandelions and parsnip puree.
To assemble:
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Remove the short ribs from the fridge. Cut off any bones and connective tissue holding the bones on. Divide the short ribs into 2 portions.
- Place the portioned short ribs, reduced sauce, lemon juice and butter into a pan and bring to a boil. Place in the oven to warm up.
- Place the potato/parsnip mixture in a sauté pot. Add the cream and bring to a boil, stirring constantly for 2 minutes until the mix is heated through. Check for seasoning and add salt if needed. Remove form the heat and cover until you are ready.
- Sauté the dandelions as described above.
- Remove the short ribs from the oven, baste to ensure they are covered. If the sauce is still thin, you can reduce it by placing the pan on the burner.
To plate
Spoon a blob of parsnip puree on the center of the plate. Place some sautéed greens in the middle.
Pile the short ribs on top of that,
and drizzle some sauce around the plate. Cover with chopped chives if desired.
We served this with a slightly sweet sparkling red, and had ourselves a romantic dinner for 2. Double the ingredients and you’ll happily serve 4.
An amusing aside: as some of you might already know, parsnips are not my favourite food. In fact, I have said in a recently published interview that they are the work of the devil. So why, you might ask, did my friend Matt send me a recipe using parsnips?
When he heard I was going to make these dishes and photograph them before publishing them, he decided to tweaked the sides to continue his ongoing campaign to convert me to eating parsnips. (Isn’t that what friends are for, to continue to challenge you?)
I did make it. I did eat it. I did love it… mostly. For someone who likes parsnips, this dish is a wonderful combinations of flavours.
Note: this post is part of my Canadian Beef Brand Ambassador series. For more information on my relationship with Canada Beef Inc read about my Foodie Adventure: I’m a Canadian Beef Brand Ambassador. #LoveCdnBeefand my disclosure statement
Also: Chef Matt Kantor my partner in the Secret Pickle Supper Club.
