Happy Mother's Day

Fifteen years ago was the first Mother's Day that I did not buy a Mother's Day card. Damn, time does go by fast. I miss her laugh. I miss shopping with her. I miss her phone calls. But most of all I miss her cooking.

I wanted to do something special today for dinner. I found a recipe for Beef Short Ribs Braised in Red Wine from Lidia Bastianich. I think my Mom would have enjoyed this.

Ingredients-

2 cups red wine

2 cups chicken stock

1 1/2 pounds bone-in Beef Short Ribs

Salt and pepper

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 large onion, chopped

¼ cup minced pancetta

2 carrots, chopped

2 sprigs rosemary

2 dried bay leaves

2 tbsp tomato paste

2 cups Crushed Tomato

Method-
Season the ribs generously with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a wide, heavy braising pan over medium heat. Lay as many of the short rib pieces as will fit into the pan in a single layer. Cook, turning as necessary until evenly and well browned on all sides. Remove them to a plate and repeat with the remaining ribs. Adjust the heat as the ribs cook so that they brown without burning.

Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of the fat from the pan. Stir in the onions and bacon and cook, stirring, until the onions are lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Stir in the chopped mushrooms and the carrot, rosemary, bay leaves. Season lightly with salt and pepper, and cook until the carrot is wilted for about 3 minutes. Drop in the tomato paste and stir well until the vegetables are coated and the tomato paste begins to darken for 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in the reduced wine and the crushed tomatoes and tuck the browned short ribs into the pan. Pour enough of the remaining chicken stock to barely cover the ribs. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat so the liquid is at a lively simmer. Cook, adding the remaining stock a little at a time as necessary to keep the ribs covered until the ribs are tender and just about to fall off the bone, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Taste the cooking liquid from time to time as the ribs cook and add salt as necessary.

Pick out the ribs from the sauce, carefully so as to prevent the bone from falling out, and set them on a baking sheet. Ladle the cooking liquid into a sieve placed over a bowl and push the liquid through with the back of the ladle. Discard the solids in the sieve and return the strained liquid to the pan. Tuck the ribs back into the sauce. You may serve the ribs at this point, or cool them in the liquid and refrigerate them for up to three days. Bring them back to a simmer and cook until heated through before serving.