ZINFULLY DELICIOUS SHORT RIBS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Pat the ribs dry and season liberally with salt, pepper, allspice, and paprika.
• In a large Dutch oven heat the oil, a couple of turns of the pan, over high heat. Add the meat and brown in two batches, turning frequently. Remove the ribs to a plate, pour off the fat, as necessary.
• While the meat browns, make a flavor paste by adding the garlic, chile, bay leaves, parsley, and rosemary to a food processor and pulse the processor to finely chop. Remove and reserve the paste.
• Once all of the meat has been browned and the fat has been poured off, add the remaining oil, onions, carrots, and celery to the pan, season with salt and pepper and stir 5 to 10 minutes, until soft, remove the mixture to a plate. Add in the flavor paste and stir 5 minutes more. Deglaze the pan with wine and reduce by 2/3, about 15 minutes. Return the ribs to the pot and add the stock. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover and move the ribs into the oven and cook 2 1/2 hours. Add the onions and carrots back to the pot for the last 20 to 30 minutes of cooking time.
• Remove 4 ribs, for Short Rib Ragu with Drunken Pappardelle, recipe follows, if desired.
• Cool the remaining 8 ribs completely, then refrigerate.
• To serve, skim the fat from the beef, reheat uncovered, over medium heat. Cook 20 minutes or so, to heat through. Remove the ribs and reserve.
• In a small saute pan, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Whisk in 4 tablespoons flour to make a light brown roux, about 5 minutes. Add 1 cup of rib sauce into the roux pan, then add back into the stew pot. Reduce the sauce until thickened, about 20 more minutes.
• When the beef ribs are ready to serve, bring the water to a boil, salt the water and cook the egg noodles to al dente. Drain the noodles and return them to the hot pot. Toss the noodles with butter, salt, nutmeg, and chives, to taste. Serve 2 ribs per person with crusty bread, arugula, and sauce.
• Short Rib Ragu with Drunken Pappardelle:
• Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the carrots, onions, celery, garlic and season with salt, and pepper. Cook until very tender, then stir in the tomato paste, stock, short rib meat, and braising sauce. Heat through, then cool completely and store for make-ahead meal. Skim the fat and reheat, covered, over medium heat.
• While the sauce reheats, bring 5 to 6 cups of water to a boil with 1 bottle red wine. Add the pasta and cook to al dente. Drain the pasta and toss with sauce to coat, then top with Pecorino cheese and chopped parsley.