A couple favorites of mine...
Beef short ribs braised in red wine and beef short ribs braised in red curry and coconut milk.
For the red wine version:
Mix the raw ribs with fresh herbs, black pepper corns and garlic. I use thyme, rosemary, sage. parsley, tarragon and bay leaf. Leave everything whole. Place the ribs in a container large enough to hold them all and have enough room to cover them with liquid. Cover with red wine and let them marinate in the fridge for a day or two.
Remove the ribs from the marinade and let them drain on towels. Apply a good amount of salt and pepper to the ribs. Strain the red wine into a small sauce pan and bring it to a boil (removing and impurities that rise to the top).
Brown the ribs in a pan and place them in a braising pan. Add carrots, onions and celery to the pan, sweat it and them pour over the ribs. Add more fresh herbs (tied in a bundle is best) and garlic, then cover with equal parts of the red wine and some beef, veal or chicken stock. Cover and place in a 260 degree oven for about 4-6 hours or until tender. Try not to allow it to boil.
I like to serve this with horseradish mashed potatoes, green chard, some Dijon mustard, conichons and a little sea salt.
Braised in red curry and coconut milk....
I marinate the ribs with ginger, garlic, green onion, galangal, Chinese curry powder, sugar and fish sauce for a day or two.
Lightly brown the ribs and put them in your braising pan. Add onion, garlic, ginger and galangal to the pan and sweat and add a couple tablespoons of red curry paste. Add this to the ribs along with coconut milk and some stock. Cover and place in a 260 degree over for 4-6 hours or until tender. When it's done, finish the sauce with enough fish sauce to salt it and enough sugar to balance. I serve this with pan fried veggies and rice, topped with a salad of mint, cilantro and basil.
I hope this helps...
