I’m going to be real straight with y’all for a moment… this recipe is a bit more complicated than most of my recipes. BUT it combines three amazing mini recipes that you can make together for a fabulous meal OR make separately and change it up with your own creations!
Recipe part A = Short ribs… drool drool drool… so moist, delicious, meaty, etc, etc (lol). But seriously, this meat is so tender and juicy, you’re going to love it!
Recipe part B = Fried polenta… ohhhh baby. It’s crazy crispy and full of so many herbs!
Recipe part C = Shaved asparagus and radish salad… SO FRESH and crunchy (side note: do any of y’all remember my Instagram story explaining how to shave asparagus without slicing your finger off?! That was fun.)
Off topic… but sorry for only getting two posts out in the last two weeks… sometimes life is too busy and difficult to get all of the things done. Don’t worry though, this week I’m going nowhere (well except Three Rivers, Michigan on Saturday for Tom’s high school reunion but that’s no biggie) and I have the house all to myself this week since Tom is traveling to San Fran and Orlando for work. Don’t get me wrong, I love Tom Brady but sometimes life is more productive when you’ve got the house to yourself, ya know? Word.
Recipes coming up next include:
Roasted plantain and red pepper rice bowls… so savory and delicious.
Cookie butter ice cream… omg omg omg omg.
Crack brussels sprouts… basically crack broccoli with brussels sprouts instead… STILL SO GOOD.
Crunchy thai quinoa salad with grilled chicken and sunbutter ginger dressing… heaven.
Spaghetti squash taco bowls… so much flavor and like no carbs, wha??!
Any of these you’d rather see first!? Let me know in the comments 🙂
Okay okay… enough about future recipes… let’s get to this short ribs over shaved asparagus salad and fried polenta recipe now though!! Wooooo.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs bone-in beef short ribs (this was about four for me)
- healthy pinch of sea salt and black pepper
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1/2 bottle (750ml), red wine (I used a Malbec)
- 1/2 can (6oz) tomato paste
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup beef stock
- 1/4 cup olive oil + extra for coating the pan and searing polenta triangles
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary, minced
- healthy pinch of sea salt and black pepper
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 2 cups almond milk
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1/4 nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon of each: dried sweet basil, ground sage, oregano, parsley, and thyme
- 1 small shallot, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- healthy pinch of sea salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 bunch (7-8) thick asparagus spears, shaved with a vegetable peeler or mandoline
- 1 bunch (about 10) radishes, sliced thinly
Instructions
- Short ribs: Season short ribs with sea salt and pepper. Place flour in a large shallow bowl then dredge ribs in the flour, shaking off excess. Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a large (deep) cast iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, brown the short ribs on both sides (about 8 minutes total). Remove short ribs from the cast iron skillet then add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet. Reduce heat to medium then add onions, carrots, and garlic. Sauté about 8 minutes (or until soft), stirring occasionally then transfer to the slow cooker. Add the red wine through bay leaf to the cast iron, stir to combine until the tomato paste is incorporated into the other liquids. Increase heat to medium-high then cook mixture until thickened about 7-9 minutes. Transfer wine mixture to the slow cooker. Next, add the browned short ribs and beef stock to the slow cooker. Cook on high for 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Fried polenta: Coat a square (8x8x2) ceramic dish with olive oil. Heat 1/4 cup of olive oil in a large, heavy saucepan. Add the red pepper flakes and rosemary plus a healthy pinch of sea salt and black pepper to the saucepan and stir with a wooden spoon until very fragrant, about 30 seconds. Next, add the vegetable stock and almond milk then stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, slowly pour in the cornmeal, whisking vigorously until all the cornmeal is added. Whisk until all the cornmeal lumps are smoothed out. Bring the polenta mixture to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and cook for 30-35 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon and scraping down the sides often. Remove the polenta from the heat and stir in the nutritional yeast and dried herbs. Spread the polenta into the greased ceramic dish. Let cool in the dish for 20 minutes. Cover the polenta with plastic wrap and let it firm up in the refrigerator for about 2 hours. Once firmed, flop the polenta out onto a cutting board. Slice the large polenta square into 4 smaller squares then slice each little square into 2 even triangles, yielding 8 triangles total. Heat a 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear 4 polenta triangles until golden brown on one side, about 3 minutes. Flip the polenta triangles over and sear on the other side for another 3 minutes. Repeat with remaining 4 polenta triangles.
- Shaved asparagus salad: Add shallots through sea salt and pepper to a jar, seal with a lid, then shake to mix up. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed. Add shaved asparagus and thinly sliced radishes to a medium bowl. Coat with a portion of the vinaigrette from the jar above then toss to combine. Set salad aside to marinate, keep remaining vinaigrette.
- ASSEMBLE: Place one or two seared polenta triangles on a plate, top with a portion of shaved asparagus salad, and one short rib. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Drizzle a little extra vinaigrette or slow cooker juice over each plate. ENJOY.
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment or tag a photo #appetitesanonymous on instagram!! I’d love to see your short ribs in action. Peace, friends!
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