Honeyed stout-braised short ribs with wasabi mashed potatoes

In need of comfort food with a kick?  Here is a savory dish that will warm your heart and tummy. The combination of sweet and savory ribs with the slightly hot, tart yet creamy mashed potatoes, will make everything right in the world for supper tonight.

Did you know that listening to seriously good funk music 
while mashing potatoes makes them smoother?  Try this out and see!

INGREDIENTS: 

For the Ribs:

2 lbs bone-in beef short ribs

1 cup of flour, for dredging

Salt and pepper

1 medium onion diced

3 garlic cloves minced

½ cup dry red wine

1 bottle stout beer

1½ cups beef broth

¼ cup honey

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

5 sprigs of fresh thyme

1 dried bay leaf

2 teaspoons corn starch dissolved in 2 tablespoons cold water

For the Potatoes:

1 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced

3 tablespoons butter

½ cup milk, warmed

¼ cup cream cheese
3 tablespoons heavy cream

1 tablespoon wasabi paste (or more if you like a little pain with your pleasure)

Salt and pepper, to taste

Chopped chives, for garnish

COOKING MUSIC SELECTION: Papa Grows Funk - Do U Want It

PREPARATION:

For the Ribs:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large Dutch or pot with a tight-fitting lid over high heat. Season the short ribs with salt and pepper and then dredge through the flour to coat, shaking off the excess. Brown the short ribs in batches, about 2 minutes per side. Set the short ribs aside and drain off all but a tablespoon of the drippings.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions. Sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Stir in the wine, stout, stock, honey, soy, sugar, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer and add the short ribs back into the pot. Cover and cook in the oven for 2-2½ hours, until the meat is very tender and about to fall off the bone.

Remove the ribs from the sauce and place the pot on the stove over medium heat. Simmer the sauce until thickened, skimming off any fat. After 10 minutes or so, whisk in the dissolved corn starch until smooth. The sauce should be thick and glossy like a glaze. Return the ribs to the pot and toss to coat in the reduced sauce. Keep warm until ready to serve.

For the Potatoes:

Place the diced potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender (cooking time will depend on how small you chop your potatoes). Drain the potatoes well and return to the pot. Turn the heat on low, stir in the butter and milk, cream cheese, mashing the potatoes as you go. Mash the potatoes to desired consistency (using a hand blender is also an option for super smooth potatoes, but the funky bass mashing is the best with a hand masher). Stir in the heavy cream and wasabi paste just before serving. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Place a heaping pile of mashed potatoes on each plate and then top with the short ribs. Drizzle any extra the sauce over the top and garnish with fresh chives. DO YOU WANT IT? DO YOU NEED IT? Gotta get up, gotta get down, GOT TO GET ON IT! Feel the love. xxxooo III