Braised Beef Short Ribs with Macaroni & Cheese

Braised Beef Short Ribs:

Preheat oven to 325 F (160 C). Heat a large skillet over high heat and add 2 tablespoons (30 mL) canola oil. When the pan is hot but not smoking, add short ribs and brown on both sides. Remove and place in a deep heatproof baking pan. Wipe out skillet and add remaining oil. Heat until hot but not smoking; add carrots, celery, onion and garlic and brown. Remove from heat and add to ribs. Tie thyme, bay leaves and peppercorns in cheesecloth and add to baking pan. In a saucepan set over medium-high heat, combine red wine and stock; bring to a boil. Pour over ribs and vegetables; cover with aluminum foil. Poke a few ventilation holes into the foil and place in oven for 4 hours.

The meat should be very tender when cooked. Carefully take out ribs and strain juice and vegetables through a fine mesh sieve. Ideally, you should chill both separately, remove fat from the braising liquid and then reheat the ribs in the liquid. If you don’t have the time, skim off as much fat as possible from the strained braising liquid and reduce to sauce consistency; serve over the hot ribs.

Macaroni & Cheese:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then salt generously. Cook the macaroni to desired doneness. Drain and toss with a little olive oil and set aside. To make the cheese sauce, slowly melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Gradually add the flour, whisking constantly. Gradually add the milk and cream, whisking constantly. Stir until the mixture reaches the thickness of mayonnaise, about 5 minutes. Add all the cheeses and the Dijon and whisk until the cheeses have been incorporated. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove any lumps. Only combine as much macaroni and cheese as you wish to serve. You may keep the cheese sauce and noodles in the fridge separately and reheat at a later date.