Chickpea Tagine with Chicken & Bulgur: Bittman rules!

Fucking Bittman. I've got to hand it to that guy. I may not like everything he suggests, but every now and then he kills it. Plus dude is pretty entertaining in those videos he does on the NYT site. What I do like about his schtick is that his recipes are usually pretty straightforward and come together very easily. Even this tagine, with a relatively long list of ingredients, is incredibly simple to prep for. Literally about 15 minutes of chopping and measuring and I was good to go. And that's with bumping everything up by half 'cause I got screaming deal on chicken thighs at Costco (don't give me any shit, either. Oregon grown Foster Farms, no addtives, hormones, etc. Sure, the chicks live a bit "cozily", but even those supposedly PC "free range" birds at your organo-mart usually never leave the warehouse they're crammed into).

The end result was a palate popping, holy-Jesus-this-is-good plate of Moroccan influenced deliciousness. The spices were spot on, the chickpeas and bulgur become this decadent mush, and the chicken practically fell off the bone before being shoved in all its savory fabulousness into my mouth. In other words, this bird is the fucking word! Absolutely company worthy too, this one.

So if you have some friends who are deserving and need to be awed by your kitchen skills, throw some of this in front of them. It seems multiplying ingredients by the number of thighs you need to serve seems to do the trick. And that 4 serving thing below? Don't believe it unless you're serving a bunch of Karen Carpenter wannabes. This is so good it really makes 2 large servings because everyone will be back for seconds. Plan accordingly. Also, canned garbanzos were the deal, and use chicken stock, not water if you want the full flavor of this dish. You do like full flavor, right??
*** *** *** *** ***
Chickpea Tagine with Chicken and Bulgur
from "The Food Matters Cookbook"

makes: 4 servings
time: About 1 hours with cooked or canned beans, largely unattended

"Braise precooked (or canned) chickpeas and chicken in a North African spice mixture and the chickpeas disintegrate, the chicken becomes fork-tender, and everything is intensely flavored. It’s an extraordinary dish and made even more so by the bulgur, which is cooked right in the stewing liquid."- MB

ingredients:
2 cups cooked or canned chickpeas, drained, with liquid reserved
2 cups bean-cooking liquid, stock, or water, or more as needed
Salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 bone-in chicken thighs
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 tablespoon cumin
1-1⁄2 teaspoons coriander
1-1⁄2 teaspoons cinnamon
1⁄2 cup raisins, chopped dates, or currants
1 cup chopped tomatoes (canned are fine; include their juice)
1⁄2 cup bulgur
1⁄2 cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

method:
1. Put the beans and the liquid in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Adjust the heat so the mixture barely bubbles.

2. Meanwhile, put the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add it to the skillet. Cook, turning and rotating as necessary, until it’s brown on both sides, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the chicken to the pot of beans.

3. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons fat from the skillet. Turn the heat down to medium and add the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, raisins, and tomato; cook and stir just long enough to loosen any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Transfer the mixture to the beans and adjust the heat so the mixture returns to a gentle bubble.

4. Cover the pot and cook, checking occasionally to make sure the mixture is bubbling gently, for 20 to 30 minutes. Stir the bulgur into the bottom of the pot; it should be covered with about 1 inch of liquid. If not, add more water. Cover and cook until the chicken is tender and the bulgur is done, another 10 to 15 minutes. Serve each chicken thigh with a big spoonful of the chickpea mixture and garnish with parsley.

Slow Cookin'

It was a good delivery day from Amazon. A new Capresso coffee maker to replace the Cuisinart that disappointingly died a much too early death, and more importantly a long awaited and much anticipated new slow cooker! Okay, maybe the timing isn't the best for slow cookery considering we've (finally) entered a string of 70+* days, but I have been so looking forward to getting this little bit of kitchen convenience. I've never been very Crock Pot-ish, but with C-boy and work taking up more of my time these days, it seemed time to take the plunge. I also didn't want to spend $100+ for one, and found good reviews and a great price (under $50 and free shipping) on this 6 quart Hamilton Beach model. So with that, what the heck should I cook with it? Any suggestions...recipes.....?? Let me know!

All About Satisfaction!

"Braising: A method of cooking food in a closed vessel with very little liquid
at a low temperature and for a very long time."

That quote, from the classic French Bible of gastronomy Larousse Gastronomique (which by the way has just been released in a new revised edition...Christmas is coming!), describes braising exactly. Simple, direct, just like most good things we cook. And for this season, the cold weather, pull-out-the-sweater, put on your hat to walk the dog weather, is there anything better than walking into your house and smelling that which has been slowly cooking in your oven? The intense, savory, house-filling fragrance of meat, vegetables, and a smidge of liquid that have unhurriedly been melding into something so fall-off-the-bone tender that when you take the first bite bite you swear there must be magic in that pot. THAT is why I braise!

More often than not, when I am seeking slow-cooking inspiration, I look to the Bible of braising, Molly Stevens' definitive "All About Braising". That is where I found this recipe that serves six that we had for two. Sure, I guess I could've cut back the ingredients and made it a bit more manageable meal for w and I, but then I wouldn't have had the leftovers the next night, when it may have been even better, nor would I have that extra container of leftovers in the freezer that is destined to become a lamb ragu over pasta at some future dinner. Add on the fact that when my 9-quart Le Creuset is filled with deliciousness, then I know all is right in my world! This was fabulous, and should you decide to not horde it all for yourself, a knockout dinner party meal. Perfect with a rich southern French red from the Rhone Valley....I opened an awesome bottle of Gigondas....where every sip of wine and every bite of lamb seems made for each other!
*** *** *** *** ***
Braised Lamb Shanks Provençal
From Molly Stevens/"All About Braising"

Molly Stevens: "Braising meaty lamb shanks in a piquant mix of sour lemons, black olives, and fresh tomatoes offsets their rich, gamy flavor. If you make this in early autumn when the first nips of cold air wake up your appetite for slow-cooked meats, look for the last of the local ripe plum tomatoes in the market. If good fresh tomatoes are unavailable, use canned. The dish will be every bit as satisfying. Serve with soft polenta or buttery mashed potatoes."

Serves 6
ingredients:
6 lamb shanks (about 1 pound each)
All-purpose flour for dredging (about 1 cup)
1 tablespoon plus 1/2teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 large yellow onions (about 1 pound total), chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1 pound plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped (or one 14 1/2-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, coarsely chopped, juice reserved)
4 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 cup dry white wine or dry white vermouth
1 cup chicken stock, homemade or store-bought
2 lemons
3 small or 2 large bay leaves
1/2cup pitted and coarsely chopped oil-cured black olives, such as Nyons or Moroccan
1/4cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

method:
1. Heat the oven to 325 degrees.

2. Trimming the lamb shanks: If the shanks are covered in a tough parchment-like outer layer (called the fell), trim this away by inserting a thin knife under it to loosen and peeling back this layer. Remove any excess fat as well, but don’t fuss with trying to peel off any of the thin membrane—this holds the shank together and will melt down during braising.

3. Dredging the lamb shanks: Pour the flour into a shallow dish and stir in 1 tablespoon of the paprika. Season the shanks all over with salt and pepper. Roll half the shanks in the flour, lifting them out one by one and patting to remove any excess, and set them on a large plate or tray, without touching.

4. Browning the lamb shanks: Heat the oil in a large heavy-based braising pot (6- to 7- quart) over medium heat until it shimmers. Add the 3 flour-dredged shanks (you’re searing in two batches so as not to crowd the pot). Cook, turning the shanks with tongs, until they are gently browned on all sides, about 10 minutes total. Transfer the shanks to a plate or tray, without stacking or crowding. Dredge the remaining shanks in flour, patting to remove any excess, and brown them. Set beside the already browned shanks, and discard the remaining flour.

5. The aromatics and braising liquid: Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pot and return the pot to the heat. If the bottom of the pot is at all blackened, wipe it out with a damp paper towel, being careful to leave behind any tasty caramelized drippings. Add the onions, tomatoes with their juice, and the garlic and season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon paprika and salt and pepper to taste. Sauté over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the onions are mostly tender. Pour in the wine and stir and scrape with a wooden spoon to dislodge any browned bits on the bottom of the pot that will contribute flavor to the liquid. Simmer for 3 minutes. Pour in the stock, stir and scrape the bottom again, and simmer for another 3 minutes.

6. Meanwhile, zest the lemon: Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest from half of 1 lemon, being careful to remove only the outermost yellow zest, not the bitter-tasting white pith; reserve the lemon. Add the zest to the pot, along with the bay leaves.

7. The braise: Arrange the lamb shanks on top of the vegetables. The shanks should fit fairly snugly in the pot, but you may need to arrange them “head-to-toe” so they fit more evenly. Don’t worry if they are stacked in two layers. Cover the pot with parchment paper, pressing down so that it nearly touches the lamb and the edges of the paper extend about an inch over the side of the pot. Set the lid in place, slide the pot into the lower part of the oven, and braise for about 2 1/2hours. Check the shanks every 35 to 45 minutes, turning them with tongs and moving those on top to the bottom and vice versa, and making sure that there is still plenty of braising liquid. If the liquid seems to be simmering too aggressively at any point, lower the oven heat by 10 to 15 degrees. If the liquid threatens to dry out, add 1/3cup water. The shanks are done when the meat is entirely tender and they slide off a meat fork when you try to spear them.

8. Segmenting the lemon: While the shanks braise, use a thin-bladed knife (a boning knife works well) to carve the entire peel from the 2 lemons. The easiest way to do this is to first cut off the stem and blossom end of each one so the lemon is flat on the top and bottom. Then stand the lemon up and carve off the peel and white pith beneath it with arcing slices to expose the fruit. Trim away any bits of pith or membrane that you’ve left behind, until you have a whole naked lemon. Now, working over a small bowl to collect the juices, hold a lemon in one hand and cut out the individual segments, leaving as much of the membrane behind as you can. Drop the segments into the bowl, and pick out the seeds as you go. When you finish, you should be holding a random star-shaped membrane with very little fruit pulp attached. Give this a squeeze into the bowl and discard. Repeat with the second lemon.

9. The finish: Transfer the shanks to a tray to catch any juices, and cover with foil to keep warm. Using a wide spoon, skim as much surface fat from the cooking liquid as possible. Lamb shanks tend to throw off quite a bit of fat: continue skimming (tilting the pot to gather all the liquid in one corner makes it easier) until you are satisfied. Set the pot over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Stir in the lemon segments, olives, and parsley. Taste for salt and pepper. Return the shanks to the braising liquid to reheat for a minute or two. Serve with plenty of sauce spooned over each shank.
##### ##### #####
one year ago today @ E.D.T.: Cellar Report: '03 Cameron Pinot Noir & '98 San Vincenti Chianti!

Dinner party, part three: Getting my braise on!

Do people in Florida or San Diego ever braise anything? Is it ever cold enough to get your juices flowing for a slow cooked hunk of protein? Where you want to walk into a warm kitchen filled with the smells of savory ingredients slowly coalescing into a greater good? Hey, the South: do you? I know slow cooking is traditional in lots of Latin American countries, so I assume it works. I suppose it has to do with the fact that as soon as it's nice enough to cook outside here in Portland, say in July, we tend to abandon our ovens here and fire up the 'ques.

That thought just fired across my synapses because in the cold and wet that seems unending this winter, I not only feel the need to braise, it's almost like I HAVE to braise. I need that warmth and comfort that mysteriously gets transferred from my Le Creuset into my body. For the entrée portion of our dinner party last Sunday, I had meat on my mind. Slowly simmering, tender, robustly satisfying beef. Barolo Braised Beef, which I've made before, seemed the perfect solution. It's always amazing that you can take a chunk of tough, inexpensive chuck roast, and through a few simple steps, a few hours where it is left alone, and a little bit of kitchen love and turn it into something so good. This recipe is money. I've dome it three times now, and each time it turns out spectacularly well.


the tool of choice...9-1/2 quarts of high performance pleasure!

One note: as Bill Buford gave up in his excellent book Heat, where he spent time in the Babbo kitchen working the line, DON'T use Barolo for the red wine called for. You may have enough $40+ bottles of Piedmont greatness in your basement, but I don't, and neither does the Babbo kitchen. As Buford points out, they use cheap merlot in the Babbo version and it works just fine. I had an inexpensive southern Italian Nero d'Avola and it was fine.

Wine Pairing: In this night of a mind-numbing number of bottles of wine, I started this course with a fabulous magnum of 2004 Ugo Lequio Barbera d'Alba that was absolutely perfect. Where we went from there starts to get a little bit hazy. The point is this sublime bottle only confirmed my opinion that Barbera from a good producer in a good vintage may be the best food wine in the world!
*** *** *** *** ***
Barolo Braised Beef
adapted from epicurious
from epicurious: "Beef improves in flavor if made 3 days ahead. Cool completely in sauce, uncovered, then chill in sauce, covered. Reheat, covered, in a preheated 350°F oven until hot, 25 to 30 minutes, then slice meat."

mise en place (or prep as most of us call it), the key to stress free cooking








ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 (3- to 3 1/2-lb) boneless beef chuck roast
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 lb sliced pancetta, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
4 (4- to 6-inch) sprigs fresh thyme
2 (6- to 8-inch) sprigs fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups Barolo or other full-bodied red wine such as Ripasso Valpolicella, Gigondas, or Côtes du Rhône (or as noted above, cheap-ass red!-bb)
2 cups water

Special equipment: a 4- to 5-qt heavy ovenproof pot with lid

method:
1-Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325°F.

2-Heat oil in pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Meanwhile, pat meat dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Brown meat in hot oil on all sides, about 10 minutes total. (If bottom of pot begins to scorch, lower heat to moderate.) Transfer to a plate using a fork and tongs.

the flavoring agents bubbling away right before the addition
of our beefy guest of honor

3-Add pancetta to oil in pot and sauté over moderately high heat, stirring frequently, until browned and fat is rendered, about 3 minutes. Add onion, carrot, and celery and sauté, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, and rosemary and sauté, stirring, until garlic begins to soften and turn golden, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine and boil until liquid is reduced by about half, about 5 minutes. Add water and bring to a simmer, then return meat along with any juices accumulated on plate to pot. Cover pot with lid and transfer to oven. Braise until meat is very tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

4-Transfer meat to a cutting board. Skim fat from surface of sauce and discard along with herb stems. Boil sauce until reduced by about one third, about 5 minutes, then season with salt. Cut meat across the grain into 1/2-inch-thick slices and return to sauce.

notes: I was cooking for 7 and grabbed a 4-1/2 pound piece of chuck roast from my meat guy. Don't forget that as the meat braises merrily away it also shrinks in size. We had a couple of meager slices left. For a piece that size I also bumped up all of the other ingredients proportionally, except I didn't add any extra water. Also you will probably have some sauce left over. If yes, I added some canned San Marzanos to bump it up the next night and made a bad-ass pasta sauce!-bb
##### ##### #####
one year ago today @ E.D.T.: Crack olives...just add gin!

Welcoming the Year of the Ox with some awesome baby back ribs!

I'd like to think I have a pretty well rounded cooking repertoire. I've tried a ton of different things. Most successfully (the ones listed in the recipe column at left). Some, um, not so (the kitchen disasters you'll never read about, like the whole pan of lasagna I dumped into the garbage while dinner guests were at the table waiting to eat). One thing I have shockingly never made, and I'm not sure why, is baby back pork ribs. Last night though, we were invited over to our friends Monique and The Handsome One's house to celebrate Chinese New Year. It was a pot luck kind of affair, and I knew our hosts would throw down some incredible food. And they did...it just coming and coming, course after course. I was reeling from the abundance, actually in pain...and stupidly satisfied! Our contribution was w's famous New Year's cake and some baby bok choy I whipped up with garlic oil. I decided this was also the perfect time to break my pork rib virginity. It feeds a lot of people, it's easy, it transports well. Everything was in place. And I thought I had the perfect recipe in the archives, one I've had on my list for about 18 months but hadn't gotten to, not traditionally Chinese, but Asian-esque, Jaden's Baby Back Ribs with Orange-Ginger Glaze from her Steamy Kitchen blog. Jaden has a great food blog filled with, as she calls it, "modern Asian...fast, fresh, and easy". I've made a couple of her things, especially memorable was this awesome Crab and Fuji Apple Salad. Her rib recipe was everything I'd hoped for. The meat was meltingly, fall-off-the-bone tender and her glaze was maybe the best 'que sauce I've ever had, and super easy to make. This was pretty crazy porky goodness, and with your Super Bowl parties this weekend, or any other gathering where you want your guests to heap much love upon you, bring a steaming platter of these out of the kitchen!

Thanks to Jaden, too, for letting me steal the picture from her blog post since I was camera-less!
*** *** *** *** ***
Baby Back Ribs with Orange-Ginger Glaze
from Steamy Kitchen

ingredients:
garlic salt & pepper
Asian Orange-Ginger Glaze
1 tsp grated ginger (use a microplane rasp grater)
1 tblsp minced garlic
1/4 cup minced red onion
1 cup hoisin sauce
1 orange, peel zested with rasp grater & juiced (you should have 1/4 c of juice and about 2 T zest)
1 tblsp mirin
1 tblsp sambal (asian hot chili/garlic paste)
1 tblsp yuzu sauce (you can substitute with lemon juice)

method:
1. Preheat oven to 250. Pat the ribs dry and season both sides liberally with garlic salt and pepper. Place the ribs in a large roasting pan, overlapping is ok. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and place in oven. Roast 4-6 hours (I did 3 racks for a little over four hours and they were perfect!-bb). If you are feeding less than 4 people, then check the ribs after 4 hours, they should be done.

2. To make the glaze: Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add 2 T canola oil, and when hot, add the red onion. Cook until the onion is soft, about 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and the ginger. Cook another minute. Add the remaining ingredients, except for the yuzu sauce. Lower the heat to low and cook down the sauce until it thickens and reduces about 6-8 minutes. The sauce should be sticky and thick. Remove from heat and add the yuzu sauce (or lemon juice). You can also add more freshly grated ginger if you like for the extra kick.

3. The ribs are done when they fall off the bone. Trust me, you’ll know. Try picking up a rib and see how the meat just falls off. Place the ribs in a single layer - you may have to use a baking sheet. Brush the Asian Orange-Ginger Glaze on the tops of the ribs. Broil on high until the sauce bubbles and carmelizes, about 3-5 minutes. Keep a watch on the ribs - don’t burn them!

cook's note: I figured six ribs per person with these. Adjust accordingly to your guest's appetites!

Pigging Out (w/ update)

It has become increasingly apparent to me that I will never become a vegetarian. Not that I aspire to a protein deficient diet or anything, but especially in this cold weather season, nothing tastes better than slow-cooked animal flesh. My friend DOR made an amazing mustard-crusted beef tenderloin roast last weekend. Last night I was over at my other friend's Bill and Martha's where he did some incredible cold-smoked boneless pork chops (paired with a bottle of truly perfect 1998 Chateau St. Jean "Cinq Cepages"). I did my standing beef rib roast for friends a couple of weeks ago, and then last Monday I made a lusciously tender braised pork shoulder for w and me. In my meat-centric dietary hierarchy, pork is rapidly overtaking beef at the top of my carnivorous food pyramid. There are some many fun ways to play with the pig...shoulders, chops, tenderloins, ears, and of course the glory that is bacon and all of its cured cousins like pancetta and prosciuotto.

I happened to have a four pound shoulder in my freezer that needed my attention. Pork shoulder has to be the best deal at your butchers. This particular cut was only $1.20 a pound on sale at my local market. That is insane, especially when you consider that with some slow, low heat the fat and connective tissue melts away, tenderizing and flavoring the meat in a way that only confirms God's good intentions for us to be happy. I looked through various cookbooks, then went on the computer where I this particular recipe on epicurious (it had the all important 95% would make it again rating) which I tweaked ever so slightly. The meat just fell aprt when it was done (in a good way!), and the whole thing was so incredibly simple to put together. That five well placed ingredients could combine to produce this was nothing short of mind-boggling. Oh, and really, really satisfying!
UPDATE 12/19: Check the recipe below as I forgot to add that I put a sprig of rosemary and a few sprigs of thyme in with the pork before braising.
*** *** *** *** ***
Cider-Braised Pork Shoulder with Caramelized Onions
adapted from epicurious
yield: Makes 4 to 6 servings
active time: 30 min
total time: 3 hr

ingredients:
1 (3- to 4-lb) bone-in or boneless fresh pork shoulder (preferably arm picnic)
4 garlic cloves, cut into slivers
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 lb onions (5 or 6 medium), halved lengthwise, then cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1-1/4 cup unfiltered apple cider
1 sprig rosemary
3 or so sprigs thyme

method:
1-Preheat oven to 325°F.

2-Score fat and any skin on pork in a crosshatch pattern. Make slits all over meat with a small sharp knife and insert a garlic sliver in each slit. Pat pork dry and season with salt and pepper.

browning the pork

3-Heat oil in a 4- to 5-quart ovenproof heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown meat on all sides, turning occasionally with the aid of tongs and a carving fork, about 8 minutes. Transfer pork to a plate.

onions being sautéd on their way to sweet caramelization

4-Add onions to pot and sauté over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to turn golden, about 5 minutes. Add 3/4 teaspoon salt and sauté, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden and caramelized, 8 to 10 minutes more. Stir in cider and return pork to pot with rosemary and thyme. Cover pot with a tight-fitting lid and braise pork in middle of oven until very tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

5-Transfer pork to a serving dish with the aid of tongs and carving fork. Boil cooking juices with onions until mixture is reduced to about 2 cups, 2 to 3 minutes, then season with salt and pepper and serve with pork.

Ancho Braised Short Ribs: can you say "more please?"

With those delicious bits of beef above as a starting point, I knew I was in for some meat eatin' satisfaction! I had been craving short ribs for weeks. As always with the onset of cooler weather, anything braise-y and beefy sounds like just what the body needs. Hey, you can't fight evolution. Well, you can, but then you end up as some whacked out creationism advocate...or Sarah Palin. Neither of which are good choices. So I fully embrace my carnivorous tendencies and the responsibilities that come from being atop the food chain. And some tender fall off the bone short ribs are one of the best ways to fulfill the destiny God has in mind for me (a little shout out there for all my God lovin' and fearin' readers).

I have one money recipe for short ribs, and almost did the usual, but then a search on epicurious turned up this southwestern version. It sounded good, and as a nod to those former red states taking a leap of faith and going all blue, I took the leap myself and threw this newfangled thing together the other night, and if I may, in a nod to my beer drinkin', truck drivin' readers, this is one fuckin' incredible plate 'o meat! The sauce is just off the hook, infused with an intense, not-too-spicy smokiness from the chilis. The meat was so insanely tender, too. To have something that requires minimal prep and basically cooks itself come out this good is about as good as it gets, eats wise. It's a crazy good world!
*** *** *** *** ***
Short Ribs Braised in Ancho Chile Sauce
Yield: Makes 4-6 servings
Active Time: 40 min
Total Time: 4 1/2 hr

ingredients:
4 dried ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded, and ribs discarded
2 cups boiling-hot water
1 medium onion, quartered
3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo plus 2 teaspoons adobo sauce
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon salt
6 lb beef short ribs or flanken
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup brewed coffee

method:
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Soak ancho chiles in boiling-hot water until softened, about 20 minutes, then drain in a colander set over a bowl. Taste soaking liquid: It will be a little bitter, but if unpleasantly so, discard it; otherwise, reserve for braising. Transfer ancho chiles to a blender and purée with onion, garlic, chipotles with sauce, maple syrup, lime juice, and 1 teaspoon salt.

Pat ribs dry and sprinkle with pepper and remaining 2 teaspoons salt. Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown ribs in 3 batches, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer as browned to a roasting pan just large enough to hold ribs in 1 layer.

Carefully add chile purée to fat remaining in skillet (it will spatter and steam) and cook over moderately low heat, stirring frequently, 5 minutes. Add reserved chile soaking liquid (or 1 1/2 cups water) and coffee and bring to a boil, then pour over ribs (liquid should reach about halfway up sides of meat).

Cover roasting pan tightly with foil and braise ribs until very tender, 3 to 3 1/2 hours. Skim fat from pan juices. Serve ribs with pan juices.

Cooks' note: Ribs improve in flavor if braised 2 days ahead. Cool completely, uncovered, then chill, ribs covered directly with parchment or wax paper and roasting pan covered with foil. Remove any solidified fat before reheating.