Suggested food pairing for PerryMoore's 2005 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Slow-Braised Short Ribs With Garlic-Cabernet Reduction

• 8 beef short ribs, about 8 ounces each
• 1 tablespoon corn or vegetable oil
• 1 cup flour
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 ½ cups yellow onion, diced into ½"-inch pieces
• 1 ½ cups carrots, diced into ½"-inch pieces
• 24 garlic cloves, crushed
• 4 cups cabernet (or other red wine)
• 8 cups veal and/or beef stock
• 4 small bay leaves
• Lemon juice to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon butter (optional)

Season beef ribs well on both sides with salt and pepper. Season flour with salt and pepper. Dredge ribs on all sides in seasoned flour, making sure to shake off excess flour before searing.

In a large, thick-bottomed pan, sear the ribs in oil until they are dark-golden brown all over. If meat seems more grey than brown in color, turn up heat. Once browned, remove ribs from pan.

Add onions, carrots, and garlic to pan and sauté for 5 minutes, until vegetables have softened slightly.

Add the red wine. Bring to a boil and cook until wine has reduced by two-thirds. Add the stock and bay leaves and bring to a boil again.

Return ribs to pan. Immediately remove from heat and cover very tightly with aluminum foil. Place pan in oven and cook for 3 to 3 ½ hours, until meat falls easily off the bone.

Take pan out of oven. Transfer ribs to a plate or sheet pan and cover with foil.

Pass sauce through a fine-meshed strainer, pressing firmly to extract as much flavor as possible. Skim any excess oil off the top of the sauce.

Place a heavy saucepan over high heat and allow the pan to become very hot. Slowly ladle sauce into it, watching it simmer until large bubbles form. Continue to add sauce ladle by ladle until all has reduced and sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon.

Season with additional salt and pepper and add a few drops of lemon juice to taste. If desired, add a pat of butter to finish sauce.

Serve with mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables.

Serves 8