Red wine braised short ribs with risotto

Nearly everyone loves to love the famous soft and succulent red blend Baronne, which celebrates its 50^th vintage this year. It is, after all, one of Mzansi’s best-loved wines of all time.

Now pair that gentle, juicy mouth-filler with a melt-in-your-mouth dish of short ribs imagined in a uniquely local way by street food pro-Chef Nti (aka Nthabiseng Ramaboa).

Cooked to tender-soft perfection, they’re served on a bed of lerotse maize rice risotto. What better way to mark a half-century of this noble red blend? Call it isimbambo ezimfushane served with Italian-inspired iraysisi lommbila. You’re going to love it, whichever way you mouth it. Recipe compliments of Nederburg Wines.

Ingredients

Red wine braised beef short ribs

• 2kg bone-in, beef short ribs
• 2 tbsp salt
• 3 tbsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped
• 3 celery sticks, finely chopped
• 2 medium-sized carrots, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 cups Nederburg Baronne 2022
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 cups beef stock
• Finely chopped flatleaf parsley, for serving

Lerotse risotto 

• 1 cup lerotse purée (or pumpkin purée as substitute)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp butter, about 30g
• ½ onion, finely diced
• 1 celery stick, very finely diced
• 400g maize rice, cooked (but undercooked by 10 minutes)
• 120ml Nederburg white wine, such as Heritage Heroes The Anchor Man Chenin Blanc 2021
• 500ml chicken stock, hot
• 50g Parmesan cheese, finely grated
• 3 tbsp crème fraîche
• Micro cress to serve
• 2 tbsp white sugar
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced

Method

Red wine braised beef short ribs

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C with a rack in the center position. Generously season the short ribs with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the oil just begins to smoke, working in batches, add the short ribs and cook until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
2. Transfer the ribs to a plate. Remove all but 2 tbsp fat from the pot. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion, celery and carrots, cook, stirring constantly, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 more minute.
3. Add the tomato paste, stirring to combine.
4. Pour in the wine to deglaze and stir to incorporate. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and allow the liquid to reduce by ⅓, about 15 minutes.
5. Return the ribs to the pan along with any collected juices. Add the bay leaves, thyme and beef stock.
6. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, cover the pot and transfer it to the oven. Cook until the ribs are tender and falling off the bone, about 2 hours. Discard the bay leaves and thyme stems. Using tongs, transfer the meat to a serving platter and tent with foil to keep warm.

Lerotse risotto

1. Heat oil and butter in a round casserole and add onion and celery with a little salt. Fry for 5 minutes until translucent.
2. Add the maize rice and stir well, ensuring every grain is coated in oil. Fry to toast and cook the maize rice for another 3 minutes. Pour in the wine and let it bubble until it’s almost all evaporated.
3. Add the stock a ladleful at a time, stirring constantly. Taking care to keep the risotto dry. Adding more stock only once the last ladleful has been absorbed.
4. Once the rice is almost cooked, stir through the pureé, and cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring regularly. Once the rice and vegetables are cooked, stir through the Parmesan, crème fraîche, lemon zest and juice, and season to taste.

To serve

Serve the braised short ribs with the lerotse risotto, and garnish with flatleaf parsley.