Recipe: Short Rib Pot au Feu

Last Sunday, I skimmed through The Zuni Cafe Cookbook for weeknight dinner inspiration and found this recipe for pot au feu -- basically braised meat with herbs and root vegetables. Lane requested short ribs so we could make a beef and onion gratin with the leftovers, but we never got to that part because I gave myself food poisoning from eating my raw biscuit dough. I didn't much feel like cooking after a couple days on a diet of Pepto-Bismol and saltines.

Short Rib Pot au Feu (adapted from The Zuni Cafe Cookbook)
4 lbs short ribs

2 quarts chicken or beef stock

2 small yellow onions, root ends trimmed, peeled and halved

2 bay leaves

2 whole cloves

4 black peppercorns, lightly cracked

1 small branch fresh thyme

2 large carrots, peeled and chopped into inch-long pieces

2 medium leeks, trimmed, cleaned and quartered lengthwise

1 medium celery root, peeled and quartered

2 white turnips, peeled and quartered

1 parsnip, peeled and quartered

Season the meat with salt and let sit at room temperature for at least two hours. Fill a tall stock pot with cold water (enough to cover the ribs) and set over high heat. When the water is warm to the touch, add the meat and a teaspoon of salt and bring to a simmer. Simmer for two minutes, drain and rinse the meat in cold water and wash out the pot. Place the meat back in the clean pot and just cover with stock. Add enough cold water to completely cover. Bring to a simmer and skim any foam. Add the onions, bay leaves, cloves, peppercorns and the thyme and stir. Cooked uncovered at a steady and gentle simmer for one hour, occasionally skimming. Then add the carrots, leeks, celery root, turnips and parsnips. Add more stock or water as needed and simmer for about another hour, or until the meat is yielding but not soft. Take the meat out of the pot and slide it off the bones. Cut thick slices across the grain. Serve with chunks of the vegetables and a splash of broth.