At the heart of this dish, wine-braised short ribs create a rich, savory foundation that
beautifully echoes the dried herbs and depth of our 2023 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. A silky celery root purée adds subtle nuttiness and creamy weight, enhancing the wine’s structure and supple mouthfeel. Brightened with radicchio and pear slaw, the dish finishes with gentle sweetness, fresh acidity, and a touch of bitterness—bringing balance, contrast, and harmony to every bite and sip.
Serves 2 | Cook time: 4+ hours
INGREDIENTS
For the short ribs
2 bone-in short ribs
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 celery stick, washed and diced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 onion, peeled and quartered
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 bottle red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon on Barolo)
1 tsp dried fennel seeds
1 tsp dried oregano
Salt and pepper
For the Celery Root Pure
2 bulbs celery root
3 cloves garlic
1 potato
2 tbsp butter
¼ cup heavy cream
¼ cup whipping cream
Pinch nutmeg
For the Radicchio Slaw
1 pear
½ small radicchio
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp good olive oil
Salt and pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
- Season the short ribs generously with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Place a heavy bottomed pot with a lid over medium heat. Coat the bottom with oil (I love to cook with olive oil, but you can use a neutral alternative if you’d like).
- Add the short ribs and brown them evenly, reduce the heat if it begins to smoke, and continue until each side is nicely browned. Remove from the pot to a towel-lined plate. Drain off the excess oil and return the pot over medium heat.
- Add the mirepoix (onion, celery, carrots and garlic), and sauté until softened and slightly browned.
- Stir in 1 tbsp tomato paste, return the short ribs to the pot and pour in the bottle of red wine. If the wine doesn’t cover the short ribs, add a few cups of water or stock until it covers them. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cover. Braise until the meat is fork tender, roughly 4 hours.
- Remove the short ribs to a clean plate. Drain the braising liquid through a fine meshed sieve into a separate pot and simmer until reduced to a delicious demi glaze. (*chef’s note* you want it to be nappe meaning it’s thick enough to evenly coat the back of a spoon. You can test this by dipping a spoon into the sauce and swiping your finger across the back of the spoon. If the line remains set, then the sauce is ready.)
- An hour before you want to eat, make the celery root purée. Peel the celery roots, dice them and quickly place them in a pot of water so they don’t brown. Add the garlic, season with salt and cook until fork tender. Reserve 2 cups of the liquid before draining the rest.
- Peel the potato, quarter it, and place it in a small pot with water. Bring to a boil, season with salt, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Simmer until fork tender (roughly 10 minutes). Drain.
- Warm the milk and cream together in a pot.
- Place the cooked potato, celery root and garlic into a food processor with ½ cup of reserved celery root cooking water. Add the butter and puree. Slowly drizzle in the warm milk/cream mixture until the puree is smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Using your sharpest knife, cut the radicchio into thin ribbons and place in a mixing bowl. Cut the pear into quarters and slice as thinly as possible. Place in the mixing bowl with the radicchio. Drizzle with olive oil and a tsp of champagne vinegar, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and stir to combine.
- Serve the short ribs hot over the celery root pure, drizzled with warm demi glaze and finish with a pile of radicchio slaw.