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Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 2 ½ -3 hours
Serves: 4
For the short ribs
4 Irish grass-fed beef short ribs, 2in/5cm wide and cut through the bone to 3in/7.5cm lengths, about 350g/12oz each
2 tbsp flour
2 onions, peeled, roughly chopped
2 celery sticks, trimmed and roughly chopped
1 carrot, peeled, roughly chopped
1 tbsp tomato purée
300ml/ ½ pint fl oz O'haras Celtic Stout
1.5litres/2 ½ pints beef stock
1 bay leaf
Few sprigs fresh thyme
3 garlic cloves, peeled, roughly chopped
5 black peppercorns
For the champ
900g/2lb potatoes
1 bunch spring onions, trimmed and thinly sliced
150ml/ ¼ pint warm milk
75g/3oz Cuinneog butter
Method:
· Preheat the oven to 220*C/fan oven 200*C/Gas mark 7. Season the beef ribs with salt and freshly ground black pepper and dust with the flour. Place them in a roasting tray with the onion, celery and carrot and roast for 20 minutes, then turn the short ribs over and roast for a further 15 minutes.
· When cooked, transfer the vegetables and ribs to a heavy-bottomed saucepan or casserole dish, leaving the fat and juices behind, and set aside.
· Put the roasting tray with the fat and juices over a low heat. Add the tomato purée and cook for a minute, stirring. Gradually add the stout and beef stock, whisking well until smooth and incorporating all the lovely caramelised bits from the bottom of the roasting tin. Bring to the boil.
· Pour the gravy over the short ribs and vegetables and place over a medium heat. Add the bay leaf, thyme, garlic and peppercorns. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and cover.
· Bring to the boil, then simmer gently for 2-2 ½ hours, or until the meat is tender: it should be almost falling off the bone without being too soft.
· Fifteen minutes before the ribs have finished cooking, cook the potatoes in lightly salted boiling water. Remove the short ribs and keep warm.
· Bring the gravy to the boil and cook for about 10 minutes until reduced by a third. Season to taste. Drain the potatoes. Melt the butter in the saucepan and add the spring onions and saute for 1 minute.
· Add the potatoes and mash. Add as much warm milk to make a soft light mixture. Season to taste.
· Spoon the champ onto warmed serving plates. Arrange the short rib standing up pushed into the champ and Strain over the gravy. Serve with buttered fine green beans and carrots.