Mediterranean Shortribs

A wonderfully aromatic braise with an Eastern Mediterranean flavour. Shortribs are favourite cut to stew. The bones add flavour and the meat stays juicy. Baking the ribs without any sauce at the end improves the texture, but this is optional step.

Make this a day ahead. After they have been refrigerated it is easy to remove the fat. The taste also improves as the shortribs marinate in the sauce.
Ingredients :

• 2 tbsp. ground coriander
• 2 tbsp. ground cumin
• 1 tbsp. freshly ground pepper
• 2 tsp. ground fennel seeds
• 6 racks shortribs, about 1-1/2 inches thick
• salt
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 3 cups beef stock
• 12 whole peeled garlic cloves
• 18 pitted green olives

Cooking Procedures :

1. Preheat oven to 300°F.  Prepare a casserole and a baking sheet.
2. In a small bowl, combine coriander, cumin, pepper and fennel.  Rub ribs with half the spice mixture.  Season ribs with salt.
3. Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Brown shortribs, in batches, for about 2 minutes per side.  Transfer to a casserole.
4. Pour off fat, wipe out skillet and add remaining 1 tbsp. oil.  Reduce heat to medium-low.  Add onions to skillet and cook for 10 minutes, or until very soft and slightly browned.  Add reserved spice mixture and sauté for 1 minute.  Add wine and bring to a boil.  Add thyme and stock and return to a boil.
5. Pour sauce over shortribs.  Bake, covered, for about 1 hour.  Add garlic and bake for 30 minutes longer.  Add olives and bake for 45 minutes, or until meat is very tender.
6. Remove meat from sauce and place on a baking sheet.  Skim fat from sauce.  Increase oven temperature to 400°F.  Bake shortribs for 15 minutes to brown them.  Return ribs to sauce (remove meat from bones if preferred) and reheat.
7. Makes 6 servings.