The famed Napa Valley winery, Robert Mondavi, is celebrating their 50th anniversary by inspiring cooks to create seasonal recipes paired with their favorite wines. Enter, the beef short rib and red wine risotto.
The Napa Valley wine region has a terrior that is perfect for growing Cabernet Sauvignon and this red wine is one of the bottles that has bolstered Robert Mondavi winery’s fine reputation over the past 50 years. Loaded with flavors of dark fruits and warm spices and herbaceous notes, this wine is made to be enjoyed with favorite winter fare. We tried a bottle from the 2014 vintage and found it to be elegant, rich, and velvety on the tongue. A perfect pair to a classic beef short rib with a more-classy-than-usual red wine risotto. 
Ingredients
Braise
- salt and pepper
- 2 Tablespoons grapeseed oil
- 1 medium yellow onion (large diced)
- 1 large leek (large diced)
- 3 ribs celery (large diced)
- 2 large carrots (large diced)
- 1 head garlic (split)
- 2 cups medium bodied red wine
- 1 bunch English thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 Tablespoon black peppercorns
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 1 large pinch of salt
Risotto
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 4 teaspoons grapeseed oil
- 3 cups carnaroli rice
- 1 bunch English thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
- 1 cup medium bodied red wine
- Beef braising liquid (should be about 5 cups)
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 2 large pinches salt
- 2 teaspoons creme fraiche (can sub mascarpone or butter)
- 2 lemons (juiced)
- 1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 bunches of chives (minced)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300F.
- Heat large braising pot. Season ribs all over with salt and pepper.
- Once pot is hot, brown meat on all sides.
- Remove meat from pan and pour out grease. Add new oil and brown vegetables on medium heat for 4 minutes.
- Add the wine and reduce heat to a simmer. Tie up herbs and peppercorns in a cheese cloth and add to pot.
- Once the wine has reduced by half, return the ribs to pot and add chicken stock. Add a pinch of salt.
- Bring to a simmer, cover and put in oven. Cook for 2-3.5 hours, ribs are done when they easily pull apart.
- Let cool for one hour. Remove meat from bones and dice to 1 inch bites. Reserve liquid for risotto.
Risotto
- Cut onion into a small dice. Heat oil in a large pot and then turn heat to low and add onions. Saute for 5 minutes and add rice.
- Toast rice for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Tie up herbs and spices in cheese cloth and add to pan.
- Add red wine and cook for 5 minutes.
- Reheat the braising liquid and chicken stock.
- Add a couple ladles of liquid and stir into rice. Season with salt and stir. Repeat the adding of liquid until the rice is cooked. It should take about 20 minutes to be al dente.
- If serving immediately, add in the meat, creme fraiche, lemon juice and half of the cheese. Stir and taste. Serve with chives and remaining cheese.
- Category: Main
This sounds delicious! The perfect comfort food recipe!
Rachael xx.
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