Entertaining...The Dinner Party Part III: The Main Course

And now, for the main event!

Catch up on Part I (planning) here, and Part II (h'ors d'oeuvres) here.

As I said before, I think it is important to choose a meal that won't keep you glued to the stove the entire night. After all, it is your party and you should be able to enjoy yourself too.

This pasta dish was a no-brainer choice for me. I know I can't shut up about how great it was in the restaurant, but that is because it was in fact that great, and I needed it it my life. Aside from deliciousness, everything can be made ahead of time so there is very little last minute work. And truthfully, the short ribs should be made at least a day ahead because they are better when the flavors have time to meld a little.

This is definitely a time-intensive dish, but if you aren't making your own pasta, it comes together pretty easily. That being said, this isn't something I would recommend for a busy weeknight meal. Save this for a special occasion.

Pappardelle Pasta with Short Rib Ragu and Horseradish Cream
Makes 8 Servings

1 tsp olive oil
4-6 lbs bone-in short ribs
2 onions
8-10 cloves garlic
4 carrots
2 stalks celery
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
3 cups beef broth
2 cups red wine
3 tsp fresh thyme
2 tsp fresh oregano
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper

1 cup chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 to 1/2 cup grated horseradish (I could only find the jarred, I think fresh would have been better...but prepared worked fine)

Pappardelle Pasta (I used this recipe, you could also just purchase dried pasta)

1. Heat oven to 325. Roughly chop onions, garlic, carrots, celery, thyme, and oregano. Set aside.

2. Heat oil in a large oven-safe pot over medium-high (or regular pot, because you can use your crockpot instead of the oven later). Generously season short ribs with salt and pepper and cook a few at a time until they are browned on all sides. Set browned ribs aside.

3. Remove all but 2 TB fat from pot. Add the carrots, celery, onions, and garlic. Sauté until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the thyme, oregano, and bay leaves. Cook until fragrant, 2-3 minutes more. Stir in tomatoes, broth, and wine, stirring to scrape up any brown bits. Return ribs to pot, arranging to make sure all are submerged in liquid. Bring to boil, cover, and place in oven. Cook until meat is falling from bone, 3 - 3 1/2 hours.

Note: You can also cook ribs in crockpot instead of the oven. Transfer everything to large slow cooker and cook on low until tender and falling from bone, about 6-8 hours.

4. Let ribs and sauce cool. Remove and discard bay leaves. Remove bones and meat from sauce, set aside. Skim as much fat as possible from the sauce. Then using an immersion blender (or a regular blender or food processor) blend liquid and veggies to make a semi-smooth sauce. Tear ribs into 2-3 inch pieces, discarding bones and any extremely fatty sections. Return meat to sauce, and season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Cover and store in fridge until ready to serve. Can be made up to 3 days ahead of time.

5. To make horseradish cream: stir together cream, chicken broth, and 1/4 cup horseradish (freshly grated or prepared) in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to boil and reduce heat to medium-low and continue to simmer until reduced by half, about 20 minutes. Taste and add more horseradish if desired. Set aside until ready to serve. Can be made up to 6 hours ahead of time.

6. To serve: heat short ribs over medium heat. Cook pasta to al dente. Top pasta with short rib ragu and a dollop of horseradish cream.

Note:  If you are making fresh pasta, the dough can be rolled and cut up to 4 hours ahead of time.  Let cut pasta sit at room temp, lightly dust with flour and place in single layers between sheets of waxed paper.  Boil pasta as usual, ~3 minutes.