Red Wine-Braised Short Ribs with Vegetables

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Boil wine, broth, and thyme in a 6- to 7-quart wide heavy pot until reduced to about 5 cups, about 30 minutes, then pour through a fine sieve into a heatproof bowl.

   Step 2

   Cook whole shallots in oil in cleaned pot over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until golden, about 6 minutes. Add garlic cloves and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is golden and shallots are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a plate, reserving fat in pot.

   Step 3

   Pat ribs dry and season well with salt and pepper. Heat fat in pot over high heat, then sear ribs in 3 batches until browned on all sides, about 4 minutes per batch, transferring with tongs to a bowl. Pour off any fat in pan.

   Step 4

   Return ribs, shallots, garlic, and reduced wine to pot with jelly and salt to taste, then simmer, covered, without stirring, 1 3/4 hours.

   Step 5

   After meat has been simmering 1 1/4 hours, peel carrots, then cut carrots and zucchini diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Peel potatoes.

   Step 6

   Add potatoes and carrots to pot (don't stir) and simmer, covered, until ribs are tender and potatoes and carrots are just tender, about 30 minutes.

   Step 7

   Add zucchini to pot (don't stir) and simmer, covered, until just tender, about 6 minutes.

   Step 8

   Transfer meat and vegetables with a slotted spoon to a large serving dish. Discard any loose bones and keep meat and vegetables warm, covered.

   Step 9

   Skim fat from sauce and reserve 1 tablespoon fat. Stir reserved fat into flour in a small bowl to make a dry paste. Thin paste with 2 tablespoons warm sauce. Bring sauce to a boil and whisk in half of flour paste until thickened. (If necessary, whisk more paste into boiling sauce until thickened to desired consistency.) Simmer sauce, whisking occasionally, about 3 minutes. Pour over meat and vegetables.