Time for a recipe......

This one is out of Pete Evans "Healthy Every Day" cookbook.  Well worth purchasing.  Don't be put off by the number of ingredients or steps to cooking.  It is, actually, very easy and well worth cooking.  The aroma that comes out of the kitchen as the ribs are baking is a feast to the senses and this is one of the tastiest dishes I've tasted. The flavour combinations dance on the tongue.  And, the bonus....it's also healthy!

CINNAMON-BRAISED SHORT RIBS WITH PUMPKIN

2 tabsps coconut oil (the new olive oil!)

1kg beef short ribs, bone in

100g spring onion roughly chopped

2 large carrots, roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

400g can chopped tomatoes

5 thyme sprigs

2 rosemary sprigs

zest of 1/2 orange, peeled off in long strips with a vegetable peeler

1 bay leaf

2 cinnamon sticks (I only had one and it still tasted of cinnamon)

1 star anise

2 tsps licorice root powder (I didn't have this so left it out)

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

sea salt

300g butternut pumpkin (I used Jap), cut into 2.5cm cubes

100g silverbeet

3 tabsps toasted, chopped hazlenuts

GREMOLATA

2 tabsps roughly chopped parsley

finely grated zest of 1 large lemon

2 garlic cloves, crushed

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees

Place a large, heavy-based, flameproof casserole dish over high heat and add the oil.  When this is smoking hot, add the ribs in small batches and sear on all sides, browning well for about 4 mins.  Transfer the ribs to a paper towel lined plate to drain off excess fat.

Remove most of the fat from the dish and add the spring onion, carrot and garlic.  Place over medium-high heat and sauté, stirring occasionally for about 10 mins or until the vegetables are golden brown.  Stir in the tomatoes.  Tie the thyme and rosemary sprigs together with kitchen string and drop in as well then add the orange zest, bay leaf, cinnamon sticks, star anise, liquorice root powder, pepper and some salt.

Place the ribs on the sauce in one layer.  Cover first with a sheet of baking paper that has been rinsed under a tap, then with two layers of alfoil.  Transfer to the oven and bake for 2-3 hours.  Remove from the oven and lift the ribs from the sauce, and set aside.  

Add the pumpkin and 300ml water to the sauce and bring to the boil on the stovetop.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 30 minutes.  (I had a to add a little more water as the sauce reduced too quickly).  Stir through the silverbeet and hazelnuts and cook for about 5 mins or until the silver beet is just tender.  Return the ribs to the sauce for 1-2 minutes until warmed through.  Season.

To make the gremolata, simply mix the parsley, lemon zest and garlic together.  Transfer the ribs and sauce to a serving bowl and scatter a little gremolata on top.