Braised Hoisin Beer Short Ribs with Creamy Mashed Yukons and Sesame Snow Peas

Ingredients

For the ribs:

• 3 pounds beef short ribs, about 10 ribs
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 10 to 12 garlic cloves smashed
• 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch slices
• 12 ounces good ale (recommended: Bass)
• 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 cup hoisin sauce
• Creamy Mashed Yukons, recipe follows
• Sesame Snow Peas, recipe follows

Directions

Season the ribs generously with salt and pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in a large heavy pot with a lid (Dutch oven) over high heat. Brown the ribs on all sides, in batches if necessary. Remove the ribs and pour off all but a couple tablespoons of the rendered fat.

Return the pot to the stove, lower the heat to medium and saute the garlic and ginger for about 3 minutes. Add the ribs back to the pot. Add the beer and the vinegar. Stir and then cover and simmer for 2 1/2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Pour the hoisin sauce over the ribs, move the pot to the oven, and cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

Remove ribs and ginger from sauce. Strain fat from the top of the pot so that you're left with just the good stuff. Serve with Creamy Mashed Yukons and Sesame Snow Peas.

3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled

1/2 stick butter, melted

1 cup half-and-half

Salt and pepper

1 bunch chives, chopped

Boil potatoes until fork tender. Heat the butter and half-and-half over medium heat until hot, but not boiling. Drain the potatoes, return them to the pot and mash with a hand masher. Add hot liquid to potatoes and whip with an electric hand mixer until smooth. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Add chives and mix before serving.

1 pound snow peas

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon dark sesame oil

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Salt and pepper

Rinse the peas and trim off the ends. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add the oils and heat. Add snow peas and saute until bright green, about 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and toss.