Tender Vittles

With the right preparation, short ribs become melt-in-your-mouth good.

By Rachel Travers, Globe Staff  |  March 6, 2005

Short ribs are an odd cut of meat. Little rectangles taken from one of the tougher parts of the cow, they can be chewy. But once lovingly braised, the ribs become tender, and many chefs elevate them to a winning position on the winter plate.

The hearty meat marries well with winter vegetables. At Icarus in the South End, the sweet potato soup contains braised short ribs off the bone, topped with fried leeks and thyme. The bright, sweet soup is "not made with any stock," says chef-owner Chris Douglass, "so the short rib gives that meaty richness that stock adds. In this one bowl of soup, you can get multiple flavors."

Douglas Organ, chef-owner of Arbor in Jamaica Plain, likes to braise short ribs with red wine. He offers the slow-cooked meat on the bone, served on a bed of celeriac and potato puree and crowned with roasted pieces of celeriac and shallots. The dish is finished with French oil-cured olives and a touch of fresh thyme.

At Prose, a modest storefront restaurant in Arlington, chef-owner Deborah Shore serves her short ribs in a maple syrup/mushroom soy/ horseradish demiglace. The meat arrives at the table on the bone, but, she notes, "I can never promise that the short ribs will stay on the bone." Like the other chefs, Shore uses the earthiness of root vegetables to complement the rich meat. A mash of wintered parsnips might serve as a bed (and just-dug parsnips means spring is not far off).

Braised to Perfection

ARBOR 711 Centre Street, Jamaica Plain, 617-522-1221, www.arborjp.com

ICARUS 3 Appleton Street, Boston, 617-426-1790, www.icarusrestaurant.com

PROSE 352A Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington, 781-648-2800