Stout-braised short ribs with horseradish & carrots

Method

• step 1

  Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 2. Heat the oil in a casserole dish and brown the short ribs well on all sides – this will take about 10 mins. Remove the ribs to a plate, then fry the onion and celery in the dish for 5 mins. Stir in the herbs and flour, and cook for a few minutes, then stir in the sugar, stout and stock, and bring to a simmer. Add the horseradish cream and some seasoning, then nestle the ribs into the sauce. Cover the pan and cook in the oven for 1 hr.

• step 2

  Peel the carrots, keeping them whole. Remove the stew from the oven, stir gently and add the carrots. Cover and return to the oven for 2 hrs more until the ribs are tender. You can now serve the stew in a rustic style, as is. Alternatively, gently remove the ribs and carrots to a board. Strain the sauce through a sieve into a saucepan and bring to the boil, skimming off any froth that rises to the surface. Simmer for 5 mins until reduced by a third. Tip the reduced sauce back into the casserole dish, add back the ribs and carrots, and simmer for a few minutes to reheat the meat. Divide between plates and serve.