Braised Painted Hills Beef Short Ribs with Mushroom and Fig Risotto and Cabernet-Olive Jus

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs boneless beef short ribs, cut into 6-7 oz rectangles
• ½ cup kosher salt
• ¼ cup coarse cracked pepper
• ½ yellow onion, peeled and quartered
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 jalapeño pepper, halved
• 1 orange, quartered
• 2 sprigs sage
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• ½ cup tomato paste
• ½ bottle J. Lohr Estates Seven Oaks Cabernet
• 1 cup honey

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 300°F. 
2. Generously coat all sides of short ribs with salt and pepper, and sauté on high for two minutes per side. 
3. Place all remaining ingredients in a heavy-bottom pan large enough to allow two inches on each side and four inches from the top. 
4. Place short ribs into the pan on top of the vegetables, then cover with water, leaving two inches from the top of the pan. 
5. Cover pan with aluminum foil and cook for three and a half to four hours.

Cabernet-Olive Jus

Ingredients:

• ½ cup shallots, minced
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 1 bottle J. Lohr Estates Seven Oaks Cabernet
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp. kosher salt
• 1 Tbsp. cracked pepper
• 1½ cups kalamata olives, pitted

Instructions:

1. In medium saucepot, sauté shallots and rosemary for two minutes. 
2. Add the J. Lohr Estates Cabernet, sugar, salt, pepper and olives. 
3. Reduce on low heat until syrupy, approximately one hour. 
4. Reserve for later.

Risotto

Ingredients:

• 2 cups carnaroli rice (generic Arborio may be substituted)
• ½ yellow onion, diced
• ½ cup olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. salt
• 1 Tbsp. pepper
• 1 cup J. Lohr Estates Riverstone Chardonnay
• 3 cups water, divided into 3 1-cup portions
• 3 cups oyster mushrooms, chopped
• 1 cup dried figs, quartered
• 2 cups spinach, stems removed

Instructions:

1. In medium saucepan, sauté onion and rice in oil for five minutes until translucent, then add salt and pepper. 
2. Add J. Lohr Estates Chardonnay and one third of the water. 
3. Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly until water has cooked out. 
4. Repeat process with remaining water. 
5. After adding the final batch of water, add mushrooms, figs and spinach, and cook until creamy.

Plating

1. Spoon risotto onto center of plate, place short rib on top of risotto, and spoon sauce over and around. 
2. Open a bottle of J. Lohr Estates Seven Oaks Cabernet and enjoy!