French Fridays-Pancetta Green Beans and Short Ribs in Red Wine and Port

It's a two-fer this week!

I saved last weeks recipe (pancetta green beans) for this week to make alongside this weeks recipe (short ribs in red wine and port) and I'm glad I did!

First the pancetta green beans-

I have made green beans in this way before but used bacon instead of pancetta.  So this time I went out to the local grocer for pancetta.  There is was in the deli case.  After I picked myself up off the floor, which was where I landed once I saw the price per pound, ($12) I decided that I would use bacon in this yet again. 

(side note: be prepared to pay more per pound for bacon in the US come April)

The other difference in this dish opposed to the one I make, is the addition of butter to the pan to saute the green beans in.  What a difference too!  This was tender crisp, and salty.  The butter tied everything together nicely.  Super easy!  A definite dish to prepare again and again.




and now the short ribs in red wine and port-



Since I was preparing this for just 2 of us, I halved the recipe using 6 short ribs.  Once again instead of a bouquet garni with fresh herbs, I dumped dried herbs in the pot.   Also, instead of a port wine I used additional red wine.  I did have plenty of a very nice syrah on hand.

The preparation of this recipe, and several I have made, fit nicely into my daily schedule.  The long, slow cooking and preparing it the day before it is to be served.  I am able to start a process, tend to the grand-kids, return to the kitchen in time for the next process then return to the kids.  I let this sit in the refrigerator overnight.

The only drawback to the long preparation is the incredibly good smells that come from the stove!  I think my DH was a little disappointed when he came in from work and could smell the deliciousness in the air, and even peeked in the pot that was on the counter cooling a bit before going into the refrigerator, then realizing we were having something totally different that night!

Good things come to those who wait?

Patience is a virtue?

Well, for sure, good things came to those of us who waited until the second day to eat these short ribs!


Getting this to the table the second day was very easy.  I appreciated the fact that the fat was so easily removed from the top of the lovely sauce! 

Simple glazing of the ribs, pop under the broiler, grate some orange zest, combine with chopped garlic and parsley and viola!  Fantastic, super-delicious, melt in your mouth food!

This one got rave reviews all the way around!

Even though I only made 6 short ribs, there was still a few left-over, though, nobody is complaining about having to eat this again!




I have marked this recipe as a repeat!  I don't think anyone will tire of eating this!