Short Ribs and Squash in a Caramel Sauce

After successfully grilling some shrimp lately on my grill pan, it struck me that it might be more useful than I’d previously thought. I’d long ago decided it wasn’t much good for boneless chicken breasts (then again, those aren’t usually much good grilled anyway) and I retired the pan. Steve Raichlen’s Argentinian beef short ribs, though, turned out really well on it:

We’ve really taken to short ribs lately, which we had as part of the grilled sampler on a recent visit to Sasa Matsu. They are about the same price per serving as sirloin but are a lot more tender and flavorful. The recipe for these is really simple. You rub a mixture of equal parts salt, pepper, oregano and hot pepper flakes on both sides of the ribs. Drizzle with some olive oil and press on some finely chopped fresh garlic. Let them sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (preferably longer) and then grill on each side 4–6 minutes. Raichlen prefers these cooked to medium, and I would tend to agree. Salsa is a good accompaniment, but I didn’t have any onhand. Be sure to buy flanken cut ribs, which are easy to find at Giant Eagle and Whole Foods. Regular ribs take hours (not minutes) to cook.

The squash in a caramel sauce may have actually been the more impressive dish considering the complexity of the flavors. The carmelized sugar sauce is a Vietnamese technique that is more commonly used with meat, but it works with vegetables and tofu as well. Here’s the recipe from Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything Vegetarian:

Braised winter squash in caramel sauce

Serves 4

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 1/2 to 2 pounds any winter squash, cleaned and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh chile (like jalapeño or Thai) to taste, or hot red pepper flakes

Add garlic and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften, about 5 minutes. Add squash, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and stir to coat.

Turn heat down to medium-low, cover, and cook, undisturbed, for about 3 minutes. Uncover the pan, stir, and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the squash can be pierced easily with a fork, about 10 minutes. Stir in the chile. Taste, adjust the seasoning, and serve.

Don’t be put off by the idea of caramel in a savory dish. The addition of sherry vinegar, loads of garlic and hot pepper make for a wonderful combination of sweet, sour, slightly bitter (the caramel) and hot. You’ve probably never tasted anything like it before.

The Guinness pictured above paired well with both of these dishes. Stout is often used in short rib braises, and a bittersweet beer goes very well with a bittersweet caramel sauce.