Marx Foods Sweet to Savory Recipe Challenge: Vanilla Cola Braised Short Ribs over Garlic Mashed Red Potatoes and Green Beans

Vanilla Cola Braised Short Ribs over Garlic Mashed Red Potatoes and Green Beans

 

 

I was so excited to be chosen by Marx Foods to participate in their Sweet to Savory recipe challenge. All the contestants were mailed vanilla beans, fennel herb crystals, coconut sugar and granulated honey. The challenge was to use at least two of these four ingredients in not a SWEET dish but a SAVORY dish. The prize is $100 credit to Marx Foods! Click on the "Sweet To Savory" link to vote for my recipe. Here is what I came up with...

 

Serves: 4

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 40 minutes

 

Short Ribs

¼ c. vegetable oil

3 lbs. beef short ribs

½ c. onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 c. cola

½ c. soy sauce

1 Marx Foods vanilla bean, split

1 T. Marx Foods coconut sugar

1 t. garlic powder

½ t smoked paprika

¼ t. cayenne pepper

Garlic Mashed Red Potatoes

Water, for boiling

8 medium red potatoes, halved

½ c. milk

1 clove garlic, minced

½ t. salt

¼ t. black pepper

 4 c. green beans, trimmed

 In a pressure cooker, heat oil over medium high heat until almost smoking. Add short ribs and cook until golden about 3 to 5 minutes per side. Remove and set aside. Drain almost all the oil from cooker and add onion and garlic. Cook until tender about 5 to 7 minutes stirring often.

Deglaze cooker with cola and soy sauce scraping any bits from the bottom. Stir in vanilla bean, coconut sugar, garlic powder, smoked paprika and cayenne. Return short ribs to the cooker, place on lid and close to lock.

Cook on medium high for about 30 minutes or until the short ribs are fork tender. Reduce heat to low, stir in heavy cream and keep warm.

While short ribs are cooking cover potatoes with water in a large pot and bring to a boil. Cook until tender about 20-25 minutes, drain and return to pot. In a small sauce pot, combine milk, garlic, salt and pepper then bring to a low simmer and let flavors meld while potatoes cook. Pour milk over potatoes and using a hand held mixer beat potatoes until smooth and creamy.

While potatoes are cooking place green beans in a large pot with a bit of water and steamer basket. Cook just until tender but still slightly crisp about 8 to 10 minutes.

Assemble dish by placing mashed potatoes onto the center of the plate, spoon sauce around potatoes, place short ribs on one side and green beans on the other.

 

 

*For more information about Marx Foods and their gourmet, sometimes exotic food products, visit www.marxfoods.com!!!