Gnocchi & Short Ribs Romanoff Recipe

Season and brown

Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Pat the short ribs dry and season evenly with 1 tbs kosher salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Lightly dust with 2 tbs flour, shaking off excess. Heat 2 tbs olive oil in a heavy ovenproof Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the ribs on all sides, about 3–4 minutes per side, until deep mahogany. Remove ribs and set aside.

Sauté aromatics

Reduce heat to medium. Add diced onion, carrot, and celery to the pot and cook until softened and beginning to color, 6–8 minutes. Add smashed garlic and 2 tbs tomato paste; cook, stirring, 1–2 minutes until paste darkens.

Deglaze and braise

Pour in 1 cup dry red wine to deglaze, scraping up browned bits from the bottom. Bring wine to a simmer and reduce by about half (3–5 minutes). Return short ribs to the pot, add 2 cups beef stock, 1 bay leaf, 2 thyme sprigs, and 1 tbs Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and transfer to the preheated oven. Braise until meat is fork-tender, about 2.25 to 2.5 hours.

Finish sauce

Carefully remove ribs and keep warm. Strain braising liquid into a saucepan, pressing solids to extract flavor. Skim fat if desired. Simmer liquid over medium heat until slightly thickened, about 6–8 minutes. Stir in 1 tbs butter and adjust seasoning with remaining 0.5 tbs kosher salt and 0.25 tsp black pepper. Reserve about 1 cup of this sauce for serving; shred the short ribs into large bite-size pieces and keep warm in a bit of sauce.

Cook potatoes

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Prick the russet potato several times and bake directly on the rack until very tender, about 45–60 minutes. Alternatively, boil whole potatoes with skins until fork-tender. While hot, halve and scoop flesh, then pass through a ricer or mash very finely. Spread on a tray to cool slightly and let steam off 5 minutes.

Mix dough

On a clean work surface, mound the cooled riced potato and make a well. Add 1 beaten egg, 1 tsp salt, 0.25 tsp pepper and 1/8 tsp nutmeg. Sprinkle 1 cup flour over the potato. Using your hands, gently fold and knead just until a soft dough forms — do not overwork. If dough is too sticky add up to 2 tbs more flour, a little at a time.

Shape gnocchi

Divide dough into 4 portions. Roll each into a rope about 3/4 inch in diameter. Cut into 3/4-inch pieces. If desired, roll each piece over the tines of a fork or gnocchi board to create ridges. Place formed gnocchi on a lightly floured tray, spacing so they don’t stick.

Cook gnocchi

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook gnocchi in batches: when gnocchi float to the surface, let them cook 30–45 seconds more, then remove with a slotted spoon to a tray. For slight crispness, heat 1 tbs olive oil or butter in a skillet over medium-high and sauté boiled gnocchi in batches until golden and lightly crisp, 2–3 minutes per side. Keep warm.

Prepare Romanoff cream

In a bowl whisk together 1 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1 tsp Dijon, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, 2 tbs chopped chives, 2 tbs chopped parsley, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper until smooth and slightly loose. Taste and adjust acidity or seasoning as desired. Keep chilled until plating.

Warm cream gently (optional)

If you prefer warm sauce, gently warm the Romanoff mixture in a small saucepan over low heat just until it loses chill (do not boil) — about 2–3 minutes — stirring constantly.

Assemble dish

Place a portion of sautéed gnocchi on each plate. Spoon generous portions of shredded short ribs over the gnocchi. Drizzle about 2–3 tbs of reserved braising sauce around and over the meat. Dollop or gently spoon 2–3 tbs Romanoff cream atop or beside the short ribs and gnocchi. Garnish with remaining chives/parsley and microgreens if using. Serve immediately.