Braised beef short ribs with salsa verde

Heat half the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat, add the shallots and cook, shaking the pan often, for 8 minutes or until browned all over and softened.

Remove to a bowl and set aside.

Dust the ribs lightly in flour. Heat the remaining oil in a very large, deep frying pan or casserole over medium-high heat.

Add the ribs, season with salt, then cook, turning occasionally, for 10 minutes or until well browned all over.

Remove to a large bowl.

To the pan, add the tomato paste, stir for 1 minute to cook it out a little, then add the thyme, bay leaves and wine.

Bring the wine to the boil, then cook for 3 minutes or until it has reduced slightly, stirring the pan to dislodge any bits stuck to the base.

Return the ribs to the pan, add the stock, then bring the mixture to a simmer.

Cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low, then cook for 1 hour 10 minutes or until the beef is starting to become tender.

Add the shallots, then cook, covered, for another 20-30 minutes until the beef is very tender and nearly falling off the bone and the shallots are very soft.

Using a slotted spoon and taking care not to break the beef up, remove the beef and shallots to a bowl.

Bring the sauce to a simmer, skimming the fat from the surface, then cook for 6 minutes or until it has reduced to a light coating consistency.

For the salsa verde, combine all the ingredients in a food processor, then process until a coarse paste forms, adding extra olive oil, as needed.

Taste, then season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, adding a little extra lemon juice, to taste.

Serve the ribs with some of the sauce, mash or polenta, seasonal vegetables and the salsa verde drizzled over.