Meat and Potato Poppers

I really do have a love affair with slow roasted meats.  Tender fall of the bone meat is my comfort food.  I recently entered a recipe contest and the ingredient was short ribs.  I looked over all of the other recipes and they looked amazing.  I created this as a way to use any leftovers you might have.  But, the recipe for the ribs are included.  It seems like a lot of work, but you have plenty of time to get everything together while the ribs are in the oven. This would be a great recipe to jazz up a super bowl party.  It's like a two bite dinner and you don't need utensils!! 

Ingredients for ribs, pickled onions and potatoes:

• 2 pounds Short Ribs
• 2 tablespoons Canola oil
• 1 teaspoon Both salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup Yellow Onion Chopped
• 1 tablespoon Chopped Garlic
• 1 tablespoon Tomato Paste
• 1/2 cup Red Wine
• 1/2 cup Water
• 2 pieces Bay Leaf
• 2 sprigs Thyme
• 2 pounds bite size Yukon gold potatoes
• 2 cups Thinly sliced red onions
• 1 cup White Vinegar
• 1/2 cup Red Wine Vinegar
• 3/4 cups Sugar
• 5 pieces Whole Cloves
• 6 tablespoons Crumbled Gorgonzola Cheese
• 1/4 cup Sour Cream

Cooking instructions :

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in large, heavy bottom pot with tight fitting lid. Meanwhile, pat the ribs dry and season with salt and pepper
2. Brown meat over medium high heat until meat releases from pan. Be sure to not overcrowd the pan to ensure proper browning. Depending on the size of your pan you may need to do this in multiple batches.
3. Once all pieces are browned on all sides, remove to plate and set aside
4. Drain most grease from pan reserving about two tablespoons. Lower heat to medium. Add onions and sweat for 3-4 minutes.
5. Add tomato paste and cook about a minute.
6. Time to add the wine, be sure to reserve enough for the chef! If using a gas stove,for safety, remove the pan from the flame and add wine, return to heat. Take care to scrape the yummy bits of brown from the bottom of the pan. Add the water. Simmer the mixture for 3-4 minutes.
7. Add the meat and it's juices back into the wine mixture. Cover with tight fitting lid and bake until meat falls off the bone and shreds easily. About 2 hours. While ribs are baking, prepare the pickled onions.
8. Blanch thinly sliced red onions in boiling water for one minute, drain and run under cool water.
9. In another saucepan, heat the white vinegar, red vinegar, sugar, cloves and one of the bay leaves. Boil for five minutes. Add the onions. Continue to boil for another minute. Transfer to glass dish, let cool. Then refridgerate.
10. To prepare the potatoes, boil them whole in salty water until easily pricked with a fork. Drain and set aside to cool enough to handle. Once cool, cut the ends off just slightly so each one is flat. Then cut in half. With a melon baller scoop out the insides of each half, leaving a small "rim" around the potato to make a bowl.
11. To assemble poppers: Once ribs are done, remove from oven, let cool slightly. Turn the oven to Broil. Place meat on cutting board to shred meat and get rid of any fatty parts.
12. Fill the potato bowls with meat. Top with the pickled onions, a bit of the crumbled cheese. Place under broiler for about a minute to melt cheese. Remove and add sour cream if you wish.
13. Plate up and enjoy!!!