Flavors by Alessandra

0 Preheat oven to 325°F. Pat ribs dry and season heavily with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
1 Heat oil in a Dutch oven and sear ribs on all sides until deeply browned. Remove and set aside.
2 Cook onion, carrot, and celery until softened and lightly golden. Add garlic, then tomato paste and cook until darkened and slightly sticky.
3 Add red wine and scrape up all fond from the bottom. Reduce by at least half until slightly syrupy. If not using wine, replace with additional stock and add a small splash of balsamic.
4 Stir in beef stock and soy sauce. Return ribs along with thyme and bay leaves. The liquid should visually come about three-quarters of the way up the ribs, leaving the tops exposed. Add more stock only if needed to reach that level.
5 Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and braise 2½–3 hours until fork tender.
6 Optional: strain and reduce sauce until glossy and lightly thickened. Finish with a small knob of butter if desired.
7 Bring water and milk to a boil with salt. Whisk in polenta and cook 20–25 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in butter and Parmigiano. Adjust consistency as needed.
8 Serve ribs over polenta with sauce and fresh chives.