Vaca Frita

From: Guillermo Pernot, Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar, Philadelphia and Atlantic City. Yield: 20 servings.

Braised Short Ribs:

3 lb. julienned onions

5 cups vegetable oil

2 cups red wine vinegar

1 cup Kikkoman Soy Sauce

3 oz. ancho chiles

2½ oz. salt

2 oz. granulated garlic

2 oz. ground cumin

½ oz. black pepper

½ oz. bay leaf

20 lb. beef short ribs

4 cups red wine

½ lb. vegetable base

Red Wine Sauce:

½ lb. diced carrots

½ lb. diced onions

¼ lb. Granny Smith Apples, cored and chopped

¼ lb. diced celery

3 Tbsp. vegetable oil

3 oz. brown sugar

7 cups red wine

2 ½ qt. demiglace

For braised short ribs: In nonreactive container, combine onions, oil, vinegar, soy sauce, chiles, salt, garlic, cumin, pepper and bay leaf. Add short ribs; turn to coat well with marinade. Refrigerate 24 hours.

Sear short ribs in large saute pan or rondo; remove from pan. Deglaze with red wine and marinade; simmer about 20 minutes. Add vegetable base and 1 gallon water. Cover and braise in 350°F oven about 1¾ hours or until tender. Cool short ribs in braising liquid; remove, trim and portion into 6-oz. rectangles. Split each 6-oz. rectangles into two 3-oz. rectangles per portion. For each serving, in hot pan, crisp 1 portion short ribs in small amount of oil; serve with ½ cup red wine sauce.

To make red wine sauce: Saute carrots, onions, apples and celery in oil until soft. Add sugar; cook until sugar melts and starts to caramelize. Add red wine; reduce to syrupy consistency. Add demiglace; simmer on very low heat, skimming scum as it forms. Do not allow sauce to over-reduce. Strain gently, first through a large-holed strainer, then through fine chinois.