4 to 6 servings
PREP TIME
10 minutes
COOKING TIME
2 hours(including Peanut Puree)
TOTAL TIME
2 hours 10 minutes
2 cups beef broth
¼ cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup sliced white onion (½ onion)
kosher salt
2 bird’s-eye chiles, seededand julienned
½ cup chopped green olives
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
2 pounds beef short ribs
freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup Peanut Puree
If you’ve been to Senegal, then you’ve had dibi. It’s a grilled meat, usually lamb, that’s cut up, mixed with mustard and onions, and served wrapped in butcher paper by street vendors all over the country. It always struck me how much dibi was like the Senegalese fish and chips. So when it came time to make our own version, I wanted to play with the idea of this incredibly flavor-forward dish that you could eat with your hands but had that same mustardy deliciousness. This dibi is grilled short ribs, flavored with whole grain mustard and chile with a little maple syrup to cut the heat. Instead of bread or fries, I like to cook up Beer-Battered Long Beans for that same crunchy satisfaction you get when you eat fish and chips. Save this recipe for the friends you never see enough of: Once they have it, they’ll be clamoring for more.
In a 2-quart saucepan, whisk together the broth and maple syrup to combine thoroughly and simmer over medium heat until the sauce reduces by one quarter, about 15 minutes.
While the glaze cooks, heat the oil in a large cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the onion and sprinkle with salt. Sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, until the onion begins to brown slightly. Add the chiles and olives and cook for 2 more minutes. Lower the heat and stir in the mustard. Remove the onion from the pan and set aside. Wipe out the pan.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Season the short ribs generously with salt and pepper. Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Lay the short ribs in the pan, bone side up. Sear without moving for 2 minutes. Flip them onto one of their meaty sides and sear for 1 minute. Flip and sear the other meaty side for 1 minute. Finally, turn the ribs so they are sitting in the pan bone side down and slide the pan into the oven. Roast the short ribs to desired doneness, about 12 minutes for medium. Remove from the oven, transfer to a platter, and let rest for 10 minutes.
Carefully pour off the drippings from the skillet. Return the skillet to medium heat and add the maple syrup reduction to the pan, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any fond. Return the rested short ribs to the skillet, bone side down, and begin basting them with the simmering liquid. Continue basting them until the liquid reduces to a glaze and the short ribs are shiny and glazed. Transfer the ribs to a platter and top with the glaze.
Serve with the mustard onion and the peanut puree, and alongside Beer-Battered Long Beans.
Makes 1¹/2 cups
PREP TIME
5 minutes
COOKING TIME
2 hours
TOTAL TIME
2 hours 5 minutes
1 cup raw unsalted peanuts
4 cups water
½ teaspoon kosher salt, to taste
Boil the peanuts and water in a 2-quart sauce pot until the peanuts are soft and pliable, about 2 hours.
When the peanuts are soft enough to smash easily, strain from the water (reserving about ¼ of the liquid) and puree in a blender with the salt until smooth. Add a few tablespoons of the boiling liquid as needed to make a smooth and creamy puree, but make sure it’s not too runny. Add the salt to taste.
Regrigerate in a covered nonreactive container for up to 2 weeks.