Alright, so I found myself making short ribs again the other night. Love ’em, slow-cooked, fall-off-the-bone tender, you know the deal. But then comes the usual problem: what the heck do I serve alongside? Those ribs are rich, seriously rich. You can’t just pile on more heavy stuff.
I’ve gone down this road plenty of times. Used to just throw some mashed potatoes next to them. Yeah, classic comfort, but honestly? It was just too much. Felt like a lead balloon in my stomach afterwards. Needed something to cut through all that fatty goodness.
Thinking Through the Sides
So, I started thinking. What balances richness? Acidity, freshness, maybe a bit of crunch. I rummaged through the fridge. Got some carrots, celery root maybe? Nah, still felt a bit too… wintery root veggie heavy.
My mind went back to a meal I had ages ago. They served something bright, almost sharp, with a fatty piece of pork. That got me thinking about salads. But not just a plain leafy salad. That feels kinda wimpy next to short ribs. Needed something sturdier.
- First Idea: Creamy Polenta. I do love polenta. It’s smooth, can soak up that amazing sauce. But again, maybe leaning too heavy? Decided against it this time, wanted something lighter.
- Second Idea: Roasted Veggies. Brussels sprouts? Broccoli? Roasting gives them nice crispy edges. Better, but still missing that zing.
- Third Idea: Slaw? Getting closer. A good vinegar-based slaw could work. Cuts the fat. But maybe a bit too picnic-y?
Landing on the Winners
Okay, here’s what I actually did this time. I decided to tackle it from two angles: something creamy but lighter than mash, and something definitely bright and crunchy.
For the creamy part: I went with a Celery Root Puree. Sounds fancy, it’s not. Just peeled and cubed a big celery root, boiled it with a potato (helps with texture, less starchy than all potato) in some milk and water until super tender. Drained it, reserving some liquid. Then I just blitzed it with an immersion blender, adding back a splash of the cooking liquid, a knob of butter, salt, and pepper until it was smooth. It’s got that earthy sweetness, but feels way lighter than mashed potatoes.
For the bright/crunchy part: Quick Pickled Red Onions and a simple Arugula Salad. The pickled onions are dead easy. Thinly slice a red onion, pack it into a jar. Heat up some vinegar (apple cider works great), water, a pinch of sugar, and salt. Pour it over the onions, let it sit for at least 30 mins. Boom. Instant brightness. The salad was just arugula, tossed with a lemon juice and olive oil vinaigrette right before serving. Added some toasted nuts for extra crunch.
The Result
So I plated it up. The dark, glossy short rib, a big spoonful of that pale celery root puree next to it, and the peppery arugula salad piled high with those vibrant pink pickled onions scattered over everything.
Man, it worked. The puree was smooth and comforting but didn’t weigh me down. The salad with the sharp onions and lemon dressing was exactly the counterpoint needed. Every few bites of rich rib, you get a forkful of that bright, acidic salad, and it just cleanses your palate, makes you ready for the next bite of rib. Wasn’t complicated, just a bit of thought about balancing things out. Way better than the old potato overload days.
