Take Me to Paris

I have a love and hate relationship with French Cuisine. Growing up, French food never appealed to me, let alone French restaurants. I remember frowning everytime a plate was put in front of me, with food that can be swallowed in less than one bite. Aside from the small plates, each course seems to take ridiculously long to prepare because I rarely see the next course until all topics of conversation have been covered at the table. 

I am not sure how it happened - all I know is that as I cooked more and more, I noticed that every complex dish consists of French influences. A good cook knows that good food comes from patience and methodical cooking, and that's what French cooking is. 

Braised Beef Short Ribs, served with Creamed Spinach and Steamed Rice, accompanied by a glass of Merlot

Beef short ribs can be prepared in many ways: braised, grilled, barbeque'd, and seared. The French prefer braising in order to extract as much flavor as possible from the ingredients. Another key reason behind braising is actually the sauce, which can be made easily by thickening the beef broth used in braising. I served the dish with steamed rice and creamed spinach to accentuate its creaminess.