Chocolate braised short ribs, truffled mashed potatoes, and sauted fennel, peach and squash:
I brought some pure chocolate from Cuenca, Ecuador. I was looking for a good product to pair it with until I saw some excellent short ribs at my farmers market. This made a very balanced, rustic plate. The presentation could use some work but the combination of tastes is fantastic.
The ribs were prepared with ancho chilies and Ecuadorean chocolate. The mash and the chocolate taste had to be balanced with some acidity. The peaches were sauted only lightly — retaining their acidity but still cooking through. To add additional brightness I seasoned the vegetables with sumac and squeezed some lemon juice after I turned off the heat.
