Buffalo Short Ribs with Coffee Rub

Buffalo Short Ribs with Coffee Rub

Stolen with permission from Jean Francois Meteigner of La Cachette Bistro who opened his new restaurant in August, this recipe makes melt in your mouth short ribs and perfectly creamy mashed potatoes – what could be better? 
The menu at the new bistro is Jean Francois’ very personal and passionate interpretation of California-French Bistro fare with many ingredients from California, such as the cheeses and olive oil, while produce comes from the local Santa Monica Farmer’s Market. 
The restaurant’s interior is filled with red banquettes, wood floors, hazelnut wood walls and dark green granite topped bar and tables, with a collection of rare, original Bistro posters, along with art from Jean Francois’ private collection adorning the walls. Guests can also soak up the sunny atmosphere of Ocean Boulevard in the private, glassed-in patio. One of Jean Francois’ favorite dishes, the Buffalo Short Ribs with Coffee Rub and Cabernet Jus, requires marinating the meat in the fridge for two days before preparation, so be sure to plan ahead.

About the chef: when Jean Francois opened La Cachette (the Hideaway) in 1994, he changed the public’s perception of French cooking with the introduction of his “Light and Delicious” cuisine - French cooking that offered the classic French flare with just a fraction of the fat. His 2003 cookbook Cuisine Naturelle – French Classics Redefined, provides 150 recipes from his monthly Saturday morning cooking classes, which were always sold out months in advance.
He grew up in Vichy, France and at the age of 15 began apprenticing in the kitchen at the Three-Star Troisgros in Roanne. Next, he cooked with Chef Jean Ramet at the Two-Star Le Chapon Fin in Bordeaux and then on to Paris to cook with Chef Alain Senderens at the Three-Star L’Archestrade and Michel Bidier at the Two-Star Chiberta. In the early 1980’s he came to the United States and spent a decade as Executive Chef of what was then LA’s premier French restaurant, L’Orangerie. All of these experiences prepared him for opening La Cachette where he delighted his clientele for 15 years.
On July 31, 2009 Jean Francois served his last dinner at La Cachette, ready to forge a new path with his interpretation of California-French Bistro food at his La Cachette Bistro in Santa Monica, where he is looking forward to doing what he does best; presenting something new and unique.

La Cachette Bistro
1733 Ocean Ave
Santa Monica, CA 90401
310 434 9509

Buffalo Short Ribs with Coffee Rub, Mashed Potatoes and Cabernet Jus is served at La Cachette Bistro for $25.
This recipe makes 4 restaurant servings.

Buffalo Short Ribs with Coffee Rub, Mashed Potatoes and Cabernet Jus Ingredients:
4 6oz pieces of bison or beef short ribs
2 tablespoons ground coffee
Olive oil for rub, as needed
Salt and pepper 
1 bottle red wine
2 cups canned beef stock
1 lb Yukon Gold potatoes
½ cup of whole milk 
3 tablespoons butter
grape seed, pure canola or butter for cooking, as needed

Steal This Recipe® Step by Step Instructions for the Short Ribs:
Rub the short ribs with olive oil, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of coffee grounds. 
Wrap in saran wrap and place in refrigerator for 2 days.
Remove from fridge. In a heavy skillet heat oil (grape seed, pure canola or butter) until smoking. 
Add meat and sear on top of stove on high heat for about 2 minutes per side, until a dark crust forms.
Remove the meat from pan and empty out excess oil. Add one bottle of red wine. 
Heat the oven to 325 degrees.
Reduce for about 30 minutes on medium heat. Add 2 cups of beef stock (canned).
Place the meat back in the pan and place in the oven at 325 degrees for about 3 hours or until tender. 
Remove the meat with a spatula so it doesn’t crumble. 
Continue to boil the sauce down about 10 more minutes on the stove top until it thickens to the consistency of a glaze. 

Steal This Recipe® Step by Step Instructions for the Mashed Potatoes:
Peel and cut the potatoes into 2 inch pieces. 
Boil in water until tender. Drain water. 
Boil ½ cup of whole milk with 3 tablespoons of butter. 
Mix with potatoes and then put through a rice mixer with a spatula. 
Add salt to taste.