Ingredients

• 2kg/4lb 6oz beef short ribs
• cut through the bone to 10cm/4in lengths
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp flour
• 2 onions
• peeled
• roughly chopped
• 2 celery sticks
• roughly chopped
• 1 carrot
• peeled
• roughly chopped
• 1 tsp tomato purée
• 330ml/11½fl oz Innis and Gunn beer
• or similar bottle ale or beer
• 2 litres/3½ pints beef stock
• 1 bay leaf
• few sprigs fresh thyme
• 3 garlic cloves
• peeled
• roughly chopped
• 5 black peppercorns
• 6-8 salsify sticks
• peeled
• cut at an angle into 2.5cm/1in pieces
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 25g/1oz butter
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 400g/14oz turnips or swede
• peeled
• cut into chunks
• 50g/2oz butter
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• For the ribs
• preheat the oven to 220C/430F/Gas 7.
• Season the beef ribs with salt and freshly ground black pepper and dust with half of the flour. Place them in a roasting tray with the onion
• celery and carrot and roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes
• turning every so often
• until nicely browned.
• When cooked
• transfer the vegetables and ribs to a heavy-bottomed saucepan
• leaving the fat and juices behind
• and set aside.
• Put the roasting tray with the fat and juices over a low heat. Add the remaining flour and the tomato purée and cook for one minute
• stirring. Gradually add the beer and beef stock
• stirring well to avoid lumps forming. Bring to the boil.
• Pour the beer gravy into the pan with the ribs and vegetables and place over a medium heat. Add the bay leaf
• thyme
• garlic and peppercorns. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and cover. Bring to the boil
• then lower the heat and simmer gently for 1½-2 hours
• or until the meat is tender: it should be almost falling off the bone without being too soft.
• Remove the ribs and vegetables with a slotted spoon
• discarding the vegetables. Continue simmering the sauce until it reduces and thickens to a rich gravy-like consistency. You can add a little cornflour mixed in water if it's not thick enough.
• For the salsify
• place the salsify in a saucepan with salted water and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 6-8 minutes
• until tender.
• Drain and toss in the butter and parsley and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
• For the bashed neeps
• place the turnips or swede into a saucepan of water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes
• until tender.
• Drain and return to the pan. Add the butter. Mash the turnips to a purée with a potato masher then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• To serve
• reheat the ribs in the sauce. Serve with a spoonful of bashed neeps
• the salsify and a generous spoonful of sauce.