• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, more as needed
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3 to 4 pounds English Short Ribs (bone-in) or Mock Boneless Short Ribs
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or other fat (like beef bacon fat or duck fat), more as needed
• 3 leeks, whites only, chopped
• 2 large fennel bulbs, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon chipotle chile powder
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 cup dry red wine
• ½ cup pitted prunes, diced
• fennel fronds or sliced scallions, or both, for serving

 

Preseason
If time permits, rub salt, coriander and pepper all over beef and let marinate in refrigerator for 1 hour, or, ideally, overnight.

 

Sear the meat
Set electric pressure cooker to sauté function and add oil (or use a large skillet on the stove over medium-high heat). Sear beef until evenly browned on all sides, about 2 minutes per side. You’ll probably have to do this in batches. Transfer to a plate as the pieces brown. Or if using a skillet, transfer them to pressure cooker.

 

Add vegetables and braising liquid
Add leeks, fennel and pinch of salt to hot pan and cook until soft, about 8 minutes, then add garlic, chile powder and tomato paste; cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in wine. Add prunes and beef (or add prunes and fennel-wine mixture to the meat in the pot).

 

Cook
Cover, then cook for 35 minutes on high pressure in an electric pressure cooker. Manually release pressure. If sauce seems thin, pull out beef pieces and reduce sauce using sauté function.

If using a Dutch Oven, bake at 325F for 3 hours. If you check on it periodically, take care that too much liquid has not evaporated; add more as necessary.

Serve with fennel fronds or scallions, or both, for garnish.

 

Notes for Passover:

• Coriander is not considered kitniyot but may require additional kosher-for-Passover certification.
• Melissa suggest serving this with polenta or mashed potatoes. On Passover, go with the mashed potatoes.