- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (generous) ground allspice
- 12 3- to 4-inch-long meaty short ribs (about 5 1/2 pounds), top membrane trimmed
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 large onions, chopped
- 3 large carrots, peeled, chopped
- 3 large celery stalks, chopped
- 4 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons caraway seeds
- 8 ounces plum tomatoes, chopped
- 3 small bay leaves
- 3 cups canned beef broth
- 2 cups dry red wine
- Chopped celery leaves
- Stir flour and allspice in medium bowl to blend. Sprinkle short ribs all over with salt and pepper. Add 6 ribs to flour mixture and turn to coat. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add floured ribs; saut) until brown, turning occasionally, about 6 minutes. Transfer to large bowl. Repeat flouring and browning with remaining 6 ribs; reserve remaining flour-coating mixture. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pot. Add onions, carrots and celery stalks; saut) until vegetables begin to brown and are very tender, scraping bottom of pot often, about 30 minutes.
- Add garlic, thyme and caraway seeds to pot; stir 1 minute. Mix in tomatoes and bay leaves. Return ribs and accumulated juices to pot, arranging ribs in single layer. Add broth and wine. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until meat is almost tender, about 1 hour.
- Uncover pot. Simmer ribs 30 minutes, occasionally spooning fat from surface; reserve 2 tablespoons fat. Stir reserved flour-coating mixture and reserved 2 tablespoons fat in small bowl until smooth; mix paste into sauce around ribs. Simmer until meat is very tender and gravy thickens, about 45 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper.
- Transfer short ribs and gravy to large bowl. Sprinkle with celery leaves.