- 1 ounce dried morel mushrooms
- 1 1/2 cups boiling water
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 1/2 to 4 pounds meaty short ribs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 medium carrot, peeled, chopped
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 ounces prosciutto , finely chopped
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 2 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, room temperature
- 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs from crustless day-old French bread
- 1/4 cup (about) Dijon mustard
- Polenta
- Place morels in small bowl. Pour 1 1/2 cups boiling water over; let soak until mushrooms soften, at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours. Drain mushrooms, reserving soaking liquid. Rinse mushrooms under cold water to remove any excess dirt.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix 1 teaspoon thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper in small bowl. Rub herb mixture all over short ribs. Heat oil in heavy large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add ribs to pot and cook until brown on all sides, about 10 minutes per batch. Transfer ribs to bowl.
- Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from pot. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion, carrot, garlic, and prosciutto to pot; sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add wine and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pot. Add broth, bay leaf, reserved morels, morel soaking liquid (leaving any sediment behind), and remaining 1 teaspoon thyme to pot. Return ribs to pot, meat side down; bring to boil. Cover pot tightly; transfer to oven and bake until ribs are very tender, about 1 hour 45 minutes. Remove from oven. (Short ribs can be braised 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Rewarm slightly over medium heat before continuing.)
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Transfer ribs to large roasting pan, bone side down. Remove 5 large morels from pot and finely chop. Place in medium bowl. Add butter and mix with fork to blend. Mix in breadcrumbs. Season with salt and pepper. Spread 1 teaspoon mustard over top of each rib. Spread breadcrumb mixture over top of each rib, pressing to adhere. Bake until topping is crisp and golden, about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, spoon off any fat from top of sauce in pot and discard. Boil sauce until slightly thickened and reduced to generous 2 cups, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Spoon polenta into bowls. Top with short ribs. Spoon sauce over and serve.