Beet-Braised Short Ribs

Preheat the oven to 325°. In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Season the short ribs with salt and pepper. Cook half of the ribs over moderately high heat, turning occasionally, until browned, about 10 minutes; transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining short ribs. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the casserole.

Add the beets, yellow onion, garlic, thyme and bay leaves to the casserole. Season with salt and pepper and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the red wine, scraping
up any browned bits from the bottom of the casserole. Return the ribs to the pot, add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Cover and braise in the oven for about 3 hours, until the ribs are very tender. Discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaves and skim off as much fat as possible from the sauce.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring the ice wine vinegar and pickling spices to a boil over high heat; add the red onion. Remove from the heat and let stand, tossing occasionally, until tender, about 30 minutes.

In a large pot, cover the parsnips with 2 inches of cold water, season with salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer until tender, 15 to 20 minutes; drain and transfer to a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until coarsely pureed. With the machine on, drizzle in the half-and-half; puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl, whisk the crème fraîche with the horseradish and season with salt and pepper. To serve, spoon the parsnip puree into shallow bowls. Top with the short ribs, beets, horseradish cream and pickled onion and serve.