Dinner for one? Put short ribs on the menu

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat the oil in a medium Dutch oven. Season the ribs on all sides with salt and pepper. Add them to hot pan and cook over moderate heat, turning once, until browned and crusty on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer the ribs to a plate.

Add the onions and stir until they are fully coated and start to brown. Pour in 2 cups of red wine and increase heat to high. Boil until wine is reduced by half, approximately 5 minutes. Add the carrots, celery, garlic, crushed tomatoes, cocoa, balsamic vinegar, chipotle pepper and adobo sauce, and tomato paste. Stir until all ingredients are blended and bring back to a boil. Nestle the short ribs into the liquid. Cover and place in oven. Cook for two hours or until meat is tender and easily pulls away from the bone.

Transfer the meat to a clean, shallow baking dish, discarding the bones as they fall off. Place a strainer over an 8-cup glass measuring cup. Using a ladle, scoop the vegetables from the braising liquid into the strainer and press slightly to extract any liquid. You may have to work in batches, transferring the vegetables from the braising liquid from the strainer to a medium saucepan after each batch.

Add one cup of beef broth to the saucepan containing the vegetables from the braising liquid. Using an immersion blender, puree the vegetables until smooth. Shred the remaining short ribs and add them to the sauce. Bring sauce to a simmer over medium high heat, adding additional broth if necessary to reach your desired consistency.

Salt and pepper to taste. Divide the ragu among three freezer-safe containers. Let cool and freeze until ready to eat.

Note: When ready to eat, thaw, reheat, serve over pasta, polenta, egg noodles, baked potato, as a sandwich, etc.