Peppered Short Ribs With Chicories & Caramelized Sweet Potatoes

Serves 4

Flanken-style short ribs, also known as Korean short ribs, can be cut to order by your local butcher; just call ahead. Some grocers like 99 Ranch Supermarkets have them in stock year-round. I call for Diamond Crystal kosher salt, which is a much lighter, less saline salt. If you want to use sea salt or another brand of kosher salt, you’ll want to use less.

2½ teaspoons gochugaru (Korean red chile flakes) plus 1 teaspoon more for garnish

1½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Diamond Crystal kosher salt

8 (½-inch thick) flanken-style short ribs (about 1½ pounds)

1¼ pounds sweet potatoes, cut into 1-inch wide wedges

2 tablespoons honey

3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided 2

tablespoons rice vinegar

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

½ cup thinly sliced spring onions or scallions

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

12 ounces chicory leaves such as escarole, Castelfranco or Treviso, torn or cut into 1½-inch pieces

Move an oven rack to the second-to-bottom position. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a sheet pan with foil and place it in the oven on that rack to preheat.

Mix together 2½ teaspoons gochugaru, the black pepper and 2 teaspoons of kosher salt in a small bowl. Using all the seasoning mix, season both sides of the ribs.

Place the sweet potato wedges in a large bowl. Heat a small pot over medium heat and add the honey, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and 2 teaspoons kosher salt. Whisk until the salt has dissolved and the honey has melted into a thick slurry, about 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and with a spatula scrape onto the sweet potatoes. Toss very well to coat.

With an oven mitt, carefully (it is hot!) take the prepared sheet pan out of the oven and place on your stovetop. Place the sweet potatoes on the pan so one of the cut sides is facing down, flush with the pan; set the bowl aside (you’ll soon use it again). Return the pan to the same rack and roast the sweet potatoes until they are browned on the bottom, about 20 minutes. Using a thin metal spatula, transfer to a serving platter to cool. (If you let the sweet potatoes cool before transferring they will tend to stick to the sheet pan.)

While the potatoes are roasting, prepare the salad and sear the short ribs. In the same large bowl you used for the potatoes, add the rice vinegar, lemon juice, spring onions and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Toss well and then add the olive oil and chicories and toss everything well.

Toss the still-warm sweet potatoes with the dressed chicories and return to the serving platter.

Heat a large skillet over high heat with the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Once hot, sear the short ribs in batches so as not to overcrowd the pan, until browned on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to the serving platter and continue cooking the rest of the ribs. Sprinkle the remaining gochugaru over the ribs and serve.

Christian Reynoso