Rosemary-Honey Braised Lamb Ribs

I had leftover lamb ribs in the freezer that I wanted to use before my run in the park. When I returned out of breath, the last thing I wanted to do after my shower was to go to the grocery store. I searched the Food Network and found this Ming Tsai recipe using lamb shoulder. The list of ingredients, except for the chickpeas, were all in my cupboard so I used a can of butter beans instead. It also gave me a chance to use the fresh honey I bought at a farm when we were in Long Island. September is only a couple of weeks away and the dish made me look forward to autumn. I love braising cheap cuts of meat because it only requires using one pot where I can put everything together and leave it for several hours without worrying about overcooking. My favorite part is pouring the leftover sauce on top of the dish before serving. The liquid is thick and the flavors become concentrated. For this dish, the honey just gave the sauce a subtle hint of sweetness.

Ingredients:
6 pieces lamb ribs
2 sprigs of rosemary
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp ground cumin
3 cloves of garlic, smashed
1 tbsp ginger, smashed
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, diced
4 ribs of celery, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 cup red wine
1 can of butter beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup of honey
2 tbsps soy sauce
salt, pepper, Canola oil

1. Mix together the flour, chili powder and cumin in a platter and use to rub and cover the lamb. In a Dutch oven and working in batches to avoid overcrowding, heat some oil and brown the lamb on both sides, about 12 minutes per side. Remove the lamb and set aside on a plate.
2. Wipe the Dutch oven clean with a paper towel and place back on high heat. Coat again with oil and sauté the garlic, ginger, onions, carrots and celery. Season with salt and pepper. Add rosemary and bay leaves and deglaze with red wine.
3. Add the butter beans, honey and soy sauce. Add back the lamb and some water to cover. Check for flavor of the braising liquid and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer for about 1 to 2 hours, or until fork tender.