It's a slow-cooking time of year, which calls for a meal like this: an aromatic pot of braised short ribs, blanketed in a richly fortified sauce, exuding warmth and comfort. This stew will satisfy any cravings for cozy, wintry food and focus your attention solely on the task of digging into this fragrant pot, one spoonful at a time. I make variations of this recipe under the guise of other comfort-food standards, such as beef bourguignon and Irish stew.