There are meals that feed the body, and then there are meals that tell a story—of land, heritage, fire, and care. This dish—beef short ribs braised in banana leaves and mole, served with a smoky poblano risotto—is firmly in the second category. It’s where slow-cooked tradition meets bold reinvention, marrying rustic techniques with elevated plating and flavor balance.

The Soul of the Dish: Braising in Banana Leaves

Banana leaves are more than a visual flourish—they are vessels of flavor. When beef short ribs are wrapped in these vibrant green leaves and slow-braised, they take on a gentle earthiness while locking in all their juices. The result? Meat so tender it nearly collapses under its own weight, infused with subtle notes of grassiness and smoke from the leaves.

The preparation starts by searing the ribs for a deep mahogany crust. Then they’re nestled in a mole-rich braising liquid, enveloped in banana leaves, and slowly roasted in the oven until every fiber of the meat yields.

What will you need?

• beef short ribs
• banana leaves (optional)
• salt
• guajillo chilies
• ancho chilies
• pasilla chilies
• chilie de arbor
• chipotle in adobo
• tomato paste
• sesame seeds
• dried thyme
• star anise
• black peppercorns
• Mexican oregano
• whole cloves
• coriander seeds
• cumin seeds
• all spice berries
• cinnamon stick
• lard
• chicken stock
• almonds
• peanuts
• pumpkin seeds
• raisins
• dried figs
• dried prunes
• bay leaves
• corn tortilla
• Maria cookie biscuits
• garlic
• yellow onion
• tomatillos
• tomatoes
• Mexican chocolate
• tequilla
• plantain

For the poblano risotto

• Extra virgin olive oil
• poblano peppers
• jalapeno
• shallot
• garlic
• cilantro
• chicken stock
• salt
• tequila
• Arborio rice
• lime
• salt

How to make it

Start by seasoning all sides of the beef and set aside. Remove the stems and seeds for the guajillo, Padilla, and ancho chiles. Toast the chilies as well as the arbol chilies in some lard. Be careful not to burn anything or it will come out bitter. Remove them to a bowl and pour over boiling water to re-hydrate.

Sauté the onion in lard with some garlic. Once softened and starting to brown, add some tequila and flambé. Once the tequila burns off, add in the tomato paste and chipotles in adobo. Sauté and then remove from the pan.

Next sauté the tomatillos and tomatoes in a pan with lard until soft and start to brown. Remove from the pan. Now taste the sesame seeds, dried thyme, star anise, black peppercorns, Mexican oregano,whole cloves, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, all spice berries, cinnamon stick, almonds, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, raisins, dried figs, dried prunes, and bay leaves in a pan with lard. Once toasted, remove from the pan and do the same with the plantains.

Fry off the tortillas in the lard until crispy. Add all the ingredients you fried in the lard to a blender along with the Marias cookie biscuits and about 1 cup of the liquid the chiles were soaked in. Blend until smooth.

Add some lard to a large pot and start searing the beef short ribs, in batches to avoid overcrowding, until a golden crust forms on all sides. Remove from the pot and then pour in the blended ingredients, frying it in the rendered fat. Add the chocolate and salt. Mix until the chocolate is fully melted and incorporated into the sauce.

Heat some banana leaves over the stove (only do this over a flame) to soften them and make more pliable. Wrap the short ribs in the banana leaves and place them in the mole sauce. If you do not have access to banana leaves, you can skip this and just place the short ribs directly into the mole. Cover the pot with the lid and braise in the oven until tender.

Remove the banana leaves and short ribs from the mole, then pass the mole through a fine mesh strainer to remove any chunks or seeds. Taste for salt and add more if needed. Add the short ribs back to the mole, cover with a lid and set aside while you make the risotto.

Next make the risotto. Roast the poblano peppers over a flame or in the broiler until charred on all sides. Place them in a plastic bag to steam. Once steamed, remove the charred skin, the stem, and the seeds. Add to a blender along with the jalapeño, cilantro, garlic, and lime juice. Blend until smooth.

Heat a pan and add in the extra virgin olive oil. Sauté the shallots until they start to soften then add in the rice. Toast the rice until it starts to turn golden. Pour in the tequila and cook until the alcohol burns off. Start adding the chicken stock in ladles, about a half cup at a time, while continuously stirring. Keep the chicken stock warmed in another pot so it does not reduce the heat of the pan once ladled in. Once the chicken stock gets fully absorbed into the rice, add another ladle. Keep doing this until all the stock is gone and the rice is fully cooked.

Now pour in the blended ingredients and mix to combine. Add salt to taste.

Spoon in some of the risotto into a serving plate or bowl and place a couple of the short ribs on top. Spoon over more of the mole sauce and top with sesame seeds for garnish. Hope you enjoy!