OK, I am back.
There is so much going on right now that it was quite something to sit down and update this blog, and I hope this post makes up for the long absence. I have quite a few recipes on file but I have to organize the photos before I post them.
Tonight, I chanced upon wonderful racks of nice pork ribs at Fresh and Easy, a local grocer that's part of the UK Tesco chain, and a favorite purveyor of really fresh produce. At a $1.99 per pound. I took a closer look and was delighted to find that the rib racks were chock-full of meat and carefully trimmed, so I figured I would not be paying for bones and gristle. I figured two racks would be adequate for a few recipes. For this recipe, I used half a rack, which weighed about two pounds. I braised the ribs for about 90 minutes and took it off the burner when it was fork tender.
Braised Pork Ribs
2 pounds pork ribs, cut/separated into strips
1/4 cup olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 whole large onion, coarsely chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled and slightly smashed
1/4 cup dried tomatoes in olive oil, or 2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced into 1/2 inch pieces
1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard
1/4 cup cornichons, chopped (optional)
1/2 teaspoon Herbes de Provence (if unavailable, substitute with an equal quantity,say a couple pinches of fresh rosemary, tarragon and thyme
1/4 teaspoon paprika
2 apples, cored and sliced into 1 inch widths
1/2 cup dried apricots
1/2 cup dried cherries (substitute with 1/4 cup sultanas or raisins if desired)
1.5 cups white wine
Wash the rib strips and pat dry with paper towel. Sprinkle liberally with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Heat olive oil on a deep pan or braising dish.
Brown the ribs over medium high heat. Do not crowd the ribs on the pan to prevent steaming. Remove the rib strips from the pan when nicely browned on all sides.
Saute garlic and onions in oil, add tomatoes and continue to saute over medium-high heat until onions are soft and transluscent. Do not scorch the garlic. That would be the demise of your braised ribs.
Add the rest of the ingredients, except the mustard and the herbs, and saute for 3-5 minutes. Add the browned pork rib, mustard, herbs and pour the white wine over the ribs. I used a Chilean Sauvignon Blanc for this recipe because I found an open bottle. Any dry white wine with hints of melon or berry is good for this recipe. Or whatever good dry white wine you could find in your kitchen. If unopened, pop cork and pour a bit on a glass, enjoy the wine as you braise with some of it. My point is, only cook with wine that you could drink!
Cover the pot and allow to simmer over low-medium heat until meat is tender, fork tender if desired. It should take 90-120 minutes to gain exceptional tenderness. Alternatively, place the covered braising pot in a 450 degree Fahrenheit oven for about the same length of time, or until meat is tender. Stir occasionally but very gently to prevent scorching. Do not toss or meat would fall off the bones.
Remove meat from pot, and simmer the braising liquid until reduced. Spoon reduced braising liquid and fruits over ribs. Serve with couscous or other side dish of choice. Pearl barley cooked in broth is a good side dish, or even a creamy polenta would be satisfying.
Enjoy.
There is so much going on right now that it was quite something to sit down and update this blog, and I hope this post makes up for the long absence. I have quite a few recipes on file but I have to organize the photos before I post them.
Tonight, I chanced upon wonderful racks of nice pork ribs at Fresh and Easy, a local grocer that's part of the UK Tesco chain, and a favorite purveyor of really fresh produce. At a $1.99 per pound. I took a closer look and was delighted to find that the rib racks were chock-full of meat and carefully trimmed, so I figured I would not be paying for bones and gristle. I figured two racks would be adequate for a few recipes. For this recipe, I used half a rack, which weighed about two pounds. I braised the ribs for about 90 minutes and took it off the burner when it was fork tender.
Braised Pork Ribs
2 pounds pork ribs, cut/separated into strips
1/4 cup olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 whole large onion, coarsely chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled and slightly smashed
1/4 cup dried tomatoes in olive oil, or 2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced into 1/2 inch pieces
1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard
1/4 cup cornichons, chopped (optional)
1/2 teaspoon Herbes de Provence (if unavailable, substitute with an equal quantity,say a couple pinches of fresh rosemary, tarragon and thyme
1/4 teaspoon paprika
2 apples, cored and sliced into 1 inch widths
1/2 cup dried apricots
1/2 cup dried cherries (substitute with 1/4 cup sultanas or raisins if desired)
1.5 cups white wine
Wash the rib strips and pat dry with paper towel. Sprinkle liberally with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Heat olive oil on a deep pan or braising dish.
Brown the ribs over medium high heat. Do not crowd the ribs on the pan to prevent steaming. Remove the rib strips from the pan when nicely browned on all sides.
Saute garlic and onions in oil, add tomatoes and continue to saute over medium-high heat until onions are soft and transluscent. Do not scorch the garlic. That would be the demise of your braised ribs.
Add the rest of the ingredients, except the mustard and the herbs, and saute for 3-5 minutes. Add the browned pork rib, mustard, herbs and pour the white wine over the ribs. I used a Chilean Sauvignon Blanc for this recipe because I found an open bottle. Any dry white wine with hints of melon or berry is good for this recipe. Or whatever good dry white wine you could find in your kitchen. If unopened, pop cork and pour a bit on a glass, enjoy the wine as you braise with some of it. My point is, only cook with wine that you could drink!
Cover the pot and allow to simmer over low-medium heat until meat is tender, fork tender if desired. It should take 90-120 minutes to gain exceptional tenderness. Alternatively, place the covered braising pot in a 450 degree Fahrenheit oven for about the same length of time, or until meat is tender. Stir occasionally but very gently to prevent scorching. Do not toss or meat would fall off the bones.
Remove meat from pot, and simmer the braising liquid until reduced. Spoon reduced braising liquid and fruits over ribs. Serve with couscous or other side dish of choice. Pearl barley cooked in broth is a good side dish, or even a creamy polenta would be satisfying.
Enjoy.
I'll definitely try this recipe. I always cook pork ribs in the same oriental-flavoured barbecue style. Thanks!
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