Things go better with... Cola and Jam Spareribs!

This week's French Fridays with Dorie recipe is Cola and Jam Spareribs.  A curious combination and not one that I was immediately drawn to.    Ingredients include Chinese Five Spice powder, ginger, apricot jam, orange/lemon juices, and Coke.  Hmm, well... here we go!

The recipe was straight forward and easy.  We like ribs, in traditional BBQ style, so we were eager to try these as the aroma spread through the house.

Here's the rack on ribs rubbed with the spice mix and spread with the jam/juice mixture.

The next steps were easy!  Bake and baste.   The caramelization process was fun, and produced really nice color.  I needed to add a little more water and ended up using the entire can of Coke. 

After 2 hours, here are the finished ribs!



The meat was tender but not falling off the bone, and the flavor was interesting.  We decided you have to approach the meal as a variation on roasted pork, rather than ribs.  The Asian twist with the spices, and the sweetness of the jam create a nice flavor.  Gary liked the spareribs a lot, I thought they were fine, but not crazy about them.  I admit, I had fun cooking with fizzy Coke.   A nice accompaniment for the ribs could be Spicy Asian Slaw.   I made asparagus - overcooked - and a little past its peak.  It wasn't a perfect combo, but tasted ok.

While this wasn't my favorite dish, it was fun to try, and fun to share.  Next week's recipe is Rhubarb, a spring favorite.   Enjoy!

So Simple and So Delicious! Warm Weather Pot-au-Feu

This week's recipe is Warm Weather Vegetable Pot-au-Feu.  For those of you who aren't familiar with pot-au-feu, it's a hearty cold weather feast of meats and winter vegetables simmered for hours.  Literally, it means pot in the fire.  Warm, lovely comfort food.  Something lovely simmering on the stove when you stumble upon that sweet French farmhouse.

The warm weather version was equally delicious, quick and easy to make and has all the charm of it's winter version.   I really like leeks and was looking forward to preparing them.   Gary found great produce which made the mise en place extra fun. He even found "slender carrots" as specified in the recipe.  Here's a picture of the the vegetables ready for the pot.

This recipe goes so quickly!  Only a short boil/simmer and the meal was ready.   Our friend, Grant, taught Gary how to poach perfect eggs during a vacation to New Zealand.  Since then, Gary's been the official egg poacher of the house.  No need for cups, or special pans.  Just a little vinegar into simmering water.  I really wanted to try poaching the eggs myself to see how good my observations had been.  The eggs went really well.  I spooned the pot au feu into the bowls, and the eggs were ready.

We were both very surprised at how delicious this recipe was. It looks so simple, but the flavors are so good.   Dorie did a great job with the timing and directions.  Each vegetable was perfectly cooked, including the spinach.  I used vegetable broth, and didn't use any lemongrass. The dish is light yet hearty, and SO good.  The egg stirred into the broth adds body and nice flavor.  I think I'll add some chopped chives to the top next time.   

For some reason, I can't get the finished photo of the recipe to rotate.  Here's the dish, steaming hot, poached egg and all!    One more update before I close.  The wheat is up!  It's been a month.  It's about 10 inches high, and looking healthly and strong.  I'll include a picture next week. 



Cheers!