Oven-Barbecued Spareribs

Lacking a grill, your oven works well for ribs. Here, they're
served with a side of polenta, a good choice for ribs.

If you don't have a grill and/or you don't want to barbecue in the middle of winter, your only alternative is the oven. Ribs in the oven are remarkably easy to make. Use baby backs and a barbecue sauce you like. I use Sweet Baby Ray's Original. Or make your own.

• 1, 2-3 pound slab baby-back spare ribs
• 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
• 2-4 whole cloves*
• 2-3 garlic cloves, smashed
• 10 ounces barbecue sauce (I use Sweet Baby Ray's original)
• Cayenne pepper
• brown sugar, light or dark

Remove the thin silver membrane from the back of the ribs and cut the slab into serving-size pieces. Clean ribs by placing in a pot, filling with cold water and draining. Do this several times. 

 I had to settle for pork loin backribs which are not as tender
as baby backs, but they do have more meat.

Fill pot with clean, cold water just until ribs are covered. Add the onion, whole cloves, and garlic. Bring just to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and keep covered for another 30 minutes. (Be careful not to boil your ribs. It will toughen the meat.)

Place ribs meat side up in an oiled pan but do not throw out the braising water. Cover each portion with barbecue sauce. Lightly dust with cayenne by holding the container two feet above ribs and lightly tapping. 

Crumble brown sugar on top of barbecue sauce and cayenne, about 2 tablespoons or so for each portion. Add several tablespoons of water to the pan. Cover tightly with foil and place in a 250-degree oven. After one hour or so remove from oven. The sauce, sugar and water will have turned into a glaze. Baste the ribs with this glaze, including underside and, if necessary, add a bit more water from the braising liquid. Re-cover and place in oven for an additional 60 minutes basting occasionally. Remove and check for tenderness.

Baby backs will cook faster and should be done after two hours in the oven. If the ribs are thick and/or tough you may need an additional hour.

Sticky, sweet and spicy . . . finger licking at it's best!

If you want, place under the broiler for a few minutes to achieve a "grilled" look. Do not step away from ribs when under the broiler. They can burn quickly.

Plate and serve. Have plenty of napkins.

(Serves 2 or, as an appetizer, 4-6)

*Sometimes I omit cloves and use a teaspoon or so of pickling spice--not a lot--just enough to add another layer of flavor to the meat.

Note: Total cooking time in the oven can be anywhere for  2 - 4 hours, so keep that in mind. It's important to keep the ribs covered and a bit of liquid added to they don't dry out. Things will get messy, as the photo above shows. But that's the nature (and fun) of eating ribs!

Buttermilk Pancakes 101

Y'all need to slap your traps with these here flaps! Be sure to warm the maple syrup,
first. Real maple syrup. Not the fake stuff.

I hate buying buttermilk for a recipe because it's expensive and then you're left with most of it after needing only a cup or so for the recipe. But it's what I had to do. So I bought it--then I never got around to making the recipe! So now I have buttermilk. And I've been making and freezing pancakes. Flapjacks. Flaps.

The most difficult part of pancakes for the novice is the temperature of the pan. If you're new at this, an electric skillet works well since it keeps a constant temperature. You might also want a non-stick skillet. It's important to lightly skim the pan with oil; you don't want to "fry" your pancakes. And you don't want the pan so hot that it scorches the first side. Always test things out with just one pancake.

I use my trusty, well-seasoned cast-iron skillet. I put in a tablespoon or so of oil and then use a paper towel to kind of "drain" and skim the pan as I go around it leaving a thin film. A griddle has the advantage of no sides, so it makes it easier to "flip" the pancake. If you're not good at flipping, fill the pan with less, not more, pancakes, and make smaller ones, not larger.

I could have been a bit neater when I flipped this batch.

Note the lack of oil. Nothing beats
a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet! It's easier to flip flapjacks
with less in the pan, not more.

The acid in buttermilk combined with baking powder produces a chemical reaction that causes the pancake to rise. Hence, buttermilk pancakes are fluffier than if made with regular milk. As soon as the batter hits the hot pan, you will actually see the "lift."

Why do I like this particular recipe? I like whisking the egg white and then adding some milk to it and I like adding the yolk to the melted butter. It just makes sense. Pancakes freeze beautifully and make for a quick breakfast or snack.

Use whatever flavoring you'd like to the batter. I like just a touch of vanilla without it overpowering the batter. You may also add a bit of cinnamon and/or nutmeg, apple pie spice. Pumpkin pie spice is especially nice. If using syrup on your pancakes, you don't really need the sugar. If serving with fruit and powdered sugar, then I would certainly add the sugar.

(Makes about 10 - 12 pancakes)

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons sugar or equivalent of sugar substitute (or none)
• 3/4 cup whole buttermilk (be sure to shake the container before using)
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 egg, separated
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• A few shakes of your favorite spices (optional)

Begin to pre-heat your electric fry pan or griddle if using. If using a cast-iron skillet, begin to heat on low.

In a medium bowl, mix your dry ingredients.

Nuke the butter just until melted. Add the egg yolk and mix.

In a small bowl or cup, whisk the egg white just until frothy and broken up. Whisk in the 1/4 cup of milk.

Whisk the egg white until light and frothy.

Now add the wet ingredients to the dry, whisking just until well-combined. There will be lumps. You want lumps. Allow mixture to sit for several minutes.

Lumps are okay. You want lumps! Batter will be thick. Allow the batter to sit
for several minutes to begin that "chemical reaction"
between the buttermilk and baking powder.

Pour about 1 tablespoon of oil onto hot pan, 375 degrees if electric, medium heat if using a range. Using a wadded-up paper towel, give the pan a quick skim leaving behind a film. Skim the pan with oil after each batch.

Using a small ladle or 1/4-cup measuring cup with a handle, pour in batter for just one pancake to test the pan. Bubbles should appear on the surface in about one minute. It should be ready to flip after about 2 minutes. Continue to cook for another 2 minutes or so, adjusting heat if necessary, to avoiding scorching.

Finished pancakes can be kept warm in 200 degree oven as you make more.

Man, those were some gooooooood flaps!

To freeze pancakes: allow pancakes to cool. Place no more than two on top of each other and freeze otherwise they will all stick together. When frozen, place in a plastic bag. I use bread-loaf bags that I save. To serve: remove pancakes and place on outer edge of micro-safe dish. Cover with a paper towel and nuke for about 30+ seconds until warm and steamy. Place in the toaster just to crisp the outside. 

For this batch I did not use sugar and I didn't miss it at all.

Baked White Fish with Orzo, Tomatoes and Olives

Summer is all about fresh produce and herbs. This recipe capitalizes on both. And it's pretty healthy, too. My summer herbs, kept in clay pots, afford easy accessibility and harvesting.

The original recipe called for shrimp, feta cheese, fresh basil, no black olives, canned tomatoes and baking in a covered glass casserole dish. It was "okay." But it just kind of missed something even though it looked great.

I love the concept of par-boiling the orzo, so much easier than making rice or ribbons of pasta. White fish seemed the right way to go with this, and so I used fresh cod. I also added Greek olives, chopped celery, upped the garlic, swapped out the basil for fresh Italian oregano (milder than Mexican oregano), added some spinach and used goat cheese instead of the feta. Even without the fish, this is a great side dish!!! The briny olives with the fresh tomatoes is classic Mediterranean fare. Use a really good olive oil.

I've used plain goat cheese and flavored. It's really up to you. Just use one that is mild in flavor or that you've already had. I use "La Bonne Vie."

(I had planned to do a nice "photo shoot" for this recipe, but a rain storm blew in at the last minute diminishing any natural light. 

• 1/2 cup raw orzo
• 1/2 - 3/4 lb. fresh cod fillet
• 1 cup sliced grape tomatoes
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup chopped green onion
• 1 tablespoon finely minced or pressed garlic
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
• 2-3 tablespoons thawed spinach, squeezed dry (or use fresh)
• 1/3 cup (about) chopped Greek olives (Kalamata)
• 2 tablespoons goat cheese
• 4 small fresh thyme sprigs
• Salt, pepper to taste
• Garlic powder
• Old Bay's Seasoning
• Lemon

Chop, dice and mince all your vegetables and have them ready to go.

Cut fish in half to fit inside of Dutch oven.

Bring a small pot of water to the boil and add the orzo. Cook for about 6 minutes or so while you saute the vegetables.

In a medium Dutch oven, drizzle about a tablespoon or so of olive oil. Add the chopped celery, onion, and tomatoes and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, remembering it will also bake in the oven, so don't over cook them. Add the olives, garlic, spinach and oregano. Stir to warm through. Remove from heat.

Drain orzo and add to vegetables. Stir in the cheese until melted.

The orzo mixture itself is a great side dish.

Lightly dust the fish filet with garlic powder, salt and pepper, Old Bay's. Place fish on top of orzo-vegetable mixture. Squeeze a bit of lemon juice over fish and then drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Place thyme sprigs on top of fish.

Cover. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until fish flakes. Serve with lemon wedges and additional salt if desired. For wine, pair with a cold Pino Grigio, Chenin Blanc or Sauvignon Blanc.

Throw Away Your Re-Usable Grocery Bags!

Okay. I admit it. I'm a bagger.

No, not as in Tea Party but as in groceries.

Bagging other people's groceries is one of my responsibilities in my new part-time job--which I'm enjoying very much. It's always interesting to see what travels down the black conveyor belt. A person's groceries is their archeological "finger" or "food" print. 

At the end of the belt are three plastic bag holders that I keep open as I begin my sorting in advance: canned goods, soft goods, produce, cold items, meat, etc. The stands keep the bags upright and open and are placed at just the correct, strategic height to make filling them fast and orderly. I can look down into them as I pack them. One hand grabs an item, then passes it to the next hand in a neat exchange of efficiency. The process is streamlined, cost-effective and labor-saving.

I anticipate and triage in advance. Some customers are great and begin thoughtful sorting as they empty their carts. Others are less accommodating and annoyingly  toss their load on the belt eager to be done and gone. "Helpful" children can complicate the process. Men don't empty a cart as much as "dump it."

When it's busy, the process clicks like clockwork. Zip zip zip. Load. Place in cart. "Have a nice day." That is…. until I hear the dreaded words as I'm packing the next customer's load, "I have my own bags!" It's rarely said in a conciliatory tone. It's often menacing and panic-stricken and goes something like this: "STOP! Oh my god!!! Don't let my stuff touch the plastic!  Don't pollute my groceries, my life, my very being. I brought my own bags, you moron!"

Rarely, and I mean rarely, does a person bring recyclable bags because they want to help the planet and our environment. Most just hate plastic bags and the hassle of storing them.

There is no easy way to load recyclable bags. They are made of soft fabrics that don't stand upright. They have to be loaded on top of the counter so it's difficult to see inside and one hand is usually holding open the bag at all times, so it's a one-handed operation. It's slow and tedious. If people have groceries that would normally fill six plastic bags, but they only have two recyclable bags, they don't care. "Just put it all in," they insist. Whatever . . .

Our store policy is that meat is first placed in a plastic bag before being placed into a paper or recyclable bag. It prevents leakage and stains. But plastic is anathema to many of these people. NO PLASTIC! And that includes produce. If they buy six apples, each comes tumbling bruisingly down the conveyor belt. Lettuces, parsley, celery--none is first put into plastic and all is usually dripping wet. All is put naked into the recyclable bag to dampen the contents of everything they touch--including meat that might be leaking blood. Gross.

Unlike plastic bags, or even paper bags, recyclable bags are not standardized. Their geometry is chaotic, especially when it comes time to "squeeze" them into a cart. I don't know why, but people love to bring bags bearing the names of competitive stores. I guess they think it's cute. Maybe they use our bags when they go to other stores. I don't know. I just find it rude.

But my real pet peeve concerning recyclable bags is their unsanitary nature. While we've been indoctrinated with the drill that recyclable is "better," (whole companies satellite this industry) no one argues their unhealthy context. Most--and I mean most--are dirty, soiled, stained and disgusting. They are used over and over and over and never laundered or cleaned. Or even thrown away. They have no business being brought into a grocery store.

Once a woman yelled the obligatory, "I brought my own bags!" and threw two large black bags toward me. I was stunned. They were covered in dog hair! Lots of it. You could even smell it. It was like, "WHAT? You expect ME to touch those, let alone put FOOD into them? Are you just freaking NUTS?" And I work at a high-end grocery store.

"Dog bags" are not uncommon. People keep a pile of recyclable bags in the back seats of their car, apparently. A perfect place for Fido to curl into on a friendly ride. Fleas and all. "No pets allowed" is clearly marked on the entrance door of the store. I guess we need to specify that includes their dander, saliva and germs.

One woman's recyclables resembled a Jackson-Pollock painting. It was covered in multi-colored stains: red, green, blue, black. I gingerly held the strap with my fingers as I pushed in her "food."

God only knows where these bags are stored. Many, I'm sure, are thrown under the kitchen sink next to the trash. They are placed on dirty kitchen floors and counters. Car trunks. They are handled by those who are sick. They are sneezed on. Coughed on. And they have no business in a grocery store where they cross-contaminate everything they touch. Including moi!

Like most grocery stores, mine is committed to cleanliness and freshness. Sanitary wipes greet you the minute you walk in and are even placed around the store for your benefit (and those of others).  And, like most stores, we offer bins for the very plastic bags you hate so much. We will recycle them for you!

Please, keep your dirty laundry at home. Your noble effort to recycle is commendable. Really. But recycling your germs is not!

copyright 2011 Gary T. Czerwinski