Have Ribs For Fourth Of July With Red, White, And Blue Cheese Salad

The Fourth of July is next week! Barbecued spare ribs are a perfect main dish for a festive feast.

BBQ experts advise using wet rubs, dry rubs, dipping the ribs in boiling water in preparation before glazing them. My personal preference is a two-step process: First, season the ribs with a dry rub for a depth of flavor and bake them in a covered pan to render out the excess fat and tenderize the meat. (Can be done ahead of time) Second, brush the ribs with BBQ sauce and grill them until a crisp crust forms with a delightful smoky flavor. Keep the rack of ribs intact for easy handling. Then cut into serving sizes.

Complement the barbecued ribs with a delicious coleslaw with blue cheese dressing and a beautiful red, white, and “blue” salad of greens, radishes, and Peruvian potatoes. Add corn bread or a crusty loaf of whole grained bread. Pick up one or two fresh berry pies at the farmers market and serve with ice cream for dessert.

Happy Fourth and bon appétit!

Barbecued Spare RibsAdapted from Joan Weir 
1997 recipe in a 
Williams-Sonoma newsletter(Serves 6)6 pounds pork spare ribs, 2 full racks

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

2 teaspoons roasted cumin

For the BBQ sauce: About 2 cups1 tablespoon canola oil

1 small yellow onion, minced

2 large cloves garlic, minced

1 cup tomato puree

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce or Tabasco sauce

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 cup water

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Mesquite chipsTo prepare:Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Line a large shallow baking pan/rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Mix salt, pepper, paprika, and cumin together in a small bowl.

Rub seasonings on both sides of ribs.

Arrange ribs in a single layer on sheet/pan. Cover with aluminum foil and bake until the ribs are very tender, about one and a half hours.

Drain off the fat and reserve the ribs.

For BBQ sauce: In a saucepan over medium heat, coat the bottom with oil. Add onion, garlic, and sauté, stirring often, until soft and translucent about eight minutes. Add tomato puree, mustard, lemon juice, honey, Worcestershire sauce, hot-pepper sauce, allspice, ginger, cayenne, water, and whisk until blended. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer uncovered until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Can be refrigerated for up to five days or frozen for up to four months.

Pre-heat the grill until the coals are white hot and add mesquite chips for a smoky flavor.

Brush both sides of the ribs with BBQ sauce and place them on the grill rack about five inches from the heat source. Partially cover the grill and cook the ribs until golden brown, about five to 10 minutes. Turn the ribs and baste, and repeat the process until the ribs are browned according to personal preference.

Transfer the ribs to a large cutting board and cut between the ribs into individual pieces. Serve at once. Pass remaining BBQ sauce at the table.Fourth Of July Cole Slaw With Blue Cheese Dressing(Serves 8)1 large green cabbage (or half green and half red cabbage) cut into thin slices

About 1 cup good quality mayonnaise

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

1/2 cup sour cream

About 3/4 pound blue cheese, reserve 1/2 cup for garnish

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 teaspoon celery salt or more to taste

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Pinch of sugar

2 large Vidalia onions, chopped

1 bunch flat leaf parsley, choppedTo prepare:Working in the food processor fitted with the slicing blade, cut the cabbage into wedges, place the wedges, cut side down in the feeding tube and cut the cabbage. Transfer the cabbage to a large mixing bowl.

Fit the processor with chopping blade; add onions and parsley and pulse to blend, add the onion and parsley to the cabbage and mix well.

In same processor bowl, add mayonnaise, mustard, sour cream, blue cheese, black pepper, celery salt, vinegar, and sugar and blend. Add just enough of the dressing on the cabbage to lightly coat the vegetables and mix well. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Transfer the slaw to an airtight container and refrigerate over night.

To serve, with a slotted spoon, lift slaw out and transfer to a serving dish. Crumble reserved blue cheese over the top.Red White And Blue Salad(Serves 6)3 to 4 purple heirloom potatoes, about 2 inches round, baked, sliced in half and quartered

6 to 8 fresh radishes, scrubbed, halved, sliced into half moon shapes

About 4 cups Romaine, cut into chiffonade

About 3 cups baby red and green leaf Mesclun with arugula

1 medium sweet white onion, thinly sliced

Honey Ridge Farms balsamic honey vinegar, to taste

Extra virgin olive oil, to taste

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to tasteTo prepare:Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Scrub potatoes and place them on a baking sheet and bake until they are tender to the point of a table fork, about 35 to 40 minutes, depending on the size. Cool to room temperature and cut them into even bite-sized portions. Can be done ahead and refrigerated.

To assemble and serve, toss the salad greens and onion together in a large salad bowl. Add radishes and potatoes to the mix. Sprinkle just enough oil to lightly coat the salad and drizzle with vinegar. Toss, taste and adjust the seasonings, and serve at once. Pass oil and vinegar, salt and pepper at the table.