oven roast fries, wilted red cabbage and apples, profiteroles with chocolate and toffee sauces

Serves 4 people generously

4 racks of pork back ribs cut into 2 rib sections

2 large onions, roughly chopped
1 cup tomato ketchup
½ cup Kikkoman sodium reduced soy sauce
¼ cup yellow mustard
½ cup rice vinegar
½ cup brown sugar
Water as required

Place the ribs in a large enough roaster so they are no more than 2 layers deep. Add the remaining ingredients and add enough water to completely cover the ribs.

Cover the ribs pan with a lid and place in a preheated oven. Bake just until the meat is almost falling off the bones. The time and temperature depends upon your needs. They will take 3 hours at 350°F or they can be cooked longer and slower for as much as 12 hours at 190°F.

Once the ribs are cooked, remove them from the sauce and turn your oven temperature to 425°F. Place the ribs on a baking sheet and baste with some of the cooking liquid.

Puree the cooking liquid using either a blender or an immersion blender. Place the cooking liquid over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and reduce the cooking liquid until it is thick. Baste the ribs frequently with the reducing liquid to keep them from drying out. Once the cooking liquid has reduced to a thick sauce, taste and adjust the seasoning. Ladle the sauce over the ribs one last time. Serve with the remaining sauce on the side.

Oven roast fries

4 large all purpose potatoes such as Russets or Kennebecs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
3 tablespoons oil

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Peel the potatoes and then have then cut into wedges approximately 1 cm wide. Place the potato wedges in a bowl and drizzle the oil over top. Season well with salt and paprika and place them and any remaining oil on a sheet tray. Place the tray in the oven and cook for 10 minutes. Toss the potatoes one more time and return to the oven.

Cook the potatoes just until they are golden brown and crisp on all approximately another 15 – 20 minutes. The potatoes can be cooked at the same time as the ribs are being finished.

Wilted red cabbage with apple

1 tsp butter
½ red cabbage shredded
1 granny smith apple, cored and cut into ¼” dice
¼ cup apple juice
1 T apple cider vinegar
½ tsp caraway seeds

Melt the butter in a non stick pan over medium high heat. As soon as the butter has melted and add the cabbage and apple. Cook just until the cabbage has started to wilt approximately 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and cover with a lid. Cook just until the apple and cabbage are as tender as you like. Remove the lid and let the moisture evaporate. Taste and add salt and pepper as required. Add 1 more tablespoon cider vinegar and 1 tsp sugar. Stir in well before serving.

Serve the ribs on one platter, the fries on another and the wilted cabbage on a third platter. Pass the remaining sauce on the side. Be sure to serve with plenty of napkins.

Cream puffs with a choice of sauces

Choux Pastry
½ cup water
½ cup milk
½ cup butter cut into small pieces
½ tsp salt

Put all of the ingredients into a heavy bottomed saucepan over high heat. Bring just to the boil and immediately reduce the heat to medium low. Stirring constantly with a wooden spoon add:

1 cup flour

Continue to mix with a wooden spoon just until the mixture comes together and starts to pull away from the sides of the pan. Cook over medium low heat for 1 minute long, stirring constantly.

 4 large eggs, added individually

Remove the batter from the pan and place into the bowl of the mixer. Let the mixture cool for 5 minutes.

With the mixer running, add 1 egg at a time, beating the egg into the batter until it is completely taken up by the batter. Continue until 4 eggs have been added.

Line sheet trays with silicone sheets and pipe approximately 1 tablespoon of the batter onto the sheet tray for small puffs or approximately twice that amount for larger puffs. Moisten a finger with cold water and gently press down any peaks on the tops of the puffs.

Bake the puffs at 400°F for 12 – 15 minutes and then lower the heat to 350°F and continue to bake for another 8 – 10 minutes or just until the puffs are golden brown and starting to dry out. Cool the puffs completely before attempting to fill. Note: The puffs can be made a day ahead but need to be stored in an air tight container.

Chantilly cream

1 cup cream2 tablespoons sugar
½ tsp vanilla

Whip the cream. As soon as soft peaks form, add the sugar and vanilla. Continue to whip just until the cream holds medium peaks.

Chocolate Ganache

1 cup chopped chocolate
½ cup cream, heated

Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and mix together until the chocolate is fully melted. Hold warm.

Toffee sauce

1 cup brown sugar
½ cup cream
½ cup butter

Place all of the ingredients in a small pan over medium high heat and stir until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Reduce the heat and continue to cook for another 3 minutes. Do not overcook or the sauce will be too thick to pour.

Serve warm. The sauce will keep for 7 days in a sealed container in the fridge. Warm just before using.

Fill the puffs with the Chantilly cream and dip the tops of half cream puffs the in the chocolate ganache. Top the remaining puffs with the toffee sauce. Serve on a big platter so that everyone can help themselves.

To get this meal to the table easily:

• Up to 7 days in advance:
  • Make the 2 dessert sauces and store refrigerated
• the day before:
  • Make the cream puffs
• Earlier in the day:
  • Start your ribs
  • Prep your potatoes and store them at room temperate in cold water
  • Prep your cabbage ingredients
• Final cooking:
  • Remove the ribs and start to reduce the sauce
  • When the sauce is almost ready, return the ribs to the oven and start your potatoes and cabbage.
• Assemble dessert and enjoy

Cathie Hamilton
Certified Culinary Scientist
E-mail Cathie Hamilton

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