My spiced pork ribs
Smoky, spicy and messy, these ribs are rewarding and simple to make.
2kg free-range pork ribs, cut into pieces
3 tsp smoked paprika
5 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp flaked salt
2 tbsp golden syrup or treacle
3 tsp celery seeds
3 tbsp coriander seeds, lightly crushed
2 tbsp cumin powder
2 tbsp tomato paste
50ml oil
Freshly ground black pepper
375ml beer
1. Preheat oven to 220C. Place the ribs into a large baking tray and add all other ingredients other than the beer and massage into the ribs thoroughly.
2. Pour over the beer, cover tightly with foil and cook for 40 minutes.
3. Remove cover and cook for a further 20 minutes, turning them once or twice until brown. Serve with apple and cabbage slaw.
Serves 4
Drink Hoppy beer such as IPA (India Pale Ale)
Savoy cabbage slaw with sour cream, apple and caraway
This sprightly salad is a delicious alternative to traditional coleslaw. It's great with my spicy ribs, roast chicken, crumbed veal or a simply grilled steak.
80ml virgin olive oil
3 tbsp of sour cream
3 tbsp quality mayonnaise
Juice of 1 lemon
30ml of red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp castor sugar
3 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 small savoy cabbage, core cut out, outer leaves removed, leaves separated
1/2 red onion, finely diced
2 granny smith apples, skin on, sliced into matchsticks
4 tsp of caraway seeds ground lightly
1. In a large bowl, combine the oil, sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice and vinegar. Season generously with sugar, salt and heaps of black pepper and set aside.
2. Bring a large pot of water to the boil and salt it well, add the leaves of the cabbage and cook for 2 minutes. Lift out of the water with tongs and plunge into iced water to refresh, then drain in a colander.
3. Slice the cabbage into 1cm-wide ribbons. Toss the cabbage, onion and apple with the dressing and half the caraway seeds, and mix with your hands once or twice. Pile on a plate and sprinkle over more caraway seeds.
Serves 4 to 6
Chilli jam
This simple sauce is so much better than mass-produced versions. Serve with ribs, chicken wings or wontons. Stir through mayonnaise for fish and chips, or toss through noodles or steamed rice with tofu.
3 capsicums (about 450g), deseeded and roughly chopped
10 red chillies, seeds in, roughly chopped
4 bullet red chillies, chopped
10cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
6 large cloves garlic, peeled
2 tbsp tomato paste
750g golden castor sugar (raw castor sugar)
50g flaked salt
250ml red wine vinegar
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp crushed coriander seeds
1. Tip the capsicum, chillies, ginger and garlic into a food processor, then whiz until very finely chopped.
2. Scrape into a heavy-based pan with the tomato paste, sugar, salt, vinegar, bay leaf and coriander seeds, then bring everything to the boil. Skim off any scum that comes to the surface, turn the heat down low and allow to simmer for about 50 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. When the jam becomes sticky, continue cooking for 5 minutes, stirring frequently so that it doesn't catch and burn. It should now look like thick, bubbling lava.
4. Cool slightly, transfer to sterilised jars, then leave to cool completely. Keeps for 3 months in a cool, dark cupboard - refrigerate once opened.
Makes about 750ml
Christmas countdown: If you haven't already, now's the time to make Christmas puddings. It's also, of course, the time to shoot and hang your pheasant! (Or start your shopping list).
