Naked RIbs

Some people like barbecue for the sauce; purists like it for the pork. If you're one of the latter, you have to try these ribs, developed by Food editor Russ Parsons. You don't need a smoker to make them, a good old-fashioned kettle grill will work fine. The trick is concentrating the heat along one side of the grill, so that the ribs can slowly smoke on the cool side. Note also that the dry rub spicing mixture makes enough to repeat this recipe three or four times -- in other words, about a week's worth.

Total time: 2 hours, plus marinating time

Servings:6 to 8


Ingredients:

1/3 cup mild finely ground dried chile
1/2 cup kosher salt
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 (4-pound) racks pork spareribs


Directions:

1. In a jar, combine the chile, salt, sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, cumin and coriander, crushing any chunks of brown sugar. Cover tightly and shake well to combine thoroughly.

2. Trim the ribs, cutting away any excess fat pieces and loose ends without bones. Lay the ribs flat with the bony underside facing up. If you prefer, remove the flap of meat that covers part of one side. Use a small knife or skewer to poke through the thin, tough membrane that covers the rib bones, lifting a corner of it. Use a clean kitchen cloth to get a good grip and gently but firmly pull the membrane away from the ribs. It will come up in sheets; you may have to repeat the process a couple of times to get it all.

3. Sprinkle both sides of the ribs with the dry rub mixture, using about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons per side. Rub to distribute evenly, and then seal tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hour to overnight.

4. Soak 3 cups of hickory chips in enough water to cover generously. Start the coals in a chimney and when they are lightly coated with gray ash, about 20 minutes, empty them into the grill, arranging them in a gentle slope against one side.

5. When those coals have cooled slightly, about 20 minutes, add two-thirds of the wood chips, replace the grill rack and brush it with oil. Arrange the rib rack well away from the heat and cover tightly so that the lid's vent holes are over the ribs, opposite the flame. Smoke, turning every 30 minutes or so, until the meat begins to pull away from the rib tips and is so tender that a center bone can almost be pulled loose, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. After about an hour, you'll need to replenish the smoke, adding the remaining wood chips on top of the coals.

6. Remove the racks from the fire and wrap them tightly in aluminum foil. Set aside for 30 minutes to 1 hour to rest. Serve at room temperature, or reheat briefly on the grill, off the fire, before serving.


Nutritional Information:

Each serving: 851 calories; 62 grams protein; 2 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 64 grams fat; 24 grams saturated fat; 255 mg. cholesterol; 1337 mg. sodium.

Copyright © 2011, Los Angeles Times

Fresh Pasta

Making pasta is easier than you think.
Homemade pasta has a unique taste and a bite not found in any store-bought varieties.


Noodle Basics

Fresh pasta contains only three ingredients: flour, salt, and eggs.

Semolina, a high-protein flour made from Durum wheat, makes better pasta than all-purpose flour. It creates a stronger gluten structure, allowing for more pliable dough.

Salt provides flavor, and the eggs create richer dough, along with binding the dough together.

Olive oil is sometimes added for flavor, or, if the pasta is to be dried, water is used instead of eggs.


Mixing

Kneading the dough creates the important gluten structure that holds the pasta together. Using a stand mixer with a dough hook simplifies the process: just add the ingredients and mix. Kneading by hand takes more effort, but is still quite enjoyable (and a good workout).

Start with a large, clean work surface. Make a mound of the flour and salt with a well in the middle.

Add the eggs to the well, and start stirring with a fork, slowly incorporating all the flour until the dough comes together.

Knead the dough until it is soft and pliable. This might take several minutes.


Rolling

A pasta machine is a pasta maker's best friend. Just follow these tips for flawless dough:

Use the machine for the final kneading. Run the dough through the widest setting on the machine, fold into thirds, and roll again. Continue this process until the dough is shiny and elastic.

Work the dough through the settings of the machine until the desired thickness is reached.

Four hands are better than two: enlisting some help with turning the handle of the pasta machine will make this job much easier.
If you're working with only a portion of the dough at a time, keep the remainder wrapped in plastic to prevent it from drying out.

Rolling by hand works, too, and can easily be done with just a rolling pin and a large work surface.

Just as with a pasta machine, roll the pasta dough flat, fold into thirds, and roll flat again, until the dough is shiny and elastic.

Make sure the dough is in small enough batches to be workable. (Slightly smaller than your fist is a good gauge.) Keep extra dough covered in plastic until you're ready to work with it.

Roll to the final thickness, and form desired shape.


Shaping

Fresh pasta allows you to choose your favorite shape of pasta, in any size you choose.

Any sort of thin, flat pasta is possible when making pasta by hand, including lasagna, fettuccine, or linguine.

Complex shapes, such as penne, spaghetti, or macaroni requite special cutters and attachments added to the pasta machine.

Filled pastas, such as ravioli or tortellini, are perfect for fresh-made pasta. You can fill them with anything you choose, and create the best pairing possible between filling and sauce.

Antipasto Pasta Salad

A delicious pasta, meat and cheese combination with a homemade dressing. It serves a crowd and is great for a picnic.

Ingredients:

1 pound seashell pasta
1/4 pound Genoa salami, chopped
1/4 pound pepperoni sausage, chopped
1/2 pound Asiago cheese, diced
1 (6 ounce) can black olives, drained and chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 (.7 ounce) package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
salt and ground black pepper to taste


Directions:

Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain, and cool under cold water.

In a large bowl, combine the pasta, salami, pepperoni, Asiago cheese, black olives, red bell pepper, green bell pepper and tomatoes. Stir in the envelope of dressing mix. Cover, and refrigerate for at least one hour.
To prepare the dressing, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, oregano, parsley, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Just before serving, pour dressing over the salad, and mix well.


Nutritional Information:

Amount Per Serving Calories: 451 | Total Fat: 29.1g | Cholesterol: 37mg