summer sides.

I don't know about the rest of you, but summer for me means barbequing. I have spent the last eight months of the year trapped in my little 10' by 4' kitchen slaving over a hot stove (My husband is convinced it's 12' by 6'...but don't men generally exagerate when it comes to measurements?) Either way, by the time May roles around I am itching to get outside, to smell the fresh cut grass, have the sun beat down on my pasty white skin, to look out over my big back yard, turn on the grill and start cooking. Oh...did I forget to mention that I live in Downtown Montreal? For now this is my beautiful view...

 
And this is my little slice of heaven...

But regardless of my sad little backyard scenario, that mean machine barbeque can cook up some fantastic burgs' and dogs' just like best of your oversized grills. And who can't grill a burger or boil a hot dog...it's the salads that really make a barbeque!
Skip the typical potato salad or pasta salad next time you're asked to bring a side dish to your family get-together and try this amazing sweet potato and black bean salad. This recipe has been adapted from a recipe originally featured in the New York Times and is a really great alternative to your typical macaroni and mayonaise. Enjoy!

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Salad

- (4) medium sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1/2 to 1-inch chunks
- (2) tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- (1) large onion, chopped
- (3) cloves of garlic, minced
- (1-2) tablespoons of minced fresh or pickled hot chile, like jalapeño
- Juice of 2 limes
- (1) tablespoon of white vinegar
- (1) teaspoon cumin
- (1/3) cup of extra virgin olive oil
- (2) cups of cooked or canned black beans, drained
- (1) cup of chopped fresh cilantro

Heat oven to 400 degrees C. Put cubed sweet potatoes on a large baking sheet, drizzle with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil (or enough to baste), toss to coat and spread out in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast, turning occasionally, until potatoes begin to brown on corners and are just tender inside, about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven.

In a medium skillet, heat about a tablespoon of olive oil and saute the onion until tender, about 3-5 minutes.  Add the garlic and chiles and saute another 30 seconds to 1 minute.

 

In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, vinegar and cumin.  While whisking, drizzle in the olive oil until dressing comes together.  Season with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, combine sweet potatoes, onion mixture, black beans and cilantro and toss with dressing to coat.  Serve immediately or refrigerate and enjoy later.

 

soul food.

There are certain recipes and dishes that just scream comfort food, and this is definitely one of them. I'm not sure if it's because it reminds me of my younger years and my mom cooking in the kitchen, or maybe it's the smell that infuses throughout the whole house when you're making this dish, or possibly it's just because they're soooo good!

My recent trip home to the Niagara Region in Ontario, Canada left me feeling a little nostalgic and craving some of the comfort foods reminiscent of "home". Joe and I stayed at my mom's house, and just as I anticipated, it only took a couple hours of settling in before everyone was asking me what I was making for dinner. Classic!
This recipe originally came from the Encyclopedia of Cooking, a cookbook that my mom inherited from my grandma about 25 years ago. The book no longer has a cover on it, half of the index is missing, and a number of the pages are permanently stuck together by a number of unidentified ingredients. This particular recipe is covered with ketchup and Worcestershire sauce which is just a testament to the number of times we've made...or possibly to how messy I am in the kitchen.
In general, pork back ribs are more meaty and tender than side ribs, but also quite a bit more expensive. I've made this recipe using both types, and they both taste great, but because side ribs are slightly tougher, they may require more time in the oven before they become tender.


Barbecue - Style  Spareribs
       (Serves 4 to 6)

- (4 to 5) lbs. of fresh or frozen pork spareribs
- (1) cup of ketchup
- (1/4) cup vinegar
- (1/4) cup Worcestershire sauce
- (1) tsp. salt
- (1) tsp. pepper
- (2) tsp. chili powder
- (1/4) tsp. cayenne pepper (add a little extra if you like them spicy)
- (1 or 2) small to medium onions, finely chopped
- (1 1/2) cups water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

When you buy ribs in the store, they will normally come in a pack with two racks of ribs. The first thing you'll want to do is cut each rack into smaller pieces. This can be done with either a good pair of kitchen scissors or a sharp knife. Cut the ribs into 3 to 4 bone sections, cutting right between two bones.

Arrange the ribs in a slightly deeper baking dish, preferably something with a lid. Don't worry if the ribs overlap, the sauce will cover all the ribs and they will still cook throughout.

In a separate bowl, add the rest of the ingredients and stir until combined. If you like your ribs a little spicier, doubling the cayenne pepper should give it a good kick.

Once the sauce is prepared, pour the entire bowl right over the ribs, making sure that all the ribs are completely covered.

Put the lid on your baking dish and pop it into the oven. If you don't have a lid, cover the dish completely with aluminum foil. Bake the ribs for approximately 2 hours, making sure to turn and baste the ribs a couple times while they're baking. You want to make sure the ribs stay moist and saucy. If your ribs are quite thick to begin with (or if you're cooking more than 5 lbs of ribs), they could take longer than 2 hours. Just keep an eye on them as they shouldn't be tough at all and should fall right off the bone. Remove the lid or aluminum foil for the last 30 minutes of baking.

This recipe ends of yielding a fair amount of extra sauce. Top your ribs with an extra scoopful of sauce and pour some on top of your rice or potatoes too....yum!