TUESDAY, JULY 14, 2020
THE OBSERVER & BAKER CITY HERALD — 3B
HOME & LIVING
Add spicy Thai flavor to grilled ribs
By JeanMarie Brownson
Chicago Tribune
I don’t need food to be hot.
But I do like it spicy. Even
comfort food. I add chile
fl akes to pasta, hot sauce to
mashed potatoes, black pep-
per to scrambled eggs.
The penchant for warm
spice stems from college days
enjoying skewers of chicken
satay and pad Thai noodles
with classmates. Later, a
research meal with Cuisine
magazine colleagues at
Chicago’s Thai Room opened
our eyes to even bolder heat.
A menu item, “original hot
number one,” challenged us
mightily. Gradually, I built
tolerance for its searing green
curry heat and licorice-y
notes of Thai basil. Someday
soon, we hope to encounter
zesty new fl avors dining out
with friends.
In the meantime, I’ll cook
with bold fl avor as much for
challenge as nostalgia for
shared meals with fellow food
adventurers.
Memories of that Thai-
style satay, grilled and
skewered highly seasoned
meat, inspire these recipes. I
skip the skewering and opt
instead for meaty, fl avor-
packed pork country ribs. You
can use bone-in or boneless
country ribs — whatever you
can get at the meat counter
or butcher. Trim off excess
fat, but leave enough for
fl avor and browning. This
recipe also works beautifully
with bone-in chicken pieces,
beef sirloin steak and lamb
shoulder chops.
Refrigerated purees make
easy work of the fl avor-fi lled
marinade. You can substitute
fresh ginger and lemongrass
Abel Uribe/Chicago Tribune-TNS
Pork country ribs marinate in a mixture of onion, garlic,
ginger and lemongrass purees, fi sh sauce, chile, salt, pep-
per, coriander, cumin and turmeric before being grilled
and then served with fresh lime and bottled peanut sauce.
if it is available. If you are
missing any of the ground
spices, just use a little more
of each of the ones you have
on hand or substitute some
garam masala or curry
powder.
For grilling, charcoal adds
the most fl avor, but a gas grill
will suffi ce. I prepare the grill
to have a cooler area so the
ribs can cook more slowly to
tenderness. A sear over the
hottest part of the grill adds
a browned fl avor that keeps
us coming back for more.
Be sure to serve the pork
with wedges of fresh lime
for squeezing over the meat.
Bottled peanut satay sauce
can be served alongside if you
wish. I like to sprinkle lots of
fresh cilantro over everything
for its fresh fl avor.
A slightly sweet and
spicy slaw makes a crunchy
contrast to the rich meat. In
lieu of peanut sauce, I simply
add a handful of dry-roasted
peanuts to the slaw. Steamed
green beans or broccoli
spears, tossed with Chinese
GARDEN
chile crisp (or melted butter
and crushed pepper fl akes)
makes a gorgeous side dish.
I’m always playing around
with ways to fl avor brown
rice. Here, I add a little
unsweetened coconut milk
to the cooking water and a
generous amount of un-
sweetened coconut fl akes for
texture. I just love to sprinkle
the fi nished rice with hot
sauce — especially when it’s
the basis for a bowl topped
with leftover shreds of the
pork and spoonfuls of the
slaw.
THAI-STYLE
GRILLED PORK
COUNTRY RIBS
Prep: 20 minutes
Marinate: 1 to 24 hours
Cook: 30 minutes
Makes: 6 servings
Look for prepared lem-
ongrass and ginger purees
in refrigerated cases at the
grocer.
frequently used in the garden.
• Provide water in the garden
Continued from Page 1B
for birds, especially in dry
• Water turf as needed to
weather.
prevent drought stress.
• Newly planted trees and
• Turf grass grown in shaded shrubs should continue to be
conditions should be mowed at
watered thoroughly, once a week.
higher levels.
• Prune climbing roses and
• A mailbox mounted on a
rambled roses after bloom.
nearby post makes a handy place
• Keep weeds from making
to store and keep dry any small seeds now. It will mean less
tools, seeds, labels, etc. that are
weeding next year.
COOL IT
Continued from Page 1B
• Creamy pops: A cup of
Greek yogurt and ¼ cup of
milk can serve as the base for
creamy pops. Feel free to use
coconut water, soy, or almond
milk. You can add whole fruit
to this base, or put all the in-
gredients into a blender and
puree, then pour into molds.
• Layered pops: Let each
layer of fruit puree or creamy
pop mixture set in the freezer
for at least 20 minutes before
adding the next fl avor. Be
sure to keep other purees
refrigerated while layers are
setting.
BLUEBERRY-
COCONUT GREEK
YOGURT POPS
Makes 10
1½ cups (12 ounces)
Greek yogurt
¾ cup (6 ounces) full
fat coconut milk
4 tablespoons granulated
sugar, divided
1½ cups fresh or frozen
blueberries
• Honey can be used instead
of sugar, and adjust to taste
In a large bowl, combine the
Greek yogurt with the coconut
milk and 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons
of sugar or honey. Stir vigor-
ously until you have a smooth
consistency. Taste and add
more sweetener, if desired. Set
aside.
Make the blueberry sauce by
combining the blueberries with
the remaining 2 tablespoons of
granulated sugar or honey in a
small pot. Cook over medium
heat until the blueberries start
to break down. Stir and con-
tinue cooking until it reaches a
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8 bone-in or boneless country-
style pork loin ribs, each
about 1-inch thick OR
bone-in, skin-on chicken
thighs, 2¾ to 3 pounds total
½ small white onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon lemongrass
puree or 2 tablespoons
fi nely chopped fresh
lemongrass
1 tablespoon ginger puree
or grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon fi sh sauce (or
2 teaspoons soy sauce)
½ small serrano chile, seeded
(or 1 teaspoon hot sauce)
½ teaspoon each: salt, black
pepper, ground coriander,
ground cumin, turmeric
Chopped fresh cilantro,
lime wedges, bottled
peanut satay sauce
1. Put country ribs into a
large bowl or baking dish. Put
¼ cup water, onion, garlic,
purees, fi sh sauce, chile, salt,
pepper, coriander, cumin and
turmeric into a blender. Pro-
cess until smooth.
2. Pour the marinade over
the ribs; turn to be sure meat
is coated well on all sides.
Refrigerate covered at least 1
hour or up to 24 hours.
3. Heat a gas grill to me-
dium hot or prepare a charcoal
grill and let coals burn until
covered with gray ash. Turn
off burners or arrange coals
at sides of grill for indirect
cooking.
4. Put the chops, with
marinade that clings, directly
over the heat or coals. Cook,
without turning, until nicely
browned, about 10 minutes.
Flip chops to the cooler por-
tion (not directly over the heat)
of the grill. Cook without turn-
ing, until meat is almost fi rm
• Plant zinnias now for late
blooms in the annual border.
• Stop pinching mums back
after mid July or you’ll delay
fl owering.
• Apply no fertilizers to trees
and shrubs after July 4. Fertil-
izing late can cause lush growth
that is apt to winterkill.
If you have garden questions
or comments please write to
greengardencolumn@yahoo.com.
jamlike consistency. Remove
from heat.
Place a tablespoon of the
yogurt mixture in each mold.
Add a tablespoon of blueberry
sauce. Top with another table-
spoon of the yogurt. Continue
alternating until the mold is
nearly full. Place the top on the
mold and add the sticks. Freeze
for six hours.
Once the ice pops are com-
pletely frozen, place the mold
under running water so that
they will loosen. Remove and
enjoy immediately, or place in
the freezer in an air-tight con-
tainer with parchment paper
dividing each row. These are
an easy grab-and-go breakfast
for summer, or a cool treat for
any time of day.
when pressed with the tip of
a knife (about 150 degrees on
an instant read thermometer),
about 20 minutes.
5. Transfer to a serving plat-
ter; tent with foil and let stand
about 10 minutes. Serve gar-
nished with chopped cilantro
and lime wedges for squeez-
ing over meat. Pass the peanut
satay sauce if you wish.
• Variation — Thai-style
grilled sirloin steak: Marinate
2 to 2½ pounds boneless top
sirloin beef steak (about 1-inch
thick) as directed. Grill the
steaks directly over the heat
the entire time as follows: 6
minutes on the fi rst side and
4 to 6 minutes on the second
side for medium-rare.
LEMONGRASS AND
PEANUT SLAW
Complimentary
Consultations!
1. Put vinegar, soy sauce,
sugar, sesame oil and lemon-
grass puree into a large bowl.
Mix until the sugar dissolves.
2. Stir in shredded cabbage,
carrots, onion and chile until
well mixed. Refrigerate cov-
ered about 30 minutes or up to
several hours.
3. Stir well. Add cilantro and
peanuts. Toss and serve.
COCONUT BROWN
RICE
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Makes: 6 to 8 servings
2 cups long grain brown rice
1 cup shredded unsweetened
coconut, optional
½ cup unsweetened
coconut milk
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Crunchy chow mein
noodles can be substituted for ¾ teaspoon salt
Toasted coconut for
the peanuts.
garnish, optional
¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar Chinese chile crisp or red
pepper hot sauce (such
2 tablespoons soy sauce
as peri peri), for serving
1 tablespoon each: sugar,
dark Asian sesame oil,
1. Put 3 cups water, rice,
lemongrass puree
coconut, coconut milk, garlic
6 cups fi nely shredded
and salt into 3-quart saucepan.
cabbage, about 11
Heat to a boil. Reduce heat
ounces (one-quarter of
to very low. Simmer, tightly
a medium-size head)
covered, stirring once or
2 large carrots, peeled,
twice, until water is absorbed
trimmed, shaved (about
and rice is tender, about 40
1 cup or 2.5 ounces)
minutes. Let stand off the heat,
¼ medium white onion,
10 minutes.
fi nely diced, rinsed
2. Fluff rice with a fork.
½ teaspoon minced fresh
Garnish with toasted coconut.
green chile (such as
Serve hot jazzed up with hot
jalapeno or serrano) or
sauce.
¼ teaspoon crushed
Prep: 20 minutes
Chill: 30 minutes
Makes: 6 servings
CORN
stand blender (working in batches if
necessary), puree about half of the
soup until thickened. It should be
Continued from Page 2B
Add the yuca or potato, broth, toma- creamy but still have bits of vegetables
throughout. Stir the puree into the
toes with their juices, and corn cobs.
remaining soup.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat
Serve with the crema, lime, avocado
and simmer until the yuca is tender,
and
cilantro.
about 30 minutes. Add the corn kernels
Makes
6 servings.
and cook just until heated through
and still crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.
Discard the corn cobs.
— “Carla’s Comfort Foods” by Carla
Using an immersion blender or
Hall (Atria Books; April 2014)
— Recipe courtesy of Vallery
Using a saucepan, dis-
Lomas; foodieinnewyork.com solve sugar into water, stirring
continuously. Add juice and
zest and bring to a simmer. Re-
move mixture from heat and
allow to cool. Taste and adjust
Makes about 10 pops
sweetener, if needed.
Pour lemon mixture into
This ice pop recipe can be
molds,
add sticks and freeze
adapted for any fruit you
for
6
hours.
have on hand. You can also
LEMON ICE POPS
add lime or coconut. For
pretty pops, drop thin slices
of lemon and lime into the
mold before adding liquid.
STRAWBERRY
CREAM POPS
of espresso powder. For a
refreshing fl oral pop, use
honey and replace fruit with
a pinch of culinary lavender.
2 cups strawberries,
hulled and quartered
1 cup Greek yogurt
½ cup whole, coconut,
soy, or almond milk
¼ cup sugar or honey (to taste)
½ teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt
Makes about 10 pops
¾ cup sugar or ½ cup honey
1 cup water
½ cup freshly squeezed
lemon juice
Zest of 2 lemons
Using a blender, puree all
ingredients until smooth,
Any fruit you have on
scraping down sides, if neces-
hand can be made into a
sary. Taste and adjust the
creamy pop. For a mocha
sweetener.
version, replace fruit with 2
Pour mixture into ice pop
tablespoons of unsweetened molds, add sticks, and freeze
cocoa powder and 1 tablespoon for 6 hours.
TREE
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red pepper fl akes
2 to 3 tablespoons
chopped fresh cilantro
½ cup roughly chopped
roasted peanuts
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