Quick ribs and salad

[Bill Sutton]

Right, so I’m sitting around the house about 3:00PM today and enjoying a couple of homebrewed barley-pops when I suddenly get a hankering to cook some ribs on the WSM. So off to the store we go where we pick up a couple of slabs of ribs. We also grabbed some tomatoes, a cucumber an onion and yellow pepper thinking: ooh, that will be lovely with a nice garlic vinaigrette!

Well, given the late hour I S&P the ribs and get them on at 300 degrees. I would usually rub, cook and foil but today I am just planning to slap on some BBQ sauce (yes, it is store bought; I have no time to make my own). Anybody have suggestions as to when the sauce should go on?

Then I sliced and quartered the cucumber and mixed it with the chopped the yellow pepper then added the red onion (much of which I removed moments later) then added the tomatoes. I was just about to mix in the garlic vinaigrette when it occurred to me: I haven’t a clue how to make one. What’s your best recipe for a garlic vinaigrette?

Cheers,
Bill

 

[Don Irish]

Home brews and BBQ, hey what a combo, I’m not too far away!

Garlic Vingerette,

(per 2 servings)
This has endless variations. The basic keys are to use excellent quality ingredients, whisk well.

1-2 cloves garlic, cut the root end off and slam with the broad side of a big knife, peal off skin, smash again then chop.

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1-2 tsp vinegar/acid – red/white wine, rice wine, cider…it all depends how you want to go… my current favorite is a high quality balsamic + lemon juice, lemon juice by itself is excellent.

Good salt/ freshly cracked pepper to taste

Whisk together.

Slowly drizzle in high quality EV olive oil while whisking – about 2-3 parts olive oil to 1 part everything else – to taste.

Add in any chopped fresh herbs now…\

I also like anchovies chopped and added with the garlic, nuts added, nut oils, any flavored oils…endless variations….

Enjoy, once you get used to home made I doubt that you will ever buy store-bought again,,,I have not for years.

 

[David Lohrentz]

I agree completely, Don. Vinaigrette is easy and quick to make and so much better than store bought. A large batch with some lemon zest makes a terrific marinade for grilled chicken.