Easy Recipes for Stay-at-Home-Dads: Pork Rib Sides

With tomorrow being Friday (and, as described in a previous post) the one day I give myself over to serious pork rib cooking and relaxing, I thought I would include a couple of quick recipes for two side dishes I occasionally use when ribs are the plate d’jour. I also recommend an early afternoon martini, margarita, gimlet or beer as a reward when you are finished.

Both recipes are pretty easy: the first is oven fries, while the second is cole slaw. I cook the fries in our convection oven and entails about five minutes prep and about 35 minutes of cooking (allow an extra ten on the cooking side if you are using a gas or electric oven). I cook the fries just as the ribs are entering their final hour before serving.

The second needs at least an hour in the refrigerator before serving. This means, however, it can be made the night before (especially if you need something to do while your home team baseball club is losing on the big screen television in the den). With our local team being the Cubs I spend a lot of Thursday nights in the kitchen making slaw.

Oven Fries

Makes four servings

Ingredients:

4 medium sized potatoes

2 tablespoons of butter or margarine (melted)

1 teaspoon of kosher salt

½ teaspoon of paprika

1. Preheat the oven to 450.

2. Cut the potatoes lengthwise (if you like long fries) or widthwise (if you like short round fries) into ¼ inch wide slices.

3. Place the slices on a greased pan and pour the melted butter or margarine over them.

4. Bake for 15 minutes or until the potato tops are brown. Flip each potato slice over with a pair of tongs and replace the pan in the oven for another 30 minutes until the potatoes are brown.

5. Mix the salt and paprika together in a small finger bowl or glass.

6. Place the finished fries on a paper towel-covered plate and sprinkle with the salt mixture.

Cole Slaw

This makes about six servings but will also keep a few days in the refrigerator if you have extra.

Ingredients:

1 1 to 1½ pounds head of either red or green cabbage

¼ cup of apple cider vinegar

¾ cup of mayonnaise

2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon of sugar

1 teaspoon of celery salt

1 tablespoon of sugar

1. Cut the cabbage in half and remove the bottom core section (the stem end).

2. With a large kitchen knife chop the cabbage up into thin pieces.

3. Add the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.

4. Add the cabbage and stir the mixture together until the cabbage is evenly coated.

5. Refrigerate the covered bowl for at least an hour. If you make it the night before and refrigerate it that will be one less thing you’ll have to worry about.

Good luck and have a good weekend.