MARRIED...with FOOD: SUNDAY SUPPER RAGU

Today we had a beautiful Sunday Supper with Mike and Meghan. Just for no reason at all, which is a great reason to get together with good friends and enjoy some great food. We made pappardelle noodles with a pork spare rib ragu...so good!

1 1/2 lb. meaty pork spareribs, cut into individual ribs

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1/2 cup dry red wine
2 1/2 lb. fresh plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped, or 1 can (28 oz.) plum tomatoes, chopped
1 lb. fresh egg pasta dough (see related recipe at left)
1/2 cup grated pecorino romano cheese, plus more for serving

Started the afternoon off with some golf and the NCAA tournament, along with some Port Salut, triple creme and kilaree irish cheddar cheeses. Also had some salami and prosciutto di parma.

Get the mirepoix going, nice small dices for the sauce

The recipe calls for fresh plums, and since we are in the middle of a cold cold spring, there are no fresh plum tomatoes, so the next best is San Marzano canned tomatoes from Italy. Get them out, dice and strain them.

It doesn't get more local and sustainable (whatever that means), than some cab from right here in Roselle/Bloomingdale.

Get two tablespoons of olive oil going in the dutchy....medium heat....about three to four minutes, until you see the ripples.

While the oil is warming, pat the ribs down with paper towels, or if you are out of paper towel, you can use paper napkins...season one side with salt and pepper, season the other side whilst searing the already seasoned side

There is great debate on whether or not to sear...I think this picture is worth a thousand words...which rib would you rather make a sauce out of? There is no real proof that searing seals in the juices, but it does add some texture and gives you some tasty bits to scrape up with your veg and wine.

Once the ribs are done, get the veg in and let it stew for 10 minutes, then add the wine for a minute, let the alcohol cook off for a minute or two, then add the tomatoes and one cup of water.

food art side bar: Its amazing how

beautiful simple vegetables can be...

just a scoop of onions, carrot and celery

with so many colors and variations...

don't forget to use all of your

senses when cooking

Bring the sauce mixture to a simmer and tuck the ribs back in. Lower to low heat and cook on the stove-top covered for 2-2.5 hours.

Mince some garlic, 5 tablespoons of room temperature butter, oregano and salt and pepper and spread over half of a whole wheat loaf...put in some foil and into the 350 oven for 30-40 minutes once the ribs come out of the pot.

Once the ribs are done, get them out and pull the meat from the bone. Separate the little ligament thingy from the meat too...some of it will have melted and is ok, but if it is still in tact and tough just use your fingers to remove the meat from this skin and discard it. Get all the meat back into the pot and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

We bought some fresh egg noodles and cut it into papardelle noodles...fresh pasta only needs about 2-3 minutes in boiling water to cook...don't even drain it...grab it with some tongs and into the pot of sauce.