Man Ribs

Men love these. I make these when I am trying to get out of a major scrape. They are not my recipe, but from Roy Yamaguchi, creator of the Roy's Hawaiian Fusion restaurant chain, one of the few chains I love.

Roy's Szechuan Style Baby Back Ribs

For the ribs

2 1/2 lb baby-back pork ribs
3 qt water or chicken stock
1 Tbsp minced ginger
2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
2 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro

For the Szechuan sauce
5 Tbsp white miso or apple-cider vinegar
2/3 cup hoisin sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp minced ginger
1 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
1 1/2 Tbsp sake
1 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp chili paste

1. Combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate at least 1 hour, preferably overnight. (The amount of ribs shown will yield about four per person—just enough to whet an appetite but not enough to make your guests feel stuffed.)

2. Pour the water or chicken stock into a large, ovenproof skillet. (You'll use the same one later to bake the ribs.) Add the ginger, parsley, and cilantro to the liquid, and put the ribs into the pan. Bring to a full boil; then reduce the heat to medium and let a slow, steady, soft boil continue for about 30 minutes. This tenderizes the ribs and imparts flavor.

3. Remove the pan from the stove and drain the liquid. Now take the Szechuan sauce and reserve about 1 cup of it; brush the rest gently on the ribs, covering them thoroughly on both sides. If cooking in the oven, broil the ribs for several minutes.

4. Reset the oven to bake at 450°F; then cook the ribs for 15 to 20 minutes, until the meat is tender, brown, and falling off the bone. (Or you can grill the ribs over mesquite wood, as Yamaguchi does.) Serve with the reserved sauce on the side for dipping.

http://www.roysrestaurant.com/