Maple pork baby back ribs with raspberry and fennel salad

ingredients

• • 400 to 500g baby back pork ribs
  • 2 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoon cider vinegar
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • pinch white pepper
  • 1 tablespoon good-quality olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoon orange juice
  • 1 bulb fennel, shaved and submerged in lemon water
  • 1 to 2 nectarines, sliced
  • 1/2 cup raspberries
  • 1 cup baby spinach leaves
  • small handful of fennel sprigs/fronds

method

• • 1

    Preheat oven to 180°C.

  • 2

    Cut the ribs into 2-3 rib pieces and pat dry.

  • 3

    Mix the maple syrup with vinegar, the shallot, garlic and seasoning, then smear half over the ribs, reserving the rest. Transfer to a roasting dish and cover with foil.

  • 4

    Roast ribs for 25 minutes, then uncover, toss through remaining sauce and cook for a further 10-15 minutes or until ribs are cooked through, deep brown and tender.

  • 5

    Assemble the salad by whisking the olive oil and citrus juices in a large bowl, then tossing in the shaved fennel, nectarines, raspberries and spinach. Gently toss until coated in dressing. Add the fennel sprigs.

  • 6

    Serve warm ribs with salad and plenty of serviettes!

notes

• When cooking ribs on a BBQ, go low and slow without any of the maple sauce to start with. Once cooked, toss the hot ribs in maple sauce, then cook for a further 10 minutes, watching they don’t burn. - Keep the sliced fennel submerged in cold water spiked with lemon juice to prevent it from browning.