Piri Piri Ribs with Rainbow Slaw

Serves 2-4

Another great weekend recipe, inspired by classic BBQ and the loved piri pier spices of Portugal. It takes a little while to cook but the hands on time isn't much and its well worth it! The ribs are meltingly delicious with a nice bit of heat, so much so that I'd say the piri piri sauce as optional.

Ingredients:

1kg pork ribs

Spice Mix-

3 tsp smoked sweet paprika

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp cayenne

1 tbsp oregano

1 1/2 tsp onion granules

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tbsp tomato powder (optional)

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp black pepper

Cooking liquid-

150ml grapefruit juice

6 cloves of garlic

100g ketchup

30ml apple cider vinegar

200ml water

1 red chilli

Piri piri sauce-

1 red onion

1 shallot

2 large plum tomatoes

2 bell peppers (red, yellow or orange)

3 tbsp reserved spice mix

1 red chilli

3 cloves of garlic

2 tbsp of oil

4 tbsp sour cream

Slaw-

2 green apples

1/4 red cabbage

1/4 white cabbage

A handful of radishes

1 white onion

2 large carrots

100g mayonnaise

20ml apple cider vinegar

1 tsp fennel seeds

2 tbsp runny honey

3 tbsp mixed seeds (I use sesame, pumpkin and sunflower)

Method:

1. Start by combining all the ingredients for the spice mix. Reserving 3 tbsp for the sauce, if you're making it. Rub the remaining mix into the ribs, massaging so that the flavours penetrate the meat. Leave for a minimum of 2 hours, ideally overnight.

2. Heat the oven to 160C. Combine the wet ingredients of the cooking liquid and pour into a deep baking tray big enough to hold the ribs in a single layer. Put the ribs in and top with the chilli, sliced in half and the garlic cloves. Apply a layer of greaseproof over the top and then foil and seal around the edges. Cook in the oven for 2 hours, removing the foil and paper for the last half an hour.

3. Whilst this is happening, you can make the sauce. Heat a griddle pan on a high heat. Prep the veg; halve the shallot, red onion and the tomatoes, deseed the peppers but keep in large pieces, cut the stalk off the chilli and chop it in half, keep the garlic cloves whole but keep the skin on. Toss all of the vegetables in oil and char on the griddle pan, tossing regularly. You may need to do this in batches and you want to do it until you get nice bar marks; the veg wants to have softened slightly.

4. In a food processor, blitz all the vegetables along with the spice mix until fairly smooth and then add the sour cream. Season to taste and decant into a serving bowl.

5. For the slaw, either use a box grater, mandolin or food processor the finely chop the apple, both cabbages, onion and carrots into a large bowl. Finely slice the radishes and put in cold water until needed. In a separate smaller bowl, mix the mayonnaise, vinegar, fennel seeds and honey and season with salt and white pepper. When you're ready to serve, combine the dressing with vegetable and top with mixed seeds and the sliced radishes; if you combine it too early, the vegetables will seep their water into the dressing because of the salt and acid.