WEDNESDAY

Chipotle-Orange Pork Ribs & Farro Salad with Winter Fruit, Pistachios and Ginger

I love chalk art & this little number caught my eye recently on Etsy.  The artist is Valerie McKeehan & she is the proprietor of a shop at Etsy called Lily & Val.  Valerie specializes in handpainted chalkboards & chalk art…click here to check out her work.  The artwork above is also available as a pad of 25 tear-out, paper placemats…which, I believe, will be making their way to my kitchen very soon!

This evening’s dinner is perfect for a busy day.  The ribs come together so easily in the morning & sit in the slow-cooker all day.  The result…tender, flavorful, fall-off-the-bone meat for dinner.

Chipotle-Orange Pork Ribs {slightly adapted from Beth Hensperger & Julie Kaufmann}

• 1 large {or 2 medium-sized} onion, chopped
• ½ cup minced, canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
• 1½ cups orange marmalade
• 1 cup firmly-packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup apple-cider vinegar
• 4 tablespoons soy sauce
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 7-8 pounds pork spareribs, cut into serving pieces of 3-4 ribs

1. Combine first {8} ingredients in a bowl and mix until smooth.
2. Arrange first layer of ribs in the slow-cooker and cover with some of the sauce.  Stack the second layer of ribs on top of the first and, once again coat with some sauce.  Stack a third layer of ribs and pour the remaining sauce over the contents in the slow-cooker.
3. Cover and cook on low until the pork is tender & the meat is falling from the bone, 8-10 hours.

Begin by preparing the rib sauce…

After slicing the ribs into sections, assemble in the slow-cooker…

Now, after hitting the start button on your slow-cooker, go about your day…dinner is on auto-pilot!

About an hour, or so, before you want to serve dinner prepare the Farro Salad with Winter Fruit, Pistachio & Ginger.  This salad can also be prepared up to 4 hours in advance…which is what I did today.  After prepping the ribs this morning & depositing in the slow-cooker, I needed to be out for a good chunk of time.  When I arrived home {before getting the children at school} I assembled the farro salad, saving the addition of the herbs & pistachios until later when I was ready to serve the finished salad.

Farro Salad with Winter Fruit, Pistachio & Ginger {slightly adapted from Food & Wine}

• 2 cups farro
• 1½ teaspoons finely-grated orange zest
• 2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed orange juice
• 2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed Meyer lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon finely-grated fresh ginger
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup golden raisins
• ¼ cup dried sour cherries
• 2 scallions, thinly-sliced
• ½ cup salted, roasted pistachios
• ¼ cup fresh mint, chopped
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Begin by cooking & draining the farro…

Meanwhile, combine the orange zest, orange juice, lemon juice, ginger and oil and whisk to blend.  Season with salt…

Now, in a large bowl, combine the citrus dressing & the warm farro, along with the raisins and cherries, tossing well.  Let stand until the farro is almost cool…{Mine was set aside at this point for two hours}

Meanwhile, gather the herbs & pistachios…

Just before serving, fold in the chopped mint, cilantro, scallions, as well as the whole pistachios.  Season with salt.  {Note:  the recipe calls for chopping the pistachios but we prefer to keep them whole}…

And the finished dinner plate…

I hope you can join us for dinner tomorrow…