Michael's in the Kitchen

Michael treated us this weekend with some home cooking. We found a good deal on ribs this week at Kroger, so that is what he fixed! The meat was so tender and just fell off the bone. It was such a treat to have a meal prepared for us! Here are the recipes he used. The recipes are from Emeril, as featured in Everyday Food magazine.

EJ's Simple Ribs

• 2 1/2 teaspoons mustard powder
• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon celery salt
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 3/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon celery seed
• Coarse salt
• 2 slabs baby back ribs (about 2 pounds total)
• Vegetable oil, for grates

1. In a small bowl, combine mustard powder, paprika, celery salt, onion powder, red-pepper flakes, garlic powder, celery seed, and 1 teaspoon salt. Rub slabs on both sides with the spice mixture, and refrigerate, loosely covered, for 2 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Stack slabs on a double layer of aluminum foil; tightly wrap. Place on a rack on a baking sheet. Cook until meat pulls away from the bone and is easily pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
3. Heat grill to medium-high; lightly oil grates. Carefully remove ribs from foil, pouring off any liquid. Brush generously on both sides with rib sauce; grill ribs until sauce begins to bubble and brown around the edges, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Serve ribs with any leftover sauce, if desired.

Emeril's Rib Sauce

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, such as safflower
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1 cup canned beef broth
• 3/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1. In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add onion and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook until onion is translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients; bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce has thickened, about 30 minutes.

Emeril's Smashed Potato Salad

Smashed Potato Salad:
2 pounds new potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup minced yellow onions
3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 to 3/4 cup mayonnaise or store bought mayonnaise
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (recommended: Emeril's Red Pepper Sauce)
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper In a large saucepan, place the potatoes with enough cold water to cover and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until fork-tender, about 10 minutes. Drain.

In a large mixing bowl, mash the potatoes with a hand-held masher or a heavy fork. (They should still be very lumpy.) Mix in the onions, eggs, and garlic. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup of the mayonnaise, the mustard, lemon juice, and brown sugar, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

Season with the pepper sauce, Worcestershire, the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and the pepper.

Serve warm or chilled.