15 February 2016
SPICY LAMB RIBS WITH PICKLED MINT SAUCE
- 800 g lamb spare ribs
- 3 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 small chilli, finely sliced
- 1 tsp brown sugar
For the pickled mint sauce: * 150 mls white wine vinegar * 75g sugar * 1 very large handful mint, leaves and stalks separated
Mix the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame seeds, chilli and brown sugar together and pace in a shallow tray. Add the lamb ribs and turn them in the mixture so they are completely coated with this marinade. Leave over night or for at least an hour.
Fire up the barbecue and when hot, place the lamb ribs over the heat. Turn them frequently to make sure they do not burn. Aim to get the ribs golden brown with the edges an almost caramelly dark brown. Remove from the heat and serve piled on a platter with the pickled mint sauce.
To make the pickled mint sauce, strip the leaves from the stalks and chop the stalks into tiny pieces. Place the white wine vinegar, sugar and the chopped stalks in a saucepan over the heat. Dissolve the sugar then bring the vinegar to the boil. Allow this to boil for about 2-3 minutes, then remove from the heat and tip into a small bowl to cool. Infuse the mixture for an hour or two, then strain it into a small jug. Chop the mint very finely and add to the vinegar mixture. The mint will turn very dark green almost immediately due to the reaction of the vinegar but it will be delicious.
Serves 4 Wine match; pinot noir PHOTO by Liz Clarkson for the NZ Listener