Pork Riblets

Pork riblets are yummy, I usually make them in a mushroom sauce or use them to make stock, then serve them in the soup, makes for a more filling meal.

Here I made them in mushroom sauce, I don't like to use the word gravy.  "Gravy" always makes me think of that disgusting sludge people used to get on their icky french fries in our high school cafeteria.  I use wild mushrooms to make the sauce.  The carrots, surprisingly sweet, I peeled, cooked lightly, drained, put a bit of butter on them, and sprinkled fresh, home grown from seed, chopped parsley.  If you recall my mini garden in my kitchen, that parsley was in that photo.

The asparagus, I sautéed in butter, then sprinkled with s&p, lemon juice, and freshly ground parmigiano reggiano.

Ith gu leòir! (Eat plenty!)  (Scottish Gaelic)

Soup

I love soup.  Make a basic stock and the possibilities are endless.

I like meat based stocks, but you can make an all veg stock as well.  If using meat, boil the meat on it's own first.  Dump out the water, clean the pot, and rinse the meat if necessary; meat gets frothy, so this keeps your stock clean.  In a clean pot, add water, parsley, carrots, celery, peppercorns, sea salt, bay leaf.  You can add other vegetables and spices, this is just a basic stock.  If you're making a sour soup, add the cooked meat closer to the end of the soup being done, just to heat it up, otherwise the meat will get too hard from the acidity.

I used pork riblets for this soup base.  A package for about $4 is enough for 3 stocks, could've been 4, but this way there was enough meat to be part of the meal.  Here are some soup ideas:

Cream of mushroom, goes great with a sandwich, like porchetta on rye with butter and mustard.

Or with egg noodles, I left the carrots and meat in this one.

Pickle soup with star noodles.

I left the celery in for James, with carrots and pork.

Beet soup with flat noodles, using veal stock.

Pumpkin soup, specifically Rouge vid D'Etampes, my fave.  Great with any sandwich.

Tomato soup, which is tasty with noodles, rice, or even mashed potatoes, or on its own in a mug with a grilled cheese sandwich.

Tripe soup.  Try it before you decide you don't like it.

Smacznego!  (Polish)