Spare Ribs With Olives, Lemon and Rosemary

Not necessarily a formal dinner party fare, but a satisfying braised rib dish for a quiet yet adventurous evening.  I serve it with pęczak – pot barley – but it could be a good match for various coarse noodles, rice, even possibly mashed potatoes.  Definitely adventurous due to strong olive and lemon influence. We like it a lot.

for 4 servings you will need

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 3 or 4 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly smashed
• 2 or 3 sprigs rosemary, or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 dried red chili
• 2 pounds pork spare ribs, cut into small pieces if possible, into individual ribs if not
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup dry white wine or water
• 1 lemon, washed and sliced as thinly as possible
• cup oil-cured olives

1. Put oil in a deep skillet or casserole over medium-high heat.
2. Add garlic, rosemary, and chili.
3. When they begin to sizzle, add ribs.
4. Brown ribs on both sides, for a total of about 10 minutes, sprinkling lightly with salt and pepper as they cook.
5. Add wine or water and allow it to bubble away for a few seconds, then add lemon and olives.
6. Cover and adjust heat so mixture simmers as gently as possible.
7. Cook, turning ribs every 10 minutes or so (if mixture threatens to dry out, add a little more liquid).
8. When ribs are tender, after about 30 to 40 minutes of cooking, serve them, with olives, lemon and sauce spooned over them.