Slow Cooker Short Ribs with Pasta and Fried Zucchini Salad

Today I was out with my sister, fabric shopping. I wanted dinner pretty much done by the time I got home. Slower cooker BBQ Ribs to the rescue!

I removed the membrane from the back of the ribs and rubbed them with a blend of Paprika, Ground Mustard powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Into the crockpot and poured 1 1/2 cups of BBQ Sauce. Our house favorite is Stubbs Original. Set it on low for 8 to 9 hours. 

After that remove the ribs from the crockpot and brush the with more Stubbs BBQ sauce. Put them under the broiler for 3-5 minutes until the BBQ sauce starts to bubble and carmelize. 

The pasta salad was made when I got home from shopping. My sister gave me some green beans and I used them in a new recipe I was trying from Yotam Ottolenghi's cookbook, Plenty.

I  used the green beans in place of the edamame.

Ingredients-

1/3 cup sunflower oil


1 medium zucchini cut in 1/4 inch slices (slightly diagonal)


3/4 tbsp red wine vinegar


3/4  cup edamame beans (frozen), or fresh green beans


1 cups basil leaves, coarsely chopped


2tbsp parsley leaves


2 1/2 tbsp olive oil


4 oz pasta (penne or strozzapreti)

Zest of 12 lemon

3/4 tbsps capers


4 oz buffalo mozzarella, torn into chunks

Method-

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

While you’re waiting, in a medium saucepan or skillet, heat sunflower oil over medium-high heat. 

Fry zucchini slices in batches for about 3 to 4 minutes, flipping once, until golden on both sides. 

Drain in a colander, shaking with a couple pinches of salt, then transfer to a large bowl and pour vinegar on top. Set aside.

In the hot water, cook edamame for 3 minutes, frozen peas for 3 to 4 minutes, or fresh peas for 1 to 2 minutes (to taste). Drain and run cool water over until lukewarm. Set aside to dry. 

Leave pot boiling, then cook pasta until al dente in it. Drain and rinse under cold water.

Combine half of the basil and all of the parsley and olive oil in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth, then season with salt and pepper.

Transfer pasta back to the empty pot. Add fried zucchini and any juices, basil-parsley oil, edamame or peas, lemon zest, capers, and mozzarella. 

Stir gently together, then season generously with salt and pepper. 

Right before you serve it, stir in remaining basil leaves