TODAY’S RECIPE: Sticky jerk & brown sugar ribs with pineapple rice

Supper for friends and family. SERVES 4

Ingredients

FOR THE RIBS 2 x 500g/1lb 2oz racks pork ribs

3 tbsp jerk spice mix

600ml/1pt pineapple juice 5 tbsp dark soft brown sugar

Juice 1 lime

4 tbsp cider vinegar

FOR THE RICE

1 tbsp vegetable oil 1 large banana shallot, finely sliced

2 tsp brown sugar 1 green pepper, deseeded and finely diced 200g pack fresh pineapple chunks, finely diced 200g/7oz basmati rice, cooked and cooled Small bunch coriander, chopped

Method

1 Lay ribs in a roasting tin and rub with 2 tbsp of jerk mix. Marinate at least two hours, preferably overnight. Heat oven to 160c/140c fan/gas 3. Put ribs in a clean roasting tin, season and pour over 500ml pineapple juice. Cover the tin with foil and bake for two hours.

2 Mix remaining jerk mix, pineapple juice, sugar, lime juice, vinegar and good pinch of salt in pan. Heat until the sugar dissolves, then bubble until thick and sticky.

3 To make rice, heat oil in large pan or wok. Add the shallot and pepper, and stir-fry until softened. Add the pineapple, brown sugar and plenty of seasoning, and continue cooking until pineapple starts to caramelise.

4 Remove ribs from the oven; pour away cooking liquid. Increase oven to 200c/180c fan/gas 6. Pat ribs dry with kitchen paper, then brush jerk sauce all over. Return to oven for 20 minutes, brushing with remaining sauce every five minutes or so, until ribs are really sticky.