Sweet and Spicy Chipotle-Glazed Ribs

Statistics suggest that as the economy sours, we’re eating out less and cooking more. We’re not spending many hours in the kitchen, however: Weekday dinners, especially, are likely to be quickly assembled affairs. Now help is at hand from a new cookbook, Bon Appetit Fast Easy Fresh, (Wiley, $34.95).

This is quite a tome, with 1,100 recipes included in its 770 pages. The chapters are organized by types of food and ingredients: For example Chapter 2, Quick Starters, has 16 recipes for small bites and dips, 11 recipes for small-plates appetizers, 22 recipes for passed appetizers, and 15 for first courses. Chapter 8, Salmon and More Fish, is organized by salmon (21 recipes), striped bass (5), halibut (11), and tuna and more (29, including recipes for black cod, trout, swordfish, mahi-mahi, tilapia, sole and catfish). You’re likely to spend more time browsing through the book than cooking.

Some recipes have quick preparation times but longer cooking times. This is one. You’ll spend a few minutes putting the recipe together, but once the ribs are in the oven, they require only a quick basting every 15 minutes.

The editors caution cooks to look for meaty ribs that aren’t overtrimmed. The bones on top should not show through.

SWEET AND SPICY CHIPOTLE-GLAZED PORK RIBS

Yield: 2 servings (recipe can be doubled or tripled)

1 2-pound rack baby back pork ribs

Salt and ground black pepper

1/4 cup canned chipotle chiles in adobo, drained

3/4 cup red currant jelly

5 tablespoons pomegranate molasses (see note)

1/4 cup low-salt chicken broth

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with foil; place metal rack on sheet. Sprinkle ribs all over with salt and pepper; place ribs, meat side down, on rack.

Press chiles through sieve into heavy small saucepan; discard solids in sieve. Add all remaining ingredients to pan. Stir to blend over medium heat until sauce comes to a boil. Season sauce to taste with salt. Transfer 1/2 cup sauce to bowl; reserve.

Brush ribs with 2 tablespoons sauce from pan. Turn ribs over; brush with 2 tablespoons sauce. Roast ribs until very tender, brushing with 2 tablespoons sauce every 15 minutes, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Cut rack into individual ribs. Serve with reserved sauce.

Note: You’ll find pomegranate molasses at some supermarkets, specialty foods stores and Middle Eastern markets. Or boil 2 cups of pomegranate juice until reduced to a thick syrup, about 1/3 cup. It should take about 20 minutes; stir often to avoid burning.

Recipe and photo from Bon Appetit Fast Easy Fresh.