Fresh Sheet: Roll with it
He calls it the Chimichanga Roll. It’s not on the menu. But it’s worth mentioning.
Sushi chef Travis Whiteside based his latest creation on his $17 Sushi Rito – with three types of fish, tempura vegetables, flying fish roe, avocado and cucumber, all wrapped up in soy paper with seaweed.
It’s big.
And the chimichanga version is all that, plus it’s deep-fried.
It’s a good introduction to sushi for people who haven’t tried it before or think they might not like it, said Whiteside.
Find him and his extra-large Chimichanga Roll at his Rawdeadfish food truck at Best Food Court, 510 Best Ave. in Coeur d’Alene. Call (208) 755-6829.
Bon Bébé
Bébé cheese from Laurel’s Crown has won a Good Food Award.
Bebé is a certified organic Asiago-style cheese made with 100-percent grassfed, organic Jersey whole milk and aged for 3 to 6 months. Laurel’s Crown Cheese, located at the Pure Éire Dairy in Othello, is one of 15 national cheese winners and the only one from Washington state.
Good Food Awards are given to highest scoring entries in a blind tasting, then subjected to a rigorous vetting process to verify sustainability and social responsibility practices.
Laurel’s Crown Cheese is made by owner and cheesemaker Laurie Neal. For more information, vist laurelscrown.com or goodfoodawards.org.
Slow-cooker
spare ribs
It’s a little difficult – read: cold, snowy – to fire up the barbecue in winter. But Joe Speranzi of Spokane offers this alternative, reminiscent of summer barbecue season, but satisfying and comforting – and perfect for remaining days of winter.
Use your favorite barbecue sauce. Speranzi likes Sweet Baby Ray’s or Jack Daniel’s – “the sauce, not the whiskey.”
These ribs, he said, “are as good as outdoor barbecue ribs made in the summer time.”
Actually, he said, “I think they’re better.”
Crock-Pot Barbecue Pork Spare Ribs
From Joe Speranzi of Spokane
3-5 pounds baby-back pork spareribs
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon horseradish
Pinch of Worcestershire
1/2 teaspoon Grey Poupon
1/2 sweet yellow onion
1 1/2 cups of water
Salt and pepper, to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place ribs on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake 10 minutes on each side. Mix the remaining ingredients in a slow cooker.
Remove the ribs and place in slow cooker with the other ingredients and cook on low for 4-6 hours, checking for tenderness after 4 hours.
Note: Most slow cookers can hold up to 6 pounds of baby-backs, and you don’t have to double up on the ingredients. Speranzi almost always cooks 5 pounds. You’ll have plenty of sauce left over and you can freeze it for use on ribs or other meats later.