Sticky Ribs with Polenta

Ingredients:

Ribs:
1kg pork or beef ribs (rack or sliced)
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 Tablespoons (30g) Westgold butter
¾ cup brown sugar
¼ cup dark soy sauce
1 cup tomato sauce
¼ cup sweet chilli sauce
4-5 star anise
1 Tablespoons honey
1 thumb fresh ginger, grated
8 shallots
Pepper

Parmesan Polenta:
250g fine polenta
1 litre water
125g Westgold butter
125g grated Parmesan
1 ½ teaspoon Salt
fresh ground pepper
chopped parsley
extra grated parmesan for sprinkling

Method:

Ribs:

Preheat oven to 150°C.

Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the diced onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes. Add all the other ingredients (except the ribs) and simmer for 10 minutes.

Place the rib rack in a roasting pan and spoon all of the sauce over the ribs. Cover with foil & cook 1 hour.

Remove the pan from the oven. Spoon off any residual fat (clear liquid may be sitting on top of the sauce from the butter). Re-baste the ribs all over with the sauce from the bottom of the pan and add the shallots around the pan. Place the foil back over the pan and cook for 1 more hour.

Remove the foil. Again, spoon off any residual liquid sitting on top and re-baste the ribs.Turn the oven up to 180°C and cook the ribs uncovered for another half an hour.

*If the sauce isn't thickening up and it still a little watery, continue spooning off the residusal surface liquid and continue to cook uncovered for an additional 10-20 minutes as required. 

Slice the ribs between the bones and re-baste with sauce before serving.

Parmesan Polenta:
Bring the water and salt to the boil in a saucepan.

Using a whisk, slowly pour in the polenta, stirring all the time until it thickens and comes back to the boil.

Take off the heat and stir in the butter and parmesan. Season.

Notes: You may need to add more boiling water to the polenta until you have the desired consistency.
Fine or instant polenta will cook faster than regular, slow-cooked polenta.

To Finish:
Spoon the polenta into a serving dish and top with ribs and shallots. Sprinkle with parmesan and parsley and serve.