Recipe: Salt and Pepper Ribs with Potato Chip

Quick Salt and Pepper Ribs With Potato Chip-Pea Salad is a meal ready for summer.

Two of the most iconic foods of summer cookery are barbecue ribs and richly dressed potato salad. As an apartment dweller with no yard, I try not to dream of hosting some sort of grill-out situation. (I’m usually at the behest of a friend with an outdoor space who commands us all to come over on that one hot weekend day.)

But, if that doesn't happen, I rely on my broiler or my oven. These high-heat options can mimic the flavor you’d get from a grill really well. That's the case with this week's recipe for pork ribs, which cook in about 20 minutes but still get a beautiful char.

Besides my lack of outdoor cooking capabilities, I can be a fantastically lazy cook in the summer. For example, when I recently bought potatoes for a (potato) salad, just the thought of boiling them gave me some deep, perhaps overly reactionary, dread. That's because cooking potatoes can actually be tricky! Undersalting the water almost always makes it extremely hard to season the potatoes properly later; even with the most flavorful dressing, the inner spud will taste bland. Oversalting is bad, too, and so is undercooking.

While at the store, I noticed a brand of potato chips that promised to be made with just three ingredients: potato, extra-virgin olive oil and salt. They came home with me too, and you know what? They went into the salad.

Now before you think that I've lost my way, hear me out. With a simple shallot vinaigrette, some crisp-tender snap peas, herbs and big handfuls of potato chips, this was a highly textured salad that was also relaxing to put together. Without any big starchy orbs, it was super flavorful thanks to the vinaigrette and the thinly cut, well-seasoned chips. The peas offered sweetness and a welcome fresh quality that most potato salads can only dream of.

To boot, they went really well with some simple salt and the pepper baby back ribs I’d been craving. Overall, I love a dinner hack that doesn't compromise flavor or the essence of its inspiration, and to me, this recipe makes me feel like I cooked outside, even though I’m still waiting on that invite.

Reach Christian Reynoso: [email protected]

Serves 4

These ribs are roasted at a high heat, which cooks them quickly and achieves a grill-like flavor with deep browning and light charring. They are not your braised-then-grilled ribs that fall off the bone, but rather a meatier, chewier, heartier rib. A salad with crunchy potato chips, crisp snap peas, herbs and a shallot vinaigrette makes this a quick, summer-y weeknight meal.

1 rack (about 2½ pounds) baby back ribs

1 tablespoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal) or 1½ teaspoons fine sea salt, plus more to taste

1½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

½ pound snap peas, trimmed

4 tablespoons olive oil

1½ tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 small shallot, finely chopped

¼ teaspoon red chile flakes

½ cup basil leaves

½ cup parsley or arugula leaves

3 ounces thin, salted potato chips

2 ounces crumbled queso fresco, optional

Slice the rack into individual rib pieces by slicing between the ribs. Place them on an 18-by-13-inch sheet pan. Season them all over with the salt and then the pepper. Set aside for at least 30 minutes on the counter or up to 4 hours uncovered in the refrigerator.

If you put the ribs in the fridge, take them out 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

In a pot, bring about 3½ quarts of water to a boil, season generously with salt (about 3 tablespoons, if using fine sea salt) and blanch the snap peas until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Rinse under cold water until at least lukewarm then transfer to a cutting board. Slice the snap peas into halves or thirds and add to a large bowl with the olive oil, vinegar, shallot and chile flakes. Toss to coat. Set aside.

Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the ribs and then rub the oil all over. Roast, tossing and turning the ribs once or twice with tongs, until the ribs are cooked through, browned and caramelized, about 20 to 25 minutes. If they have not gotten deeply browned or charred after 18 minutes, flip on the broiler and cook them directly under for about 5 minutes, or until browned to your desire.

When ready to serve, tear the basil into the large bowl with the snap peas, and add the parsley and potato chips. Toss to coat each piece of potato chip, and season with black pepper or salt, if desired. Transfer to serving plates with the ribs and, if using, top the salad with some crumbled queso fresco.