Food Network Star finalists put on quite a show Sunday night for Season Seven's Fourth of July special-episode featuring "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives," host, Guy Fieri.
The show's 10 remaining contestants -- who compete for a chance to have their own show on the Food Network -- were asked to vamp-up American classic dishes from hot dogs and lobster rolls, to ribs and potato salad, all while being coached (and criticized) by former Star winner, Fieri. You can watch clips of the episode here.
Contestant Susie Jimenez had the winning recipe, a dish combining spicy pork ribs with a tangy slaw that replaces the usual mayo with a healthy helping of creamy avocado. Looks pretty darn delicious whether it's for a Fourth of July feast, or not.
For Jimenez's recipe, keep reading...
Ingredients:
Spicy Pork Ribs:
6 racks baby back ribs
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (12-ounce) bottle of light beer
1 lemon, zested
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
1/2 yellow onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Tangy Slaw:
2 limes, juiced
2 avocados, diced
1 cabbage head, shaved
1 cucumber, seeded and shaved
1 fennel bulb, shaved
1 jalapeno, diced
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 red onion, shaved
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Direction:
For the ribs: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the ribs in a deep pan and rub with the cumin paprika, red pepper flakes, 2 teaspoons salt and 2 teaspoons black pepper. Let sit 30 minutes.
In the meantime, whisk together the beer, lemon zest and tomato paste. Pour over the ribs. Scatter the ribs with the tomatoes, bell peppers, onions and garlic. Cover tightly with foil and bake 3 hours.
While the ribs are cooking, make the slaw: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the lime juice and avocado until the avocado is just broken up. Add the cabbage, cucumber, fennel, jalapeno, cilantro and onions and season well with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate.
To prepare:
Preheat a grill to medium-high heat. Remove the ribs from the oven and finish on the grill until the outside is crisp, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve the ribs with the slaw on the side.
This recipe was created by a contestant during a cooking competition. The Food Network Kitchens have not tested it for home use, therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results.
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