Recipe of the week: Mesquite flour: A new mystery flavor

Mesquite flour is a “mystery substance,” said Charles Perry in the Los Angeles Times. On the market only since 1990, the spice is made from the finely ground seed pods of the mesquite tree. Mesquite charcoal, of course, has long been prized for the unique flavor it imparts to grilled meats. Mesquite flour, on the other hand, has mostly been confined to the gluten-free “special diet ghetto”—muffins, pancakes, cookies, and other baked goods. Yet mesquite flour “deserves to be used in main dishes, too.” Ribs acquire a rich, vaguely Caribbean-Indian flavor when marinated in perfumed mesquite flour, orange and lime juices, rum, coconut, and ginger.

Recipe of the week

Citrus Mesquite Spareribs

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Mesquite flour can be found online at Casadefruta.com, Desertusa.com, and Amazon.com, as well as at select health-food stores.

1 rack spareribs

1 tbsp salt plus 1/2 tbsp salt, divided

1-1/2 tsp pepper

1/4 cup plus 1-1/2 tbsp mesquite flour, divided

2 tbsp olive oil

2 onions, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch rings

Juice and grated zest of 2 oranges

Juice and grated zest of 2 limes

1 tbsp dried oregano

1 habañero pepper, seeded and roughly chopped

1 tbsp chopped ginger

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup dark rum

3/4 cup coconut milk

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

Peel silverskin from spareribs, rinse, pat dry, place in large, nonreactive baking dish. In small bowl, combine 1 tbsp salt, pepper, 1-1/2 tbsp mesquite flour. Massage rub into ribs along with olive oil. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 to 4 hours.

Heat oven to 250 degrees. Place onions on bottom of large roasting pan, place ribs on top of onions. In food processor or blender, blend juice, zest, oregano, habañero, ginger, brown sugar, dark rum, coconut milk, mustard, and remaining 1/2 tbsp salt and 1/4 cup mesquite flour. Pour marinade over ribs; cover roasting pan with heavy foil.

Place ribs in oven; cook for 2-1/2 to 3 hours, until meat is tender and curled away from ends of ribs (you should see about 1/2 inch of bone at the end of each rib). If finishing on grill, save drippings for basting. To finish in oven: Remove cover from pan, cook ribs an additional 20 to 30 minutes (at 250 degrees or more), so ribs form a “crust” on top. Serve immediately. To finish on grill: Heat grill over medium heat. Oil grill, then grill ribs for 10 to 15 minutes, turning every 5 minutes and basting with pan drippings, to caramelize outer skin and get a good “crust.” Reduce heat if ribs start to burn. Serve immediately. Serves 6.