The Ancestral Table: Traditional Recipes for a Paleo Lifestyle (12 page)

1. Combine the chicken broth, Chinese cooking wine, and white pepper, adding salt to taste; set aside. Mix together the starch and cold water in a small bowl and set aside.

2. Rinse the greens in cold water, then drain. Bring a stockpot of water to a boil, dip the greens into the water using tongs, and blanch for 30 seconds. Drain and rinse the greens with cold water, then set aside.

3. Heat the oil in a wok on high heat until shimmering, about 1 minute. Add the ginger and sauté until aromatic, 15-30 seconds. Add the greens and sauce and simmer until the greens are wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove the greens with tongs and place in a serving dish, keeping the sauce in the wok. Add the starch slurry to the sauce, stirring until thickened, about 1 minute. Pour the thickened sauce over the greens and serve.

Roasted Root Vegetables

Root vegetables were important at many different times during human history. It’s believed that they were vital foods during human evolution. They were also favored in early empires, as they kept well over cold winters. Root vegetables were important staples until the rise of grains and agriculture in the early Neolithic period. Settlers in North America relied heavily on root vegetables for survival during the early years of settlement.

This dish isn’t limited to the ingredients listed below; feel free to experiment with other root vegetables, like potatoes, turnips, celery root, Jerusalem artichokes, and kohlrabi bulbs (all cut to similar sizes).

SERVES:
6
PREP TIME:
10 MINUTES
COOKING TIME:
1 HOUR

5 CARROTS, SLICED IN HALF LENGTHWISE

5 PARSNIPS, SLICED IN HALF LENGTHWISE

4 LARGE BEETS, PEELED AND QUARTERED

1 HEAD GARLIC, SEPARATED

8 SPRIGS FRESH THYME (OR 1/2 TSP. DRIED THYME)

2 TBSP. DUCK FAT, LARD, OR OLIVE OIL

1/2 TSP. SEA SALT

1/2 TSP. BLACK PEPPER

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Scatter the vegetables, garlic, and thyme on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with melted fat or oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2. Bake until fork-tender, about 1 hour, flipping the vegetables after 30 minutes.

Onion Rings

Onion rings are a relatively new invention, with their first documentation appearing in the 19th century. They were popularized by A&W restaurants in the 1960s and are found in nearly every diner and fast-food chain today.

This starch-and-egg batter works well with other vegetables and creates a tempura-style texture. Try it with sliced carrots, zucchini, steamed sweet potato, broccoli, mushrooms, and roasted pumpkin.

SERVES:
4
PREP TIME:
30 MINUTES
COOKING TIME:
20 MINUTES

2 LARGE SPANISH OR SWEET ONIONS, CUT INTO 1/4" ROUNDS AND SEPARATED INTO RINGS

1/4 CUP PLUS 1 TBSP. TAPIOCA STARCH, DIVIDED

1 CUP LARD

1/4 CUP POTATO STARCH OR ARROWROOT STARCH (OR A COMBINATION)

2 EGGS, BEATEN

1/2 TSP. SEA SALT

1/4 TSP. PAPRIKA OR CAYENNE PEPPER

1. Soak the onion rings in cold water for 30 minutes to reduce the astringency, then pat dry and lightly dust with 1 Tbsp. tapioca starch. Warm the lard in a skillet on medium-high heat; the ideal temperature is around 360°F. Combine the remaining ingredients and stir in cold water until the mixture reaches a batter-like consistency.

2. For frying, rapidly stir the batter, then quickly and carefully dip in a few onion rings. Pull from the batter and allow the excess to run off, then quickly insert into the lard to fry.

3. Flip when golden, after about 1 minute, then fry for 1 more minute. Drain on paper towels and season with salt to taste while still hot. Repeat the process until all the onions are fried.

Saag Paneer

Saag paneer is an Indian dish of greens and fresh cheese. Like many traditional dishes, it is a combination of regional ingredients and timing.

Saag is an ancient dish whose main ingredients (turmeric, mustard seeds, and greens) date back to 3000 BC. In the Indus Valley, cattle were domesticated in 7000 BC, but cheese-making came much later; legend has it that Mongols carrying leather bags of milk created it by happenstance—friction and heat turned the milk to cheese. Sometime later it was incorporated into Indian cuisine.

While mustard greens are the traditional greens used in this dish, many restaurants today make it with spinach. I find that a combination of the two strikes a nice balance between bitter and mild greens.

SERVES:
4
PREP TIME:
15 MINUTES, PLUS TIME TO PREP THE PANEER CHEESE
COOKING TIME:
40 MINUTES

1 ONION

1/4 TSP. TURMERIC

1/2" GINGER, PEELED

4 CLOVES GARLIC

2 TBSP. GHEE, DIVIDED

1/2 TSP. BLACK MUSTARD SEEDS

1 TSP. CUMIN SEEDS

1/2 LB. MUSTARD GREENS, COARSELY CHOPPED

1/2 LB. SPINACH, COARSELY CHOPPED

1/2 CUP WATER

1/2 TSP. GARAM MASALA

1/2 TSP. KASHMIRI RED CHILI POWDER

SALT TO TASTE

PANEER CHEESE (BELOW)

1. In a blender, process the onion, turmeric, ginger, and garlic into a smooth paste. In a large skillet, warm 1 Tbsp. of the ghee on medium heat until shimmering, then add the mustard and cumin seeds. Toast until the mustard seeds make a popping sound, about 5 minutes. Add the onion paste and sauté until aromatic and browned, about 8 minutes. Add the mustard greens, spinach, and water; stir, cover, and simmer on low until the greens have softened, about 20 minutes. Stir in the garam masala and chili powder and season with salt to taste.

2. As the saag simmers, warm the remaining 1 Tbsp. ghee in a skillet on medium heat and brown the paneer cheese cubes, in batches if needed, about 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. Add the browned cheese to the saag, cover, and simmer for 3 more minutes; then serve.

PANEER CHEESE

SERVES:
4
COOKING TIME:
5 MINUTES
PREP TIME:
3 HOURS

4 CUPS WHOLE MILK

2 TBSP. WHITE VINEGAR OR LEMON JUICE

1/4 TSP. SEA SALT

1 TBSP. GHEE

1. Warm the milk on medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until just about to boil. Add the vinegar or lemon juice, reduce the heat to medium, and continue to stir until small curds form, about 45 seconds. Pour the milk into a colander lined with 4 layers of cheesecloth. Gently rinse the curds with cold water to remove the foam and excess whey; carefully stir in the salt.

2. Tie the cheesecloth at its corners and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Tie the corners around a wooden spoon and suspend over a bowl for 11/2 hours. Untie from the spoon, keeping the cheese in the cheesecloth, and press evenly between 2 plates until about 1" thick. Weight down the top plate with cans of food, then transfer to the fridge for 1 hour to finish.

3. Unwrap and slice the cheese into 1" cubes using a sharp, wet knife. Be sure to wipe the knife clean with a wet towel after every slice.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

The exact origin of cream of mushroom soup is unclear, but both soups and mushrooms have been around since antiquity. The French and Italians in particular have a long-standing history of preparing creamy soups. There is record of mushroom soups in the United States well before Campbell’s Soups introduced its premade version in 1934, but the soup became wildly popular in the 1930s and beyond, to the point where it is often called “America’s béchamel.”

While white mushrooms make logical sense when crafting the recipe, robust, full-flavored mushrooms like the woodsy porcini and smoky shiitake greatly enhance the overall taste. If cost is a factor, you can substitute 1 ounce dried oyster mushrooms for the porcini.

SERVES:
4
PREP TIME:
40 MINUTES
COOKING TIME:
1 HOUR

1 OZ. DRIED PORCINI MUSHROOMS

1 LB. (16 OZ.) FRESH SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS, THINLY SLICED (OR 4 OZ. DRIED)

1/4 CUP OLIVE OIL

1 ONION, FINELY CHOPPED

3 CLOVES GARLIC, MINCED

2 SPRIGS FRESH ROSEMARY, COARSELY CHOPPED

4 FRESH SAGE LEAVES, COARSELY CHOPPED

6 CUPS CHICKEN BROTH (
SEE HERE
)

1 CUP HEAVY CREAM

2 TBSP. BUTTER

SALT AND WHITE PEPPER TO TASTE

1. Soak the porcini mushrooms in 1 cup warm water for 30 minutes; strain and reserve the soaking liquid. If using dried shiitake, soak them together with the porcini in 3 cups warm water. Slice the mushrooms into thin strips.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot on medium heat for 1 minute, then add the onion and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and herbs and sauté until aromatic, about 1 minute, then add the porcini and shiitake mushrooms. Sauté until softened, about 10 minutes.

3. Add the chicken broth and reserved soaking liquid. (If you used dried shiitake, pour in all the soaking liquid and only 4 cups chicken broth.) Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes. Using an immersion blender, purée the soup until smooth. Alternatively, you can blend it in batches in a blender.

4. Stir in the cream and butter and return to a simmer, then add salt and white pepper to taste. Remove from the heat and serve.