The Ancestral Table: Traditional Recipes for a Paleo Lifestyle (28 page)

1 TBSP. FISH SAUCE

1 TBSP. LIME JUICE

2 CLOVES GARLIC, MINCED

2 BIRD’S EYE CHILES, SEEDS AND RIBS REMOVED, SLICED

1/2 CUP WATER

1 TBSP. ARROWROOT STARCH

1 TBSP. COLD WATER

8 COLD EGGS

1 SMALL HANDFUL FRESH CILANTRO, CHOPPED

1. Make crispy fried shallots by thinly slicing the shallots with a mandoline or knife, then pan-frying in the coconut oil on medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Once they turn golden brown, about 2-3 minutes, transfer the shallots to a plate lined with paper towels to dry. You should have 1/2 cup fried shallots. Strain and reserve the oil.

2. Stir the tamarind paste into 2 Tbsp. hot water to liquefy; strain out any chunks of shell and discard. Combine the tamarind, honey, fish sauce, lime juice, garlic, chiles, and 1/2 cup water in a saucepan and bring to a simmer on medium-low heat. Mix the arrowroot starch with 1 Tbsp. cold water in a small bowl to create a slurry, then stir it into the sauce. Return the sauce to a simmer and allow to thicken, adding water if it gets too thick. Reduce the heat to low and keep the sauce warm as you prepare the eggs.

3. Using a slotted spoon, carefully add the eggs to a pot of boiling, salted water. Gently boil for 61/2 minutes, then spoon the eggs into a bowl of ice water; allow to cool, about 5 minutes. Carefully peel the eggs.

4. In a skillet, heat 2 Tbsp. of the reserved coconut oil on medium-high heat until shimmering, about 2 minutes. Fry the eggs 2 at a time, gently rolling them back and forth constantly with a spoon. It’ll take about 4 minutes per egg; once finished, set the eggs on paper towels to drain. Add more oil if needed. Serve the eggs drizzled with sauce and sprinkled with fried shallots and chopped cilantro.

Pesce al Sale
(Salt-Crusted Fish)

This Italian favorite is the perfect date-night dish; in just a few steps you can have a perfectly cooked fish that’s a novelty to reveal to your dinner companion. It remains a common way of cooking fish in Sicily. Be sure to crack the crust and serve the fish directly on the serving table for the most impressive results. Honestly, I think it’s just as fun to put the salt on fish as it is to take it off.

SERVES:
2
PREP TIME:
20 MINUTES
COOKING TIME:
25 MINUTES

1 LEMON

1-2 LBS. WHOLE FIRM FISH (RED SNAPPER, TROUT, ROCK COD, OR SEA BASS), CLEANED, SCALED, HEAD INTACT

2 SPRIGS FRESH DILL

2-3 LBS. COARSE SEA SALT (KOSHER SALT IS OKAY)

3 EGG WHITES

HIGH-QUALITY OLIVE OIL FOR DRIZZLING

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Cut half of the lemon into slices and the other half into wedges for serving. Stuff the fish with the lemon slices and dill. Combine the salt and egg whites in a large mixing bowl.

2. Spread one-third of the salt mixture on a large rimmed baking sheet until it covers an area 1" wider than the fish. Place the fish on the salt base, then cover the fish evenly with the remaining salt.

3. Bake for 22-25 minutes. You’ll know that the fish is done when the salt has formed a nice brown ring around it and you can insert a paring knife into the center of the crust with little resistance. Let it rest for 5 minutes, then crack open the salt crust with a spoon or wooden mallet. Drizzle with olive oil and serve with lemon wedges.

Chinese Steamed Sea Bass

Chinese steamed sea bass is a popular Cantonese dish and an excellent way to celebrate the tastiness of fresh ingredients with minimal preparation or fuss.

SERVES:
2
PREP TIME:
10 MINUTES
COOKING TIME:
10 MINUTES

1-2 LBS. SEA BASS OR OTHER WHOLE WHITE FISH, CLEANED, SCALED, HEAD INTACT

1" GINGER, PEELED AND JULIENNED

2 GREEN ONIONS, THINLY SLICED

1/2 TSP. CHILI POWDER

2 TBSP. CHINESE COOKING WINE (
SEE HERE
)

2 TBSP. TAMARI

2 TSP. SESAME OIL

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Rinse the fish in cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Place the fish on the center of a piece of aluminum foil large enough to wrap around the fish. Sprinkle on the ginger, green onions, and chili powder, then pour the wine, tamari, and sesame oil over the fish.

2. Seal the fish in the foil, place it on a baking sheet, and bake for 10 minutes. Unwrap and check to see if the fish is fully cooked; it should slightly resist pulling away from the bone since it will cook a little more off the heat. Return it to the oven if it needs more time; otherwise, let it sit for 2 minutes wrapped in the foil. Unwrap and transfer to a serving dish, pouring the leftover sauce over the fish before serving.

Sole Meunière

Sole meunière is a classic French dish and an easy inclusion in this cookbook; Julia Child, best known for introducing gourmet French cuisine to the United States, had what she considered to be a “culinary revelation” when she first tasted this dish. It’s easy to see why, as the combination of mild white fish, browned butter, and lemon is basic but striking and never gets old.

While sole is the traditional fish used in this dish, any flatfish will work fine, like plaice, turbot, or flounder. Each of these fish has four fillets, a unique characteristic of all flatfish.

SERVES:
2
PREP TIME:
5 MINUTES
COOKING TIME:
8 MINUTES

2 SOLE, PLAICE, TURBOT, OR FLOUNDER FILLETS, ABOUT 6 OZ. EACH

1/4 TSP. SEA SALT

1/4 TSP. FRESH-GROUND BLACK PEPPER

3 TBSP. TAPIOCA STARCH OR ARROWROOT STARCH

2 TBSP. COCONUT OIL

2 TBSP. BUTTER

1 LEMON, SLICED

1. Gently rinse and pat dry the fillets with paper towels. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Dredge the fish in the starch on both sides, shaking off the excess. Place on a plate and set aside.

2. Heat the coconut oil in a large skillet on medium-high until shimmering, about 2 minutes, then stir in the butter. When the butter stops foaming (about 40 seconds), add the fish and pan-fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Carefully flip the fish and cook until done, another 2-3 minutes, adding the lemon slices during the last 20 seconds of cooking. Pour the browned butter and lemon sauce over the fillets when serving.

Blackened Fish

Most often associated with Cajun cuisine, blackening is a cooking method in which a food is coated in spices and cooked in a very hot cast-iron skillet, creating a black crust from the charred spices. This dish became especially admired in the 1980s when popular Cajun chef Paul Prudhomme introduced his recipe to the world.

This dish is best cooked outdoors on a portable gas burner. If you make it indoors, be sure to open your windows and turn on any vent fans you have. This dish goes well with Dirty Rice (
see here
) and Meaty Collard Greens (
see here
).

SERVES:
2
PREP TIME:
5 MINUTES
COOKING TIME:
20 MINUTES

1 TBSP. PAPRIKA

1 TSP. GARLIC POWDER

1 TSP. ONION POWDER

1 TSP. BLACK PEPPER

1 TSP. SEA SALT

1 TSP. DRIED THYME

1 TSP. CELERY SALT

2 FIRM FISH FILLETS (CATFISH, SALMON, SNAPPER, REDFISH, OR TROUT)

2 TBSP. GHEE

1. Combine the spices, then sprinkle evenly over both sides of the fillets; gently press the spices into the fish with your hands.

2. Heat a cast-iron skillet over high heat until it starts to smoke and the inside starts to turn white, about 5 minutes. Add the ghee, then immediately add the fillets; sear for 2 minutes, then carefully flip and pan-fry until cooked through, 1-2 more minutes.