The Ancestral Table: Traditional Recipes for a Paleo Lifestyle (9 page)

High-quality Parmesan or Pecorino (sheep’s milk) cheese is the key to making a memorable pesto. Garlic scape, broccoli stems, watercress, and kale stalks can all be used to add fiber and a different tinge of flavor; just be sure to add more oil to offset the extra fiber.

YIELDS:
1 CUP
PREP TIME:
5 MINUTES

2 CUPS FRESH BASIL LEAVES

1/3 CUP PINE NUTS

3 CLOVES GARLIC

1/3 CUP OLIVE OIL

1/2 CUP GRATED AGED PARMIGIANO-REGGIANO OR PECORINO PEPATO CHEESE

1. Blend the basil and pine nuts in a blender or food processor, then add the garlic and blend again. Add the olive oil and cheese and blend one last time. Stir in more oil if the sauce is too thick. This pesto should last a few weeks in the fridge.

Uses for Simple Basil Pesto:

• Serve with Gnocchi (
see here
).

• Use in place of tomato sauce when making Pizza (
see here
).

• Mix into Pão de Queijo dough (
see here
).

• Spoon into Basic Red Sauce (
see here
) for extra flavor.

• Use as a marinade for grilled chicken breasts or thighs.

• Thin the paste with more oil and use as a salad dressing.

Guacamole

Guacamole was originally developed by the Aztecs. The word guacamole is derived from the Aztec words for avocado and sauce (ahuacatl + molli) and dates back at least to the 1600s. In Mexico, the word is still pronounced like “wakamole,” a remnant of its origin.

My recipe is a typical baseline for this delicious condiment, but many variations exist. For example, in Venezuela a similar avocado-based sauce is made with vinegar and chile peppers. Common variations include adding a couple cloves of roasted garlic, some Preserved Lemons (
see here
), or chopped bacon.

YIELDS:
2 1/2 CUPS  
PREP TIME:
15 MINUTES

1 ROMA TOMATO, SEEDED AND FINELY CHOPPED

2 RIPE AVOCADOS, HALVED, PITS REMOVED

JUICE OF 1 LIME (2 TBSP.)

1/2 RED ONION, FINELY CHOPPED

1/4 CUP FRESH CILANTRO, CHOPPED

1/4 TSP. SEA SALT

1/4 TSP. BLACK PEPPER

1. Salt the chopped tomato and leave to drain in a colander for 10 minutes, then pat dry. This will add bite to the tomatoes and prevent the guacamole from getting watered down.

2. Scoop out the avocado flesh and roughly mash in a medium bowl. Mix in the rest of the ingredients, seasoning with salt to taste.

Harissa

Harissa is a North African chili sauce, commonly used as a condiment and curry base in Tunisia, Libya, Algeria, and Morocco. Its complex and slightly spicy taste is often compared to a similar Asian sauce, the equally delicious and almighty Sriracha. Harissa pairs well with many curry sauces, especially Lamb Tagine (
see here
). While there is mention of harissa as early as the 13th century, it probably didn’t take the form we recognize today until later, since chile peppers arrived in Europe and Africa following Columbus’s discovery of the New World.

Piri Piri chiles (sometimes spelled peri peri or pili pili) are small, spicy peppers native to Africa. They are often compared to bird’s eye chiles; in fact, they are sometimes called the “African bird’s eye.” Either type is fine for this recipe. If you can’t find them, chile de árbol or even half a habañero chile will work; the point is to add a little heat to the milder dried chiles.

YIELDS:
1/4 CUP  
PREP TIME:
30 MINUTES, PLUS 1 HOUR TO LET THE FLAVORS MARRY

4 LARGE DRIED MILD CHILES (ANAHEIM, NEW MEXICO, GUAJILLO, OR ANCHO)

1 SMALL HOT CHILE (PIRI PIRI, BIRD’S EYE, OR CHILE DE ÁRBOL, DRIED OR FRESH), SEEDS AND RIBS REMOVED

2 CLOVES GARLIC

1 TSP. SEA SALT

1 TSP. GROUND CUMIN

1 TSP. GROUND CORIANDER

1 TSP. CARAWAY SEEDS

1/4 CUP OLIVE OIL

1. Soak the dried chiles in warm water for 30 minutes, then remove the stems and seeds.

2. In a blender, blend all the ingredients to a smooth purée, then put it in the fridge to allow the flavors to marry for at least 1 hour. For best results, harissa should be eaten the next day, but it will keep for several weeks.

Preserved Lemons

Lemons have been pickled for several hundred years, although the preserved lemons we know today were first documented in the 1800s. Preserved lemons retain their lemony taste without the intensity of fresh lemon.

YIELDS:
1 PINT  
PREP TIME:
20 MINUTES  
FERMENTATION TIME:
3-4 WEEKS

4 LEMONS

1/3 CUP KOSHER SALT

1. Dip the lemons in nearly boiling water for 45 seconds. Slice the lemons into quarters and place in a large bowl. With your hands, thoroughly mix with half of the salt.

2. Line the bottom of a pint jar with salt, then tightly pack the lemon quarters into the jar, adding more salt with each layer. Cover the jar and let it sit in a cool, dark place for 3-4 weeks. Preserved lemons can be kept in the fridge for up to 6 months.

Uses for Preserved Lemons:

• Add to curries like Lamb Tagine (
see here
) to add a fresh dynamic.

• Mince and add sparingly to Bloody Marys (along with their liquid).

• Mince and add to salad dressings.

• Chop and add to Guacamole (
see here
) or homemade salsa.

Satay Sauce

Satay sauce is primarily a dipping sauce in the United States, but it takes on a different role in Southeast Asia, where it originated; in addition to being used as a dip, it is a general-purpose condiment used to provide depth to dishes and is the pivotal ingredient in many Indonesian dishes. It is also wildly popular in the Netherlands, a result of its colonization of Indonesia in the 17th-19th centuries.

While this dish is traditionally made with peanuts, I prefer to use a combination of walnuts, almonds, and macadamia nuts for a more ideal health benefit. Surprisingly, you can’t really tell that there are no peanuts in this sauce—it’s the combination of shrimp paste, garlic, coconut milk, and honey that gives this sauce its signature taste.

YIELDS:
1 CUP  
PREP TIME:
5 MINUTES  
COOKING TIME:
20 MINUTES

1 CUP TOTAL WALNUTS, ALMONDS, AND MACADAMIA NUTS

1 TSP. COCONUT OIL

1 TBSP. SHRIMP PASTE (TERASI PREFERRED;
SEE HERE
)

1/2 BIRD’S EYE CHILE, SEEDS AND RIBS REMOVED, SLICED

2 CLOVES GARLIC, CHOPPED

1 TBSP. HONEY OR 2 TSP. COCONUT PALM SUGAR

1/2 TSP. SEA SALT

1/4 TSP. WHITE PEPPER

1 CUP COCONUT MILK

1. In a saucepan, toast the nuts on medium-low for 5 minutes, being careful not to burn, then set aside. In the same saucepan, heat the coconut oil on medium-low for 1 minute, then add the shrimp paste; toast until the oil starts to separate, about 3 minutes, then set aside to cool for 5 minutes.

2. In a blender or food processor, blend the nuts, shrimp paste mixture, and remaining ingredients until smooth. Return everything to the saucepan and simmer on medium heat until dark and thickened, 8-10 minutes. Add water to achieve the desired consistency; the sauce should be thick but pourable. Serve at room temperature. Leftover sauce will keep in the fridge for up to a week.

Teriyaki Sauce

Teriyaki sauce can be traced back to the Edo age in Japan, which started in the 17th century. An increase in urbanization and exposure to outside cultures resulted in an influx of new ingredients, which converged to make this tangy, sweet sauce that is perfect for grilling. Japanese restaurants gained prominence in the United States in the 1960s, and teriyaki sauce became the household name that it is today.

Because tamari is naturally bitter, it takes a fair amount of other tastes to balance everything. You might be surprised that it doesn’t need much honey or other sweeteners—it’s the presence of lime juice, fresh ginger, and white pepper that brings together the flavors.