The Sexy Forever Recipe Bible (103 page)

2 dried bay leaves, cracked

½ teaspoon cayenne

6 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

½ teaspoon dried oregano

1 cup dry red wine (omit for Detox)

MEATBALLS

Olive oil

1 pound ground beef

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

3 dashes Worcestershire sauce (see
Note
)

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Zucchini Noodles

For the sauce:
Place a large stockpot on medium heat. Add the olive oil and onions. Sauté until the onions are translucent, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes longer. Add the ground beef and sauté until brown, about 7 minutes. Season the meat with about ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and the paprika.

Add all 5 cans of tomatoes, roughly chopping the whole peeled tomatoes, including their juice. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon salt, remaining 2 teaspoons pepper, the basil, bay leaves, cayenne, parsley, oregano, and wine. Stir all ingredients until well combined. Bring to a low boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 1 to 4 hours. (The sauce will be ready after an hour but tastes better the longer you simmer it.) 

For the meatballs:
Preheat the broiler. Drizzle olive oil on a baking sheet until the sheet is completely coated.

Combine the meat, garlic, parsley, eggs, cheese, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Use your hands to blend the ingredients. Form the meat into small round balls, about 1 inch in diameter. Place the meatballs on the oiled baking sheet. Broil for about 5 minutes, turning as necessary to cook all sides.

Remove the bay leaves from the sauce. Serve the meatballs atop zucchini noodles and pour sauce over.

MAKES ABOUT 4 QUARTS

braised veal stew with gremolata

PROTEIN, HEALTHY FATS, VEGETABLES
LEVEL 1, LEVEL 2

¼ cup olive oil

2 pounds veal stew meat (or beef stew meat)

1 veal shank (or beef shank)

1 onion, medium diced

6 celery stalks, medium diced

2 carrots, medium diced (omit for Level 1)

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1½ cups dry red wine

2 tablespoons veal demi-glace (see
Note
)

4 cups chicken stock or broth, or more to cover, preferably
homemade

2 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried

4 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, or 2 teaspoons dried

½ head garlic

½ cup
Gremolata

Heat a large sauté pan on high heat. Add the olive oil, stew meat, and shank. Sauté until browned on the outside, about 5 minutes. Transfer the meat to a slow cooker (see Note).

Return the sauté pan to the heat and add the onion, celery, and carrots (for Level 2). Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until slightly browned. Add the tomato paste and stir into the vegetables for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the wine, scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pan to release the flavor. Cook for about 10 minutes, then pour into the slow cooker.

Add the veal demi-glace, chicken stock, thyme, parsley, and garlic (with skin) to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

Ladle into serving bowls and sprinkle with gremolata.

SERVES 6

NOTE
 If you don’t have a slow cooker, bring the stew to a simmer in a Dutch oven, then cover and cook in a 375°F oven for 2½ hours.

gremolata

HEALTHY FATS, VEGETABLES
DETOX, LEVEL 1, LEVEL 2

½ bunch flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely minced

Zest from 1 lemon

1 garlic clove, pressed

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place all the ingredients into a bowl and toss to combine. Let the flavors meld for 30 minutes. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

MAKES ½ CUP

veal patties with lemon-caper sauce

PROTEIN, HEALTHY FATS, VEGETABLES
DETOX, LEVEL 1, LEVEL 2

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound ground veal (or ground dark-meat turkey)

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 large eggs, slightly beaten