Asian Meatballs (Paleo)

These meatballs ARE FANTASTIC!!!
(May as well jump right into things...)

Last month I "went paleo" for several weeks.  Oh boy.  It confirmed many things to me, not the least of which being that my belly does not like gluten but my mouth sure does.  I'm having a hard time breaking up with bread.  And crackers.  And cheese.

During my "hunt" for paleo foods, I came across the award-winning website of Michelle Tam (Nom Nom Paleo).  Her recipe for Asian meatballs inspired mine.  If you're in need of some great paleo food ideas, please visit her site -- it's wonderful.

These meatballs have a high carrot-to-meat ratio; the carrots stay very crunchy during the short baking time, so if texture bothers you, either skip them or reduce the amount.  In my opinion, the carrots are the star of this recipe, along with the zing of the fresh ginger and the garlic.  I love the crunch. 

To stay away from soy but to retain that lovely soy-sauce flavor, I used coconut aminos.  BUT if you don't mind using soy sauce, it's a great substitute.   I'd say if you do use soy sauce try a lower-sodium version, being mindful that when you use 1/4 cup at a time, these little meatballs can get very salty very quickly.  

These meatballs are the perfect "emergency protein" to keep on hand.  I often mix them into salads.  Or when I'm feeling hungry at 4 pm and the Chocolate Monster is calling my name, I eat one or two cold straight out of the fridge. Shuts that noisy thing up every time.

(I usually double the recipe below because they freeze so well.)


Asian Turkey Meatballs (Paleo)
Makes 52 teaspoon-sized meatballs

1 pound ground turkey (substitute beef or bison)
3 medium carrots, peeled and finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 green onions, chopped
1 heaping teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
6-8 fresh mushrooms, finely minced (I used button mushrooms)
1/4 cup (lower-sodium) soy sauce (I used coconut aminos)
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon melted coconut oil (or olive oil)

Line two large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.  Set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl.  Mix with your hands (or with a wooden spoon, although your hands will mix much more thouroughly).  The key here is not to over-work/over-mix the meat.  Just get all the ingredients incorporated and call it good.

Use a teaspoon to scoop the meat mixture into the palm of your hand and roll it into a ball.  Place meatball on baking sheet and repeat.  (Leave about 1 inch or so between the meatballs).

Bake meatballs for 15-20 minutes, or until the meat is no longer pink in the center (you'll have to cut into one to check).    

Serve warm.

Enjoy! 

Chicken Marbella

The winter wind is singing her mournful music down my chimney.  I hear it often, usually after the children have been tucked in bed and the house is finally still, quiet.   This is when I write. 

She is courteous enough to hush her howling now and then, allowing me to hear the satisfying "pop" of the large piece of oak as it burns in the fireplace, the creak of the floor as my husband comes near to kiss my cheek and rub my shoulders, the whirr of the ceiling fan as it distributes the fire's warm air. 

My soul inhales this bouquet of night sounds; this soft contrast to a day filled with little boy noises.

I want to nestle down in the pleasant peacefulness and stay here for a while, savoring the gentle hush.  Much like I savored the flavors of our supper tonight.  Even while the boys' eyes bugged incredulously at the stewed plums and olives on their plates.

Chicken Marbella: my favorite winter dish.  Chicken marinated in red wine vinegar, olive oil, garlic, prunes, olives, capers, bay leaves, and oregano; baked after being sprinkled with brown sugar and drizzled with white wine.

A redolent bouquet of winter flavors.

(Here's the printable recipe.)

Chicken Marbella
Serves 4

4 leg quarters, with skin (about 3.5 pounds total)*
5 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon dried oregano
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste (I used 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a generous sprinkling of pepper---about 1/2 teaspoon)
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup pitted prunes
1/2 cup pitted Spanish green olives (pimento-stuffed is fine...)
1/4 cup capers with a bit of juice (optional)
3 bay leaves
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white wine
Small handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped for garnish

In a large bowl or 13" x 9" baking dish, combine chicken, garlic, oregano, pepper and salt, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, olives, capers, and bay leaves.  Cover with plastic wrap and allow to marinate, refrigerated, overnight.  Turn chicken once if not completely submerged.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Arrange chicken in a single layer in a large baking dish.  Spoon the marinade over any exposed chicken.  Sprinkle with the brown sugar and then pour the wine around the chicken.

Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, basting frequently with the pan juices.  Test the chicken to ensure doneness by pricking meat at the thickest point.   Juices should run clear-yellowish, not pink. 

Transfer chicken, prunes, olives and capers, if using, to a platter.  Moisten meat with a few spoonfuls of the pan juices and sprinkle generously with the fresh parsley.  Pass the remaining juices in a sauceboat, if desired.

*This dish can also be made with 4 large chicken breasts, which, while they are less flavorful, are much easier (and neater) to eat than the leg quarters.  Cover the baking dish with foil for the first 30 minutes and baste very frequently, as the chicken breasts will dry out much more quickly than the leg quarters with skin.

Recipe from The Silver Palate Cookbook

Ricotta-Mozzarella Meatloaf

"And so," she asked herself in the reflection of the stock pot.  "What is it you truly love about cooking?"

With a wooden spoon to serve as her microphone, she answered herself with a decisive nod of her head: "Everything."

"Everything?"  her interviewer questioned incredulously.  "Even the dirty dishes and the long hours and the overflowing compost and recycling bins?"

 "Yes.  Even that.  I enjoy it all."


As her eyebrows shot up, the interviewer asked, "Is it possible that you may be a little bit...nuts?"

  

"Perhaps," she responded.  "But I love to create pretty things.  Food is my art.  It's the nourishing beauty I offer daily to my family."

"Some days the children love what I create; other days, they gag and wretch.  But my desire to keep offering it never wanes."

She continued, "And while other things in my home "suffer" for the time I have chosen to spend in the kitchen, hopefully the children won't remember the moldy showers or the wrinkled laundry when they are grown."

 "I hope they will remember that it was my great joy to serve them."


Printable Recipe

This meatloaf is wonderfully out of the ordinary.  Melty squares of mozzarella jazz up the otherwise routine dish.  Substitute Italian sausage for part of the ground beef, if desired.  The meatloaf also works well with ground turkey:  just keep the meatloaf "tented" with the foil for longer and baste with olive oil every 15 minutes so that it won't dry out while baking.

For easy clean-up, please follow the photo steps above to create a baking surface for the meatloaf. 

Ricotta-Mozzarella Meatloaf
(Serves 6)

1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 cups day-old bread cubes

2 large eggs, beaten with a pinch of salt

1 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 cup chopped green onions

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley, plus extra for garnish

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 tablespoon kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste 

1 1/2 pounds ground beef 

1 cup mozzarella, cut into small cubes

1/8 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 cups warm tomato sauce (homemade or your favorite jarred sauce)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  

As demonstrated in the photos above, treat yourself to easy clean up by doing the following:  1) line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil.  Place a metal cooling rack inside the baking sheet.  Line the metal cooling rack with parchment paper; cut a few slits inside the parchment paper so the grease from the baking meatloaf can drip through to the foil-lined baking sheet.  Set baking assembly aside.

In a large bowl, pour the milk over the bread cubes and allow to soak for a few minutes until the bread is saturated. Squeeze the saturated bread, a handful at a time, pressing out as much milk as possible back into the bowl.  Crumble the wet bread back into the bowl.  Immediately add the beaten eggs, ricotta, green onions, grated cheese, parsley, nutmeg, salt and pepper to the bowl.  Mix well with a wooden spoon.  Add the ground beef and continue mixing (you may have to use your hands at this point).  Be careful not to over-mix, however, because the texture of the final product will become less desirable.

Add the mozzarella cubes and work them through the meat mixture until evenly distributed. 

(Once the mozzarella has been added, the mixture can be refrigerated until you're ready to bake the meatloaf.)

Brush the parchment-lined cooling rack with olive oil.  Shape the meat mixture into an oval loaf and lay it on the rack.  Brush the loaf with olive oil.  Make a "tent" of foil over the loaf, but ensure the foil doesn't touch it (this will keep the loaf from drying out).  Bake for 45-50 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake for another 25 minutes.  (If you are concerned about doneness, use a meat thermometer to ensure the center of the loaf has reached 170 degrees.)

Remove the meatloaf from the oven and cover again with foil, allowing the loaf to rest at least 15 minutes before slicing.  (This makes it much easier to slice.)

Slice the loaf thickly and top with the warm tomato sauce.  Garnish with a bit of chopped parsley, if desired.

Recipe slightly adapted from Framed Cooks

Osso Buco Stew (with Lamb)

A friend of mine recently wrote a great article about how being a carnivore feels so old-fashioned and taboo these days.  Like we're doing something baaaaad by eating meat, something equivalent to not recycling or using incandescent bulbs or sending our children to school with their lunch items packed in----gasp!---Zip-lock bags. We post meat-containing recipes almost surreptitiously, fearing the Vegan Police will come beating on our doors in the middle of the night, forcing us to surrender all items in our fridges that are wrapped in butcher paper. 

 

And while a great majority of the things I prepare are vegetarian, I like meat.  Mostly chicken, but also lamb and a good cut of beef now and then.


And I like stew, even when I accidentally ask the butcher to do the wrong thing with the meat.

I had intended to make osso buco.  

Osso Buco literally means "bone with a hole in it" and refers to the marrow hole when a veal or lamb shank (leg) is cross-cut, like this:

photo source:  Wikimedia Commons

I called the butcher and asked him if he had any lamb shanks.  He did.  I told him what I wanted but didn't describe it well enough.  When I arrived to pick it up, he had cut the leg into pieces of stew meat and had thrown the bone away.  Oh well.  I decided to make lamb stew instead of lamb Osso Buco.  But I used a recipe for osso buco and fiddled with the preparation methods a bit, hence the name of this recipe.  It was a mouth-watering success.

There are few kitchen tasks more pleasurable to me than browning meat.  I love the process, the scents, the sounds, the promise of what's to come.


When making anything that requires a lengthy simmering time, I cut veggies into larger pieces to ensure they don't turn to complete mush after cooking for several hours.

This is perfect for a winter dinner party with friends.  The recipe makes 6 very generous servings.  Add in some crusty French bread and a green leafy salad, and you have a soul-warming supper perfectly suited to share with people you love.

Printable Recipe

Osso Buco Stew (with Lamb)
Makes 6 generous portions

1/2 cup unbleached flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper for seasoning meat
2 pounds of lamb stew meat (cut into 1-inch pieces)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 stick unsalted butter
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
3 large garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
6 large carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped (about 1/2-inch thick pieces)
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (28-ounce) can of Italian whole plum tomatoes, drained
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 cup red wine
3 cups beef or lamb stock (to make your own, just substitute this recipe with lamb or beef bones)
Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish (if desired)
Grated zest of lemon, for garnish (if desired)

Place the flour in a shallow container or on a large plate.  Season the flour with salt and pepper.  Coat all sides of the stew meat in the flour (this is called "dredging").    Set dredged stew meat aside.

In a large Dutch oven or casserole (or something that can transfer from the burners to the oven), heat the oil and butter together until butter is sizzling and has melted.  Increase heat to medium-high and sear the lamb meat, browning well on all sides.  (Unless your Dutch oven is gigantic, you may have to brown the meat in several batches.)  Transfer browned meat to a paper towel to drain and set aside. 

After all meat has been browned and removed from Dutch oven, add onions, garlic, carrots, basil and oregano to Dutch oven.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.  Be sure to scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pot; they add great flavor to the stew.  

To the Dutch oven, add the tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 10 minutes.  Skim excess fat.

Add wine to tomatoes and other vegetables. Bring to a boil.  Once the liquid is boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Return the browned meat to the Dutch oven.  Add enough beef or lamb stock just to cover the meat.  (Depending on the size of your Dutch oven, it may require more or less than 3 cups.)  Cover Dutch oven and bake for 1 and 1/2 hours.  Remove lid and bake uncovered for an additional 30 minutes, until meat is very tender.  (If you want the sauce to thicken further, transfer the Dutch oven back to the burners and cook, uncovered, for an additional 10-15 minutes.  This will cause the sauce to reduce and thicken.)

To serve, sprinkle with chopped parsley and lemon zest, if desired. 

Adapted from The Silver Palate Cookbook

Tuscan Roasted Chicken

Imagine the aroma of garlic, rosemary, sage, white wine, olive oil, and a little pancetta (Italian bacon) perfuming your kitchen on a cool fall afternoon.

This is another lovely recipe from Sarah Fioroni's "A Family Farm in Tuscany".  I've made no secret about the fact that I am hosting a world-wide blogging tour for Sarah's book next week.  I've also made no secret that my sweet mama published this book.  GO, SMALL FAMILY BUSINESSES, GO!  I am so proud to be part of a family who cherishes food and beauty and the story of people like mine does.  

Sarah's book has over 50 recipes from her family's organic farm which is nestled in the fertile Italian hills.  The farm is nearly self-sustaining, producing their own meats, wine, vegetables, and even saffron.

 

 Photo credit: Oriano Stefan

Sarah (pronounced "SAW-rah") unfolds the story of her family's hard work and dedication to the land they originally worked as sharecroppers after World War II.  She dedicates the book to her parents and all members of the Fioroni family who have spent their lives bent over the earth, working and making unbelievable sacrifices for their children.

It's a lovely read coupled with gorgeous photography that will transport you to the rolling hills of Tuscany where Amico, Sarah's father, jokes that "even the hens need brakes." 

I don't have a mortar-and-pestle, but I used this little set up to smash garlic cloves into a paste.

This summer, a vendor at my local farmer's market was selling organic whole chickens.  I purchased several and froze them.  The ole' girl pictured in these photos was recently awakened from her frozen sleep...so please excuse the condition of her skin.  Arctic climates are not kind to the skin of birds (or people)! 

Following Sarah's instructions, I stuffed the cavity with bacon (I was out of pancetta), rosemary, sage, and garlic paste.  Reaching for my cooking twine to tie the chicken's legs together, I was shocked to find my recently-purchased spool completely empty.  Upon interrogation, it seems that two certain little boys used about 8 feet of my twine to construct a parachute with which to jump from Timothy's top bunk.  This would be the life of a boy mom. 

I love this trick.  Cut small slits in the skin of the chicken and then insert a mixture of salt, herbs, and garlic paste into each slit. 

Spread remaining garlic paste over the breast of the chicken and season with salt and pepper.  (I also scattered some remaining herbs here.)  Allow the chicken to "rest" at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Then drizzle olive oil over the chicken and pour white wine into the baking dish.  Roast at 400 degrees for about an hour and a half, turning the chicken onto its back after 20 minutes of roasting and then flipping it again after another 40 minutes.

The result:  juicy, tender, flavorful perfection.  

I really, really hope you will make this.  If you have never dared to roast a whole chicken, let this be the first recipe you try.   It's very easy and, served with roasted red potatoes, steamed broccoli, and crusty French bread (slathered with soft butter, of course), makes an incredibly satisfying and comforting meal.

Here's the printable recipe.

Roasted Chicken Poggio Alloro
Serves 8

1 whole chicken, about 5 pounds
3 paper-thin slices pancetta 
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
3 sprigs fresh sage
8 large garlic cloves, ground to a paste using a mortar and pestle
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup dry white wine, such as sauvignon blanc or vernaccia
3 tablespoons olive oil

Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with olive oil and set aside.  Rinse the chicken inside and out under cold running water.  Drain well and pat dry using absorbent paper towels.

Insert the pancetta, 2 rosemary sprigs, 1 sage sprig, and about 1 teaspoon of the garlic paste into the cavity of the chicken.  Using a small paring knife, cut six small slits in the skin of the chicken.  Strip the leaves from the remaining 2 rosemary sprigs and mince with 6 leaves from the remaining 2 sage sprigs.  Put a pinch of salt, a portion of the herbs, and a pinch of the garlic paste into each slit.  Gently massage the seasonings into the chicken.  Tie the legs of the chicken and place in prepared baking pan.  Spread the remaining garlic paste all over the chicken and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Set aside to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.  

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Pour the wine into the baking pan and spread the olive oil over the top of the chicken.  Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, then turn chicken onto its breast and bake an additional 40 minutes, or until well browned.  Turn the chicken onto its back again and bake an additional 30 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reads 170 degrees F.*  Remove from oven and set aside to rest for at least 7 minutes before carving.  Carve as desired and serve hot.  

Recipe from:  A Family Farm in Tuscany:  Recipes and Stories from Fattoria Poggio Alloro

  

*Ginny's note:  If the chicken you're using is less than 5 pounds, please reduce roasting times accordingly.  There are few gastronomic experiences worse than overcooked chicken (undercooked chicken being one of them.)   

Lemon-Brown Sugar Chicken

 

Mary, Mary quite contrary.
How does your chicken taste?
A tangy sweetness lightly sprinkled
with sugar before it bakes.

Begin with 5 chicken breasts (or you can easily swap this out with other cuts of chicken).  I sliced these breasts into four equal lengthwise strips. 

 

 Zest a lemon.

 

You'll need almost two cups of lemon juice...this is my favorite brand because it's so pure and puckery.  But of course you can juice real lemons if you'd prefer.
 

Let the chicken marinate in the lemon juice and zest overnight...or up to 48 hours.  (Be sure to use a non-metal bowl so the acid in the lemon juice won't react with the metal.)

 When you're ready to cook, blot the chicken pieces dry with a paper towel.

 In a gallon-size Ziplock bag, mix together the flour, paprika, pepper, and salt.

Add the chicken in several batches and toss around to coat the pieces well.  (Kids would love to help with this part...just triple-check that the bag is closed!)

Grab some oil that has a high smoke point.  (I love grapeseed oil).  

Add the oil to your heaviest skillet and crank the heat to medium-high.

Once the oil is hot, carefully add the chicken (in batches).  Let it sizzle about 5 minutes on each side.   The pieces need to get a rich and golden crust.

 Now, put them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.  And zest another lemon. 

 Sprinkle with brown sugar,

and decorate with lemon slices.  Cover with foil and bake for 10-15 minutes.  (Check the thickest piece of chicken to ensure it's cooked through.)

 Enjoy.

Here's the printable recipe.

Lemon-Brown Sugar Chicken
Serves 4 as an entree

5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 4 equal strips lengthwise
1.5 cups lemon juice
2 lemons (both will be zested; one will be sliced)
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup grapeseed oil
1/4 cup brown sugar

Combine the chicken strips, the lemon juice, and the zest from one lemon in a non-reactive bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate in the refrigerator overnight or for up to 48 hours (for extra-lemony chicken).  Turn the chicken occasionally while it's marinating.

Drain the chicken well.  Pat dry with paper towels.  Fill a zipper-close plastic bag with the flour, salt, paprika, and pepper.  Shake well to mix.   Put several pieces of chicken in the bag at a time and shake well to coat completely.  Place floured chicken on a plate. Repeat until all chicken has been coated.  

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet (I prefer cast iron) or a Dutch oven until very hot.  Carefully brown the chicken pieces, a few at a time, until golden and crisp - about 5 minutes on each side. 

Arrange the browned chicken strips on the baking sheet.  Sprinkle evenly with the zest from the second lemon.  Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the chicken pieces.  Then, slice the zested lemon into paper-thin slices and arrange them over the chicken.  

Cover baking sheet with foil and bake for 10-15 minutes, until thickest slice of chicken is cooked through. 

Recipe adapted from The Silver Palate Cookbook: Delicious Recipes, Menus, Tips, and Lore from Manhattan's Celebrated Gourmet Food Shop.