Saturday, March 25, 2017

Wonton meatballs (from Nom Nom Paleo)

Ingredients

  • ¼ ounce dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes
  • ½ pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 pound ground pork 
  • 2 scallions, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup cilantro, minced
  • 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
  • ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal brand kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon fish sauce
  • ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon sesame oil
  • Ghee or cooking fat of choice 
  • 1 scallion, sliced on the bias (optional garnish)
  • Sriracha (optional)

Instructions 

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F, and squeeze the water out of the shiitake mushrooms. Cut off the hard stems, and finely mince them.
  2. Finely chop the shrimp until you’ve got a chunky paste.
  3. Place the shrimp in a large bowl and add the pork, mushrooms, scallions, cilantro, coconut aminos, salt, fish sauce, white pepper, and sesame oil.
  4. Use your hands to squeeze and mix the meatball mixture until a sticky and tacky mass is formed.
  5. Heat up a small frying pan over medium heat and add a little cooking fat. When the pan is hot, form a little patty and cook it in the pan. Taste it and see if the seasoning is right. Adjust with additional salt if needed. (Not cooking yet? You can store the meatball mixture in the fridge for up to 12 hours.)
  6. Form the mixture into 1½-inch balls. I like to scoop the balls out with a #20 disher, which holds 3 tablespoons. Roll the mixture into round balls and arrange on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. You should end up with about a dozen balls.
  7. Bake the meatballs in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through.
  8. If you wanna make a bunch Wonton Sliders instead, smush the balls into ½-inch patties and fry in a greased pan over medium heat, about 2 minutes on each side. Serve immediately with a squeeze of sriracha!

Monday, March 20, 2017

Sweet potato chicken poppers

Ingredients

1 lb ground chicken
2 cups raw (not cooked) sweet potato, grated
2 tbsp coconut oil + 1 tsp for greasing the baking sheet
2 tbsp coconut flour
2 sprigs green onion, chopped fine
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 F and lightly grease a lined baking sheet with coconut oil
Combine all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and thoroughly combine
Begin rolling the mixture into small poppers about one inch in diameter (you'll have about 20-22 poppers) and place them on the cooking sheet
Place in the oven for 25-28 minutes, flipping half way through
Crisp further in a pan or place under the broiler if desired for 1-2 minutes to crisp further
Remove from the oven when thoroughly cooked through
Allow to cool and serve with your favorite sauce