Friday, January 12, 2018

Spicy tuna cakes

Ingredients
3 tablespoons melted ghee, divided
10 ounces canned albacore tuna packed in water, drained
3 scallions, thinly sliced (about ⅓ cup)
2 tablespoons finely minced fresh cilantro
1⅓ cup mashed baked sweet potato
finely grated zest from ½ medium lemon
1 tablespoon minced jalapeño pepper
2 large eggs
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 medium lemons, cut into wedges (optional)

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F, and use a brush to grease a 12-cup regular sized muffin tin with one tablespoon of melted ghee. (Or skip this part and just line the tin with parchment muffin liners!)
In a large bowl, mix together the tuna, scallions, and cilantro. Add the mashed sweet potato to the tuna mixture, and gently combine.
Then, mix in the lemon zest, jalapeño, the remaining two tablespoons of ghee, eggs, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. I normally use 1½ teaspoons of Diamond Crystal brand kosher salt, but your taste may vary. (Not sure if you’ve added enough S&P? Take a small portion and fry up a little pancake to see if the seasoning is right!)
Use your hands to mix everything together because that way you can make sure that the fish chunks aren’t overly broken up.
Scoop a ¼ cup of the mixture into each greased muffin tin cup and flatten with the back of a spoon.
Bake the tuna cakes for 20-25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out cleanly.
Transfer the cakes to a wire rack to cool. The easiest way I’ve found to get them out is to put the wire rack on top of the muffin tin, flip everything upside-down, and tap them gently on the counter.
Grab a lemon wedge and squeeze some juice on your tuna cake before your pop it in your mouth. They’re fantastic right out of the oven. Alternatively, store them in the fridge in a air-tight container for up to four days, and when you’re ready to eat, skillet-fry the cakes in some melted fat over medium heat. Crisp the edges, and you’re good to go.

Paper-wrapped chicken

Ingredients:

½ cup All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce
4 cups sliced bok choy
Diamond Crystal brand kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs (If I were you, I’d choose thighs because they’re tastier more forgiving if you leave the packets in too long!)
8 shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 large shallots, thinly sliced

Method:

Set the oven to 450°F with the rack in the middle position. Grab 4 large parchment sheets, and fold each in half. Draw half a heart on each sheet so that when you cut them out, you get full hearts.
Unfold the paper hearts and lay them flat.
Place a cup of sliced bok choy on one side of each heart. Sprinkle salt and pepper on the bok choy.
Salt and pepper the chicken, too. Then, place a piece of chicken atop each pile of bok choy.
Top with ¼ of the mushrooms and shallots. Spoon 2 tablespoons of All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce onto each mound.
Fold the other half of each heart over the top. Tightly crimp the edges together, starting at the top-center of each heart. At the pointed bottom end, twist the paper to seal well. Repeat steps for the three remaining chicken packets.
Place the parchment packets on a rimmed baking sheet.
Bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked. The breasts should register 150°F on an instant-read thermometer, and the thighs should register 165°F.
As soon as the packets are out of the oven, carefully cut them open. Serve immediately!

Stir-Fry Sauce Ingredients:

1 cup coconut aminos
½ cup fresh orange juice
¼ cup Red Boat fish sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons ginger powder
1 teaspoon sesame oil (optional)

Nom Nom Paleo Instant Pot Chili Recipe

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon avocado oil, ghee, or cooking fat of choice
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 small red bell pepper, diced
Diamond Crystal kosher salt
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 garlic cloves,minced
2 pounds ground beef (85% lean, 15% fat)
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1 (14.5 ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained
½ cup chicken broth or bone broth
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (optional)

Method:

Press the sauté button on the Instant Pot and wait for the metal insert to heat up. Once the insert is hot, add 1 tablespoon of fat and swirl it around.
As soon as the oil is shimmering, add the onions and bell peppers with a sprinkle of salt.
Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are softened.
Stir in the tomato paste and minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add in the ground beef along with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Brown the meat and break it up with a spatula.
When most of the ground beef is no longer pink (5 to 7 minutes), stir in the chili powder, oregano, cumin, and cayenne pepper (optional).
Combine well to distribute the fragrant spices.
Toss in the drained diced tomatoes, broth, and fish sauce.
Stir everything well, making sure the liquid reaches the bottom of the insert.
Lock the lid and cook under high pressure for 15 minutes. (In other words, press the “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” button and set the time for 15 minutes under high pressure.)
When the chili is finished cooking, release the pressure manually if you’re itching to eat it right away. Otherwise, you can let the pressure come down naturally and chow down when you’re ready.