The Ancestral Table: Traditional Recipes for a Paleo Lifestyle (17 page)

Leftovers are best eaten cold, as reheating toughens the meat.

Shepherd’s Pie

Although meat pies have been eaten in the British Isles since the Middle Ages, shepherd’s pie as we know it today coincided with the arrival of the potato in Europe in the 16th century—although potatoes didn’t catch on in Great Britain until the 18th century. Shepherd’s pie appeared shortly thereafter, though under its original name, cottage pie, and made mostly with beef. The name shepherd’s pie followed about 100 years later, along with the idea that it should be made with mutton. Today, shepherd’s pie can be made with beef or lamb, or sometimes both, while cottage pie usually refers only to the beef version of the dish.

Another interesting fact about this dish is that it’s prevalent in many other cultures with some pretty amusing names, like French Canada’s pâté chinois (“Chinese pie”), Russia’s картофельная запеканка (“potato baked pudding”), and Brazil’s escondidinho (“hidden”).

SERVES:
6
PREP TIME:
20 MINUTES
COOKING TIME:
1 HOUR

2 LBS. RUSSET OR YUKON GOLD POTATOES, PEELED AND CUT INTO 1" CHUNKS

3 TBSP. BUTTER, DIVIDED

~1/2 CUP HEAVY CREAM

1 1/2 TSP. SEA SALT, DIVIDED

2 TSP. BLACK PEPPER, DIVIDED

1 1/2 LBS. GROUND BEEF, GROUND LAMB, OR A MIXTURE

1 SMALL ONION, FINELY CHOPPED

1 MEDIUM CARROT, DICED

1 CELERY ROOT, PEELED AND DICED

1 TBSP. TOMATO PASTE

2 CLOVES GARLIC, MINCED

1/2 CUP CHICKEN BROTH (
SEE HERE
)

1 TSP. WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE

1 SMALL HANDFUL FRESH THYME, MINCED (ABOUT 1 TSP.)

1 SMALL HANDFUL FRESH ROSEMARY, MINCED (ABOUT 1 TSP.)

1/2 CUP FROZEN PEAS

1. Place the potatoes in a large stockpot and fill with enough water to cover the potatoes by 1". Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer until fork-tender, about 15 minutes. Drain well, then return to the pot and add 2 Tbsp. of the butter. Mash until smooth and firm, adding cream as needed, up to 1/2 cup. Season with salt and pepper to taste (about 1 tsp. each), then set aside.

2. In a cast-iron skillet, brown the ground meat on medium heat until most of the pink is cooked out, about 6 minutes. Drain and set aside the rendered fat, then set aside the cooked meat. Return 2 Tbsp. of the rendered fat to the pan, as well as the remaining 1 Tbsp. butter, and warm it on medium heat until melted. Add the onion, carrot, and celery root and sauté until softened, about 8 minutes.

3. Add the tomato paste and garlic and sauté for another 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, herbs, and more salt and pepper to taste (about 1/2 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. pepper). Simmer until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the ground meat and frozen peas.

4. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Spread the meat mixture evenly in the skillet, then top the meat mixture with globs of mashed potatoes. Spread with a spatula or fork. Bake until the potatoes are browned, about 30 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Salisbury Steak

Salisbury steak was developed in the late 19th century by Dr. J. H. Salisbury to help maintain ideal health if eaten exclusively. (He believed that the overconsumption of starches, fruits, and vegetables was to blame for most ailments.) While his reasoning doesn’t quite hold up to the test of time, his dish has endured. It rose to fame in the 1960s and 1970s and became synonymous with TV dinners in the United States.

While a strict mincemeat regimen is probably far from ideal in terms of both taste and health, Salisbury steak makes for a hearty, comforting meal. Similar dishes are popular worldwide, especially in Japan (hanbagu steak) and Russia (котлета).

SERVES:
2
PREP TIME:
10 MINUTES
COOKING TIME:
20 MINUTES

1 LB. GROUND BEEF

1 EGG

2 TBSP. ALMOND MEAL

1/2 TSP. SEA SALT

1/2 TSP. GROUND MUSTARD

1/2 TSP. ONION POWDER

1/4 TSP. BAKING SODA

1/4 TSP. CREAM OF TARTAR

1 TSP. BLACK PEPPER, DIVIDED

2 CUPS BEEF BROTH (
SEE HERE
)

5 OZ. (1/2 PKG.) SLICED WHITE MUSHROOMS

1 TBSP. HEAVY CREAM

2 TSP. ARROWROOT STARCH

2 TSP. COLD WATER

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Combine the ground beef, egg, almond meal, salt, mustard, onion powder, baking soda, cream of tartar, and 1/2 tsp. of the pepper in a mixing bowl. Mix with your hands until everything is well combined; be careful not to overmix.

2. Form the meat into 4 steak-shaped patties and place on a baking sheet. Bake until browned, about 18 minutes, then broil for 2 minutes to create a crust.

3. While the steaks are cooking, combine the broth, mushrooms, and the remaining 1/2 tsp. pepper in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer on medium heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the mushrooms shrink and soften, about 15 minutes. Stir in the cream and reduce the heat to low. In a separate dish, mix together the starch and cold water to create a slurry. Stir the starch slurry into the broth and simmer until thickened, about 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste, then plate the steaks and pour the gravy on top.

Chicken-Fried Steak

Also known as country-fried steak, chicken-fried steak is a staple of Southern cuisine in the United States. It gained its name from the fact that it is prepared like Southern Fried Chicken (
see here
). It is commonly believed that chicken-fried steak was created by German and Austrian immigrants in Texas in the 1800s.

Chicken-fried steak is a great meal for those on a budget, as cube steak (sometimes called minute steak) is generally easy to find and very cheap. If cube steak is unavailable in your area, you can make your own using bottom round and a blade meat tenderizer.

SERVES:
6
PREP TIME:
25 MINUTES
COOKING TIME:
45 MINUTES

1/2 CUP WHITE RICE FLOUR

1 TSP. SEA SALT

1/2 TSP. PAPRIKA

1/2 TSP. GARLIC POWDER

2 TSP. COARSE-GROUND BLACK PEPPER, DIVIDED

4 EGGS, BEATEN (OR 2 EGGS MIXED WITH 1/4 CUP HEAVY CREAM)

1/2 CUP POTATO STARCH

1/2 CUP TAPIOCA STARCH

2 LBS. CUBE STEAK

1/4 CUP LARD OR COCONUT OIL

3 TBSP. BUTTER

2 CUPS BEEF BROTH (
SEE HERE
)

1/2 TSP. FRESH THYME (DRIED IS OKAY)

2 TBSP. HEAVY CREAM

1. In a large pan or shallow bowl, combine the rice flour, salt, paprika, garlic powder, and 1 tsp. of the pepper. In a like-sized pan or bowl, place the beaten eggs. In a third like-sized pan or bowl, combine the other half of the pepper with the starches. Gently pound the cube steak to an even thickness, about 1/4"; slice into pieces the size of large steaks. Dredge the steaks in the rice flour mixture, then the eggs, then the starch mixture, shaking off the excess as you go. Place the steaks on a wire rack and let rest for 10 minutes. Reserve 3 Tbsp. of the rice flour mixture.

2. Preheat the oven to 170°F. Heat the lard or coconut oil in a cast-iron skillet on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the steaks and fry in batches until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Place the cooked steaks on a different wire rack supported by a baking sheet, then place in the oven to keep warm while you cook the others. Add more lard or coconut oil as needed while frying.

3. Remove everything but the browned bits at the bottom of the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium-low and melt the butter in the skillet. Stir in the reserved rice flour mixture and toast until aromatic, about 2 minutes. Stir in the beef broth and thyme and continue to stir as it thickens, about 2 minutes. Gently scrape up any browned pieces into the gravy. Once it has thickened, stir in the cream and remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve the gravy over the steaks.

Chili Con Carne

Chili con carne, more commonly known simply as chili, is a type of stew originally created by American frontier settlers. The original dish known as chili was prepared by Aztec and Mayan chefs and consisted of beans served in a tomato sauce seasoned with chile peppers. Settlers in the 1800s added pieces of dried beef to the dish, and chili con carne was born. By the early 1900s, chili parlors had sprouted up in Texas and beyond.

To me, chili is best when it is versatile and evenly flavored. Adding chocolate and mayonnaise sound counterintuitive at first, but they give the dish a rich, smooth taste. This chili is relatively free of large chunks and goes well served over other foods, including rice, French fries, hot dogs, and hamburgers.

SERVES:
6
PREP TIME:
5 MINUTES
COOKING TIME:
2 1/2 HOURS

1 TBSP. BUTTER

1 MEDIUM ONION, COARSELY CHOPPED

6 CLOVES GARLIC, MINCED

1 1/2 TBSP. GROUND CORIANDER

1 TBSP. GROUND CUMIN

1 TSP. SEA SALT

1 TSP. BLACK PEPPER

1 TSP. PAPRIKA

1 TSP. OREGANO

1 TSP. CAYENNE PEPPER

1 TSP. RED PEPPER FLAKES

2 BAY LEAVES

2 LBS. GROUND BEEF OR GAME MEAT (SUCH AS VENISON OR ELK)

1 (14.5 OZ.) CAN DICED TOMATOES

2 (14.5 OZ.) CANS PURÉED TOMATOES

8 OZ. SMOKED SAUSAGE (LINGUIÇA OR ANDOUILLE PREFERRED), CUT IN HALF LENGTHWISE AND SLICED INTO HALF-MOONS

2 TBSP. MAYONNAISE (
SEE HERE
)

2 TBSP. UNSWEETENED COCOA POWDER

GRATED CHEDDAR CHEESE AND SOUR CREAM FOR SERVING (OPTIONAL)

1. In a stockpot, warm the butter on medium heat for 1 minute, then add the onion and sauté until aromatic, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, spices, and bay leaves and sauté for another minute. Add the ground beef and simmer until browned, stirring frequently to break up chunks, about 6 minutes. Add the tomatoes, cover, and reduce the heat to low; simmer for 1 hour.

2. Near the end of the hour, brown the sausage slices in a separate pan on medium heat, about 3 minutes per side.