Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (17 page)
Read Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans Online
Authors: Michelle Tam,Henry Fong
Tags: #Cookbooks; Food & Wine, #Cooking by Ingredient, #Natural Foods, #Special Diet, #Allergies, #Gluten Free, #Paleo, #Food Allergies, #Gluten-Free, #Healthy
QUICK-PICKLED CARROT STRINGS
Need a little something to perk up your meals? The tang of pickled carrot strings adds a fresh crispness to any dish. Here’s a simple recipe that takes just half an hour to make, featuring a sweet brine made with apple juice instead of sugar. So grab a bunch of carrots and your trusty julienne peeler, and let’s get to work!
| Makes 3 cups |
| Hands-on time: 5 minutes |
| Total time: 30 minutes |
GET:
¼
cup
apple juice
½
cup
apple cider vinegar
½
teaspoon
kosher salt
3
large
carrots
, julienned
DO THIS:
C
ombine the apple juice, vinegar, and salt in a bowl and mix well. Drop in the carrot strings (I shred mine with a julienne peeler), making sure to completely submerge them in the brine. Cover the container and refrigerate for at least
30
minutes—they’ll keep for up to a week.
CRAZY FOR PICKLES? TRY THESE MODIFICATIONS!
T
he method above will work with any number of different vegetables, so don’t limit yourself to carrots. Try pickling paper-thin slices of red onion and cucumber, or julienned daikon and radishes. And while you’re at it, add a little heat to your apple juice brine with a pinch of red pepper flakes. After all, a garnish of tart, colorful pickles is often all that’s needed to perk up a ho-hum weeknight meal.
T
he term “pickle” is derived from “pekel,” a Dutch word that refers to a salty brine originally used to preserve meats! 
HOLY ‘MOLY (EASY GUACAMOLE)
Holy moly—I love guacamole. I routinely put my husband in charge of whipping up this green goodness because his version is my favorite by far: it’s the perfect mix of chunky and creamy, savory and spicy. Henry uses just a few ingredients, so it’s always a breeze to make a batch to accompany our meats and vegetables.
By the way, if you’re looking for a quick and healthy finger food to accompany your homemade guacamole, try raw jicama. Popular in Asia, South and Central America, and the Caribbean, this taproot vegetable has a refreshingly apple-crisp texture. Dip your jicama sticks in guacamole, and you’ll never crave chips again.
| Makes 4 servings | 1 small shallot , minced |
| Hands-on time: 15 minutes | Juice from 1 small lime |
| Total time: 15 minutes | ½ teaspoon kosher salt |
| 3 medium Hass avocados , halved, pitted, and peeled | |
| Freshly ground black pepper | |
| Chile powder (optional) |
DO THIS:
- I
n a small bowl, combine the shallot, lime juice, and salt. Leave the mixture alone for about
10
minutes so the acid can take some of the bite off the shallot. - M
ash half of the avocado flesh in a bowl with a fork. Add the shallot mixture to the mashed avocado and stir to combine. - C
ube the remaining half of the avocado into ¾-inch pieces and add it to the mixture in the bowl. Gently incorporate the mashed avocado and the cubed avocado. - A
s a finishing touch, add pepper (and, if desired, some chile powder) to taste. Eat immediately.
TWEAK IT! Guacamole may be simple, but it doesn't have to be boring! Make a splash by topping it with lump crab meat and finely cubed apple. Or for some crunch and fire, add toasted almond slivers and diced jalapeño peppers.
