Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (51 page)

If you’ve got fresh albacore, you must make this dish, which I adapted from a David Tanis recipe. It doesn’t get easier than oven-poaching tuna in olive oil, and by adding a generous sprinkle of Magic Mushroom Powder, you exponentially increase the umami in this dish. Bonus: leftovers stored in the braising liquid will keep for up to a week, which means you’ll always have a healthy snack at your fingertips.

1. P
   reheat the oven to
   325
   °F with the rack in the middle position. Cut the fillet crosswise into
   1
   ½-inch steaks, and season them with Magic Mushroom Powder.
   
2. A
   rrange the tuna steaks in a single layer in a deep-sided oven-safe dish, and evenly distribute the garlic on top of the fish. Pour olive oil into the bottom of the dish, stopping only when it reaches halfway up the tuna steaks. Cover the dish, and poach in the oven for
   10
   minutes, or until the steaks are cooked halfway through.
   
3. G
   ently flip over each tuna steak so that the uncooked sides are now in the olive oil. Cover the dish and continue poaching in the oven for another
   10
   minutes or until just barely cooked through. Serve with a drizzle of the Magic Mushroom Powder–infused olive oil from the baking dish.
   

Fresh, wild-caught salmon is wonderful, but I don’t always have the time (or energy) to herd the kids into the car for a drive to the market or fishmonger. Fortunately, I keep a stockpile of canned fish in my pantry; when I’m short on time, I simply whip out my trusty can opener and
voila!
Dinner is served!

What? You’re not keen on eating fish straight from the can? Then transform that lowly can of wild salmon into savory, delicate patties. Crisp and golden brown on the outside, tender and moist on the inside, these salmon patties make for a great weeknight meal—and no one’ll suspect that you made ’em with canned fish. (Just remember to throw away the open cans. They’re a dead giveaway.)

1
½
pounds canned boneless, skinless
wild sockeye salmon
packed in water, drained and broken up into small chunks
¼
cup
Paleo Mayonnaise
2
scallions
, thinly sliced
2
large
eggs
, lightly beaten
2
tablespoons chopped fresh
Italian parsley
¼
medium
yellow onion
, minced
¼
cup
coconut flour
, divided
1
teaspoon
paprika
½
teaspoon dried
dill
½
teaspoon
kosher salt
¼
teaspoon
dried
mustard
¼
teaspoon
garlic powder
¼
teaspoon freshly ground
black pepper
2
tablespoons
ghee
or fat of choice
2
lemons
, cut into wedges
¼
cup
Louisiana Rémoulade
(optional)

1. I
   n a large bowl, mix together the salmon, mayonnaise, scallions, eggs, parsley, onion,
   1
   tablespoon of the coconut flour, the paprika, dill, salt, dried mustard, garlic powder, and pepper.
   
2. D
   ivide the salmon mixture into
   8
   equal portions, and use your hands to form each into a patty roughly
   3
   inches in diameter and ¾ inches in height. Place the cakes on a parchment-lined plate. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least
   30
   minutes to firm up the cakes.
   
3. W
   hen you’re ready to cook, spread the remaining coconut flour in a shallow dish, and lightly coat the cakes, shaking off any excess. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large cast-iron skillet. Once it’s shimmering, fry the cakes in the ghee for
   2
   minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to drain off any excess oil. Serve with lemon wedges (and Louisiana Rémoulade, if desired).