Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (52 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

BOOK: Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans
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Not a salmon lover? Substitute tuna or lump crab meat instead!

 

 

SPICY TUNA CAKES

You may not normally associate canned fish with sweet potatoes and jalapeño peppers, but these hot ’n spicy tuna cakes are a revelation. They’re tender and sweet, but with a wickedly peppery bite that sneaks up on you. Eat them for breakfast, lunch, or dinner—or whip up an extra-big batch for your next dinner party.

Makes
12
cakes
3
tablespoons melted
ghee
, divided
Hands-on time:
20
minutes
10
ounces canned
albacore tuna
packed in water, drained
Total time:
45
minutes
3
scallions
, thinly sliced (about ⅓ cup)
2
tablespoons finely minced fresh
cilantro
1

cup mashed
Oven Baked Sweet Potatoes
2
large
eggs
1
tablespoon minced
jalapeño pepper
Finely grated zest from ½ medium
lemon
½
teaspoon
red pepper flakes
Kosher salt
Freshly ground
black pepper
3
medium
lemons
, cut into wedges (optional)

DO THIS:

  1. P
    reheat the oven to
    350
    °F with the rack in the middle position, and use a brush or paper towel to grease a
    12
    -cup regular-sized muffin tin with
    1
    tablespoon of melted ghee.
  2. I
    n 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 eggs, remaining
    2
    tablespoons melted ghee, jalapeño, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes. Don’t overwork the ingredients—keep the chunks of fish intact as much as possible. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  3. S
    coop a quarter cup of the mixture into each greased muffin tin cup, and flatten with the back of a spoon. Bake the tuna cakes for
    20
    to
    25
    minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
  4. T
    ransfer 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 them upside down, and tap them gently on the counter.)
  5. S
    erve with lemon wedges. They’re fantastic right out of the oven, but you can also pan-fry them in some melted fat in a skillet over medium heat to crisp the edges and impart some extra crunch.

 

Who needs sandwiches? These spicy little bites are perfect for packed lunches.
 

 

WHOLE ROASTED BRANZINI

I had my first bite of branzino over a decade ago, after Henry and I had slowly eaten our way from the Tuscan countryside up to Venice. We lost ourselves for hours each day, exploring every nook and cranny of the vibrant City of Bridges, from the quiet streets of Giudecca to the crowded center of San Marco. No two corners were the same, but at every restaurant we visited, I insisted on ordering whole roasted branzino.

A prized catch in Northern Italy, branzino—also known as Mediterranean seabass or
loup de mer
—is now booming in popularity in restaurants throughout North America, and it’s not hard to see why. Branzino isn’t expensive, and it’s among one of the most eco-friendly seafood choices on the market. Most important (to me, anyway), its flesh is deliciously tender and flavorful, with mildly sweet and nutty notes.

Yes, the prospect of whole-roasting a fish—especially one nicknamed the “wolf of the sea”—can be a bit daunting. But just for you, I’ve come up with quick, foolproof method that’ll dirty just one pan. Ready?

Makes
2
servings
2
(
1
-pound)
branzini
, gutted and scaled
Hands-on time:
10
minutes
Kosher salt
Total time:
25
minutes
Freshly ground
black pepper
1
small
lemon
, thinly sliced
4
sprigs fresh
Italian parsley
6
sprigs fresh
thyme
2
tablespoons melted
ghee
, divided
1
lemon
, cut into wedges

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