Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (60 page)

F
ancy tools are fun, but these kabobs are just as tasty when broiled in the oven. Here’s how you can do it:

I
nstead of using skewers, carefully place the kabobs on a greased wire rack atop a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil the kabobs
6
inches from the heat source for
3
to
4
minutes on each side. Easy, right?

I love that there’s nothing fussy about Yankee pot roast. With roots in nineteenth-century New England, this one-pot comfort meal has never gone out of style. The basic formula has remained unchanged since the
1880
s: sear off a cheap, tough cut of meat, and then slowly braise it with aromatics and broth until the roast is succulent and tender. Of course, that doesn’t mean our palates have to be stuck in the past. My version adds modern flair to this timeless classic, with a sweet balsamic reduction and bursts of umami that transcend eras and tastes. Mark my words: this ain’t your great-great-great-great-grandmother’s pot roast.

1. A
   djust an oven rack to the lower middle position and heat the oven to
   275
   °F. Pat the roast dry with paper towels, and season it with ¾ tablespoon of salt and a few generous grinds of pepper.
   
2. M
   elt
   1
   tablespoon of the ghee in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Once it’s sizzling hot, sear the roast until evenly browned, about
   3
   minutes per side. Transfer the beef to a platter.
   
3. L
   ower the heat to medium, and add the remaining tablespoon of ghee. Toss in the leeks, celery, and carrots, and a pinch of salt. Sauté the vegetables until softened, about
   5
   minutes.
   
4. A
   dd the garlic and tomato paste, and stir for
   30
   seconds or until fragrant. Pour in the vinegar and deglaze. (Kitchen newbies: “deglaze” means to scrape the browned goodness—known in French as the
   fond
   —from the sides and bottom of the pot so that it dissolves in the liquid.)
   
5. N
   estle the roast atop the bed of vegetables on the bottom of the pot. Throw in the mushrooms, tuck in the thyme, and pour in the broth. The liquid should reach at least halfway up the sides of the roast. Bring the contents of the pot up to a simmer, and then remove it from the heat.
   
6. P
   lace a piece of parchment paper on top of the stew and carefully push down until it touches the surface of the roast. Try not to burn your fingers. Cover the pot and place it in the oven.
   
7. R
   oast for
   3
   to
   4
   hours or until the meat easily comes apart with a fork. Remove the roast and the vegetables from the pot and tent it with a piece of foil. Boil the remaining liquid over high heat until it’s reduced by half. (In other words, make a reduction.) Taste and adjust for seasoning.
   
8. S
   lice the beef against the grain and serve with the sauce. Garnish with the Italian parsley.
   

Y
our leeks may look clean, but there’s still plenty of dirt hidden in the folds. Here’s how you can quickly and easily clean a leek:

1. K
   eeping the root end intact, cut the rest of the leek in half lengthwise.
   
2. G
   ive the leek a quarter-turn, and then slice it lengthwise again (at a right angle from the initial cut)—again, keeping the root end intact.
   
3. F
   an the leaves under running water to release the sand and mud. Finally, flick off the excess water and slice away!