The Primal Blueprint Cookbook (23 page)

Vegetables provide a beautiful array of colors and textures to every meal. They also provide ample nutrients, antioxidants, minerals, inflammation-fighting phytonutrients and fiber, and are low in carbs. Vegetables deserve to be the dish that you plan the rest of a meal around. They can be extremely versatile pairing nicely with a wide variety of meats. Use your own preferences and cravings as a guide.

Some vegetables you hated as a child may taste different to you as an adult. Palates change as we get older, and so do our abilities to prepare vegetables in creative ways: browned butter and hazelnuts add richness to cauliflower, puréeing kale turns it into a silky soup, and adding sea vegetables to cucumbers creates an incredible, unique tasting salad.

Whenever possible, buy vegetables according to season. As with the other recipes in this cookbook, don’t be afraid to substitute the vegetable suggested for what’s in season and what you have on hand. If you’re able to grow your own garden or buy from a farmers’ market, you’ll often find the flavor of vegetables to be more intense than those found in a supermarket. As an added bonus, sellers at farmers’ markets can often give you great tips about how to prepare vegetables you’re less familiar with.

Eggplant Caponata is a wonderful blend of late summer flavor and a good use for a bountiful garden harvest of eggplant and tomatoes (or a seasonal deal at the market). Pancetta or bacon pieces aren’t traditional Caponata ingredients, but add a welcome savory note to the vegetables.

If a hot oven to roast the eggplant doesn’t appeal on a warm day, roast the eggplant outdoors in a covered grill instead (use indirect heat). Most Caponata recipes call for olive oil, but the high temperature needed for roasting the eggplant will destroy the delicate flavors found in expensive olive oils. We prefer using a fat or oil with a higher smoke point to avoid damaging the heat-sensitive components of extra virgin olive oil.

Be sure to make enough Caponata for leftovers, as the slightly sweet and sour flavor notes marry and improve after a day or two.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Heat oven or grill to 500°F. Warm 3 tablespoons of the fat to make it liquid. Place the eggplant on a pan in a single layer (if eggplant cubes are too crowded for a single layer, use two pans or roast in two batches to avoid steaming). Drizzle with the warmed fat and sprinkle a few teaspoons of coarse salt on top and mix well to spread over eggplant. Roast about 20–25 minutes, turning eggplant with a strong spatula a few times for even roasting. Remove pan and set aside for later use.

While the eggplant roasts, heat remaining tablespoon of fat in a large skillet (at least 12 inch diameter). Add pancetta or bacon and bring to a sizzle over medium-low heat.

Add onion and cook for about 10 minutes, lowering heat if necessary to avoid browning.

Add tomatoes, olives, and capers, bring to a simmer, reduce heat and simmer covered, about 15 minutes. Add eggplant and celery and cook another 8–10 minutes, covered.

Remove cover, raise heat, and add vinegar and honey. Cook a few more minutes until excess moisture has evaporated. Taste and add salt and pepper if desired.

Serve hot, cold, or at room temperature, drizzled with some high quality extra virgin olive oil or white truffle infused olive oil. Excellent with grilled Italian sausages, roast chicken and fish, or tossed into a salad.

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs are known for delivering copious amounts of greens at times. The volume of these greens can really take up space in the refrigerator, and their unfamiliarity for some people can be a bit intimidating. Here’s an easy way to get through those greens pronto, and without much fuss or bother. Any type of green will work, but more leathery ones like kale and collards will need a few more minutes of cooking to become tender.

Soup is also a great first course to prepare the appetite while a roast “rests” or the main course finishes cooking.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Heat butter or other fat over medium-low heat in a 2 or 3 quart saucepan. Add onions, cook slowly, until translucent. Don’t let onions brown; turn down heat if necessary. Add garlic and cook a few minutes longer; again, don’t let it brown.

Add broth, turn up heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Add the chopped greens and cook just a few minutes until wilted and tender, slightly longer for heartier greens like kale and collards. Turn off heat and move pan away from range.