Eat Fat, Lose Fat (41 page)

In a medium bowl, mix stock with vinegar, soy sauce, pepper flakes, sweetener, ginger, and garlic and set aside. Pat beef with paper towels to dry. In a cast-iron skillet or wok, heat lard and stir-fry beef until moisture evaporates and the beef browns. Add green onions, carrots, bell peppers, cashews or peanuts, and pineapple and stir-fry a few minutes more. Add sauce mixture and bring to a boil. Add arrowroot mixture and boil vigorously until sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Pound meat lightly with a meat hammer or pierce with a meat tenderizer and marinate several hours at room temperature in a large bowl with red wine vinegar, or overnight in the refrigerator. Dry well, discarding vinegar. Place in an oiled casserole or Dutch oven. Preheat oven to 250°F. Place stock, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, tamarind paste, garlic, and dried peppercorns in a medium pot over medium heat, and heat until well blended. Pour over meat. Strew herbs over the meat. Cover pan and bake for at least 4 hours, or until meat is very tender. Add carrots and potatoes to pan about 1 hour before serving. When vegetables are tender, transfer meat and vegetables to a platter, remove herbs, and bring sauce to a boil over the stove. Allow to reduce slightly and season with salt and pepper.

Eggs

Eggs from pastured hens are one of Nature’s perfect foods, supplying Westerners the same types of nutrients that South Sea Islanders obtained from fish; they are an integral part of our diet plans. It’s important to purchase the best-quality eggs you can find, preferably from hens that are on pasture in the outdoors. Second best is organic eggs, but be aware that organic eggs almost always come from hens in confinement.

The yolks of hens on pasture are rich in vitamins A and D, as well as DHA, the long-chain fatty acids so important to neurological function and reproductive health.

If the eggs come from hens on pasture that have not been fed antibiotics and have been carefully handled (for a discussion of this), it is perfectly safe to eat the yolks raw or lightly cooked. The whites contain enzyme inhibitors that can interfere with digestion, so are better eaten cooked.

In a medium bowl, beat eggs, egg yolks, cream, and salt with a fork or wire whisk until blended. Stir in parsley, if using. Warm butter in a medium skillet over medium heat, add eggs and cook, stirring, until scrambled.

In a medium bowl, beat eggs, egg yolks, water, and Tabasco together with a fork or wire whisk until blended. Melt butter in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat until it foams. Pour in egg mixture and sprinkle on cheddar cheese and chopped parsley or chives. Cook several minutes, then fold over half the omelet. Transfer to a heated platter and serve.

Cook the sausage or bacon in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Transfer to a heated platter and keep warm in the oven. Place bread in skillet and then turn so that both sides soak up the fat. Transfer to platter. Add lard to pan, fry eggs to desired doneness, and transfer to platter. Raise heat and cook tomato slices on both sides until browned. Transfer to platter. Return bread to pan and cook on both sides until nicely browned. To serve, place a slice of bread on each of 2 heated plates. Place eggs on bread and surround with tomato and sausage or bacon.

In a medium bowl beat eggs with salt and pepper. Stir in cheese and parsley. Heat lard in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Fry potatoes in lard until golden, about 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Spread out potatoes in the pan. Pour in egg mixture, cover, and cook over medium heat until egg sets, about 5 minutes. Turn out onto a large plate. Slice in wedges and serve.

Vegetables

Preheat oven to 250°F. Place oil in a Pyrex baking dish and brush to cover sides and corners. Add tomatoes and brush oil on tomatoes. Bake for several hours. Thirty minutes before serving, sprinkle with sweetener and raise oven temperature to 300°F.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Slice tomatoes in half around the equator, remove seeds, and place cut side up in a buttered baking dish. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Process bread in a food processor to make fine crumbs. Add butter, Parmesan, and herbs and pulse a few times until well blended. Spread a spoonful of stuffing over each tomato half. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Place spinach and water in a large pot over medium heat and steam until completely wilted. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a serving bowl. Press out additional liquid with spoon. (Liquid may be saved and added to gravies or discarded.) Top with butter and place in a warm oven until ready to serve.

Place broccoli in top portion of a two-part vegetable steamer. Steam for about 5 minutes, until broccoli turns bright green and is just tender. Transfer to a serving bowl and dot with butter. Place in a warm oven until ready to serve.

Trim asparagus and place in top portion of a two-part vegetable steamer. Steam for about 5 minutes, until asparagus turns bright green and is just tender. Transfer to a serving bowl. Meanwhile, melt butter with lemon juice in a small skillet over medium heat and pour over asparagus. Place in a warm oven until ready to serve.

Cut the ends off the Brussels sprouts, then cut an
X
into the remaining stem end. (This will help them cook evenly.) Place in top portion of a two-part vegetable steamer. Steam for about 10 minutes, until Brussels sprouts are tender. Transfer to a serving bowl and pour melted butter over them. Place in a warm oven until ready to serve.

Place cabbage and water in a large pan and dot top with butter. Sprinkle on salt and a generous amount of pepper. Steam for about 5 minutes, until cabbage is limp. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a serving bowl.

Remove ends and strings from the beans. Green beans should be cut lengthwise (this can be done by hand or in a food processor). Cut beans into 1-inch lengths. Plunge into a pot of boiling water and cook until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Pour into a colander and immediately rinse with cold water. Toss with melted butter and keep in a warm oven until ready to serve.

Use food processor to cut potatoes into a small julienne. Immediately place in a bowl with water, whey, and salt. Press potatoes down so that they are entirely covered with water, cover bowl, and soak overnight. Pour out water, skim off top layer of potatoes (which will have turned brown), place remainder of the potatoes in a tea towel, and wring out thoroughly.

Melt butter and oil in a large, heavy skillet. Place potatoes in pan and press down firmly. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, cover pan, and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Turn potatoes and cook, covered, another 5 minutes or so, or until potatoes are well browned on both sides.