Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (40 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
UOVA IN PURGATORIO
I wish I could tell you that I discovered “eggs in purgatory” in my explorations of southern Italy, but the sad truth is that most of my (pre-Paleo) time in the mezzogiorno was spent hunting for pasta and gelato. It wasn’t until a lazy weekend brunch at New York’s Dell’Anima that I discovered
uova in purgatorio
and fell head over heels. Dell’Anima’s upscale version of this fiery Neapolitan classic features smoky pancetta, but I also love the nostalgia-inducing combination of sausage and mushrooms.
Uova in purgatorio
is rustic comfort food at its finest. Use a fork to swirl the oozy yellow yolks into the spicy, meaty tomato sauce, and your taste buds’ll be transported—not to purgatory, but to paradise. (Man, that was super-corny. Please accept my apologies.)
| Makes 4 servings | 1 tablespoon ghee or fat of choice |
| Hands-on time: 30 minutes | ½ medium yellow onion , cut into ¼-inch dice |
| Total time: 30 minutes | ¼ pound cremini mushrooms , thinly sliced |
| Kosher salt | |
| Freshly ground black pepper | |
| 1 pound loose Italian pork sausage | |
| 2 cups marinara sauce | |
| 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes | |
| 4 large eggs |
DO THIS:
- P
reheat the oven to
400
°F with the rack in the upper-middle position. - M
elt the fat in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until translucent, about
5
minutes. Toss in the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook for
5
minutes or until the moisture released by the mushrooms evaporates. - A
dd the sausage to the pan, breaking it up with a spatula. Cook until it’s no longer pink. Pour the sauce onto the meat and add the red pepper flakes. Stir to combine the ingredients, and cook until the sauce simmers. - D
ivide the saucy mixture into four
8
-ounce ovenproof ramekins or mini cocottes. Make a small well in the center of each, and crack an egg in it. Sprinkle salt and pepper on the eggs. Place the ramekins on a tray in the oven, and bake until the eggs are done to your desired consistency, about
10
to
15
minutes. Serve immediately.
Loose sausage (or bulk sausage) is a mainstay in my kitchen. It's the very epitome of emergency protein: flavorful, versatile, and simple to prepare.
Keep some in your freezer, and thaw it on days when you're crunched for time. It's easy to form the sausage into patties or meatballs, or to stir-fry it with vegetables.
But remember: quality matters, so make sure your sausage comes from a good source. (Or make your own! Follow step 1 of my recipe for
Maple Sausage Patties
. 
PROSCIUTTO-WRAPPED FRITTATA MUFFINS
Frittatas are a staple for any Paleo eater, but they can be challenging to eat on the go—especially during the morning rush. To solve this problem, I make muffin-sized frittatas, wrapped in savory prosciutto shells. Sorry, gang: you no longer have an excuse for stopping at the donut shop on your way to work.
| Makes 12 muffins | 4 tablespoons coconut oil or fat of choice, divided |
| Hands-on time: 20 minutes | ½ medium yellow onion , minced |
| Total time: 50 minutes | 3 garlic cloves , minced |
| ½ pound cremini mushrooms , thinly sliced | |
| Kosher salt | |
| Freshly ground black pepper | |
| 8 large eggs | |
| ¼ cup full-fat coconut milk | |
| 2 tablespoons coconut flour | |
| ½ pound frozen chopped spinach , thawed and squeezed dry | |
| 5 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto | |
| 1 cup cherry tomatoes , halved |
DO THIS:
- P
reheat the oven to
375
°F with the rack in the middle position. Heat
2
tablespoons of coconut oil over medium heat in a large cast-iron skillet, and sauté the onions with a pinch of salt until they’re soft and translucent, about
5
minutes. - A
dd the garlic and mushrooms and cook until the moisture from the mushrooms evaporates. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and transfer to a plate to cool. - B
eat the eggs in a large bowl. Add the coconut milk and coconut flour to the beaten eggs. Whisk until the batter’s thoroughly mixed, and then stir in the mushrooms and spinach. - B
rush a
12
-cup muffin tin with the remaining
2
tablespoons of melted coconut oil, and line each cup with a layer of prosciutto. Cover the bottom and sides completely. Spoon the frittata batter into each cup, and top with the halved cherry tomatoes. - B
ake for about
20
minutes, rotating the tray from back-to-front halfway through the cooking process. The muffins are done when an inserted toothpick comes out clean. - C
ool the muffins in the pan for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool.
A PROPER FRENCH OMELET
Unlike the rubbery clumps of eggs that pass for omelets at the corner diner, French omelets are all about the technique. They’re rapidly whipped throughout the cooking process, and taken off the heat before the eggs stiffen, producing a much softer and fluffier omelet that melts in your mouth.
| Makes 2 servings | 6 large eggs |
| Hands-on time: 5 minutes | Kosher salt |
| Total time: 10 minutes | Freshly ground black pepper |
| 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives , Italian parsley , or chervil (optional) | |
| 2 tablespoons ghee or fat of choice, divided |
DO THIS:
- C
rack the eggs into a large bowl, and add a generous pinch of salt, some freshly ground pepper, and if desired, fresh herbs. Thoroughly beat the egg mixture with a fork. - H
eat
1
tablespoon of ghee in a small cast-iron skillet over high heat. Once the fat is shimmering, lower the heat to medium, and pour half of the egg mixture into the skillet. - S
tir vigorously and continuously with a fork while shaking the pan with your other hand for about
2
minutes. Rapidly whisk the egg base as it comes in contact with the skillet so that the egg sets as tiny, bubbly strands rather than a dense yellow blob. - A
s soon as most of the egg is solid, stop stirring for about
10
seconds, and then carefully fold the omelet over. Transfer to a plate, and repeat with the remaining mixture to make a second omelet.
