The Paleo Diet for Athletes (35 page)

2 bay leaves

6 peppercorns

½ teaspoon cumin

½ pound shelled walnuts

3 cloves garlic

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon paprika

Place the chicken breasts, carrot, celery, onion, bay leaves, and peppercorns in a large Dutch oven. Add cold water to cover the chicken by 1½”. Heat to a boil, and skim off all froth and solids that rise to the top. Reduce heat to low. Simmer gently until the chicken is tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the chicken and allow to cool, then debone it. Set aside the cooking liquid, discarding the bay leaves. In a blender or food processor, combine the cumin, walnuts, garlic, and ground pepper. Blend well, and then pour in 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Continue blending until smooth. Cut the chicken breasts in half crosswise, and shred the meat. Mix with the sauce and add ground pepper as needed. Arrange the meat on a platter. Blend the oil and paprika together, and drizzle over the chicken.

Serves 6

Lebanese Walnut Chicken

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ teaspoon powdered cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 or 3 cloves

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pound seedless grapes

1½ cups dry white wine

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons chicken stock

1 tablespoon finely chopped onion

2 tablespoons walnut meal

Freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon dried thyme

¼ teaspoon chili powder

2¼ pounds skinless chicken breasts

2 large tomatoes, sliced

1 tablespoon chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Pour the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Sear for a few seconds, then take out the cloves. Add the whole grapes and cook for 2 minutes. Add the wine, lemon juice, and stock, and cook to reduce the mixture by half (roughly 8 minutes). When the sauce has reduced to a syrupy consistency, remove from the heat and let cool. Mix the onion, walnut meal, pepper, thyme, and chili powder together in a bowl, and pat onto each chicken breast. Place the chicken breasts in a flat glass baking dish lightly coated with olive oil, and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until done. Place on a bed of sliced tomatoes, pour the sauce over them, and sprinkle with the chopped walnuts.

Serves 2

Chicken à la Madrid

4 large skinless chicken breasts

2 red bell peppers, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

6 plum tomatoes, peeled

2 onions, finely chopped

½ teaspoon crushed Anaheim chilies

1 small sprig fresh rosemary

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 pint reconstituted lime juice

1 pint boiling water

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Freshly ground black pepper

Place all the ingredients into a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 40 minutes, until the chicken is tender.

Serves 4

Zesty Grilled Turkey Breast

5 cloves garlic, minced

¼ cup lime juice

¼ cup lemon juice

¼ cup olive oil

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon turmeric

½ teaspoon white pepper

1½ pounds turkey breast slices, pounded ¼” thick

1 tablespoon olive oil (for basting)

Mix all sauce ingredients together in a blender. Grill or broil the turkey breasts while brushing with the oil to keep them moist. Grill on each side for about 5 minutes. Top each slice with about 2 to 3 tablespoons of the sauce.

Serves 4

Roasted Cornish Game Hens

3 Cornish hens (1½ pounds each)

½ cup unsweetened applesauce

2 teaspoons lemon juice

¼ teaspoon rubbed sage

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon paprika

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the skins from the hens and cut the hens in half lengthwise. Place in a shallow glass roasting pan lightly coated with olive oil. Combine the applesauce and remaining ingredients. Brush half over the hens, and set aside the remaining mixture. Bake for 30 minutes. Baste the hens with the reserved applesauce mixture, and bake for 15 to 30 minutes longer, or until done.

Serves 6

BEEF

Sirloin Tips and Tomato Sauce

1½ pounds tomatoes, peeled

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 onion, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1½ pounds sirloin tips, cubed

1 teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon cinnamon

Freshly ground black pepper

Puree the tomatoes in a blender along with the lemon juice. In a large skillet, brown the onion in the oil. Add the sirloin and cook until brown, stirring frequently. Add the pureed tomato sauce and spices, and simmer for 1 hour.

Serves 4 to 6

Braised Beef with Walnuts, Prunes, and Peaches

3 pounds lean beef

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

3 stems fresh thyme

7 ounces white wine

1 large tomato, chopped

3 ounces walnuts, chopped

10 dried prunes, chopped (nonsulfured; available at health food stores)

10 dried peaches, chopped (nonsulfured; available at health food stores)

Cover the beef with the garlic and parsley. Heat the oil in a large casserole dish and brown the beef. Mix in the onion, thyme, and wine, and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the tomato and walnuts. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 90 minutes. Stir in the prunes and peaches, and cook for 15 minutes longer, covered, until the beef is tender and the sauce is thickened.

Serves 6

Isola Pot Roast

3-4 pounds lean pot roast

2 tablespoons olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

1 pound tomatoes, peeled

1 cup dry red wine

1 medium onion, chopped

1 cup chopped celery

1 tablespoon minced parsley

2 teaspoons oregano

1 clove garlic, minced

Preheat the oven to 300°F. In a Dutch oven, brown the roast in the oil. Add pepper to taste. Puree the tomatoes in a blender and pour over the meat. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and bake for 3 to 4 hours, checking occasionally. If pan liquid seems low, add a small amount of water while roasting.

Serves 6 to 8

Beef Kebabs

1 pound top sirloin steak

1 small onion, finely chopped

½ cup Pinot Noir red wine

8 cubes (1″ x 1”) fresh pineapple

8 cherry tomatoes

1 can (8 ounces) salt-free water chestnuts, drained

Cut the steak into ¼”-thick strips. Combine the onion and wine in a bowl with the beef strips. Marinate for 4 hours. Alternately thread beef strips, pineapple cubes, cherry tomatoes, and water chestnuts onto metal skewers. Place kebabs on grill over medium coals. Grill 4 minutes, turning once.

Serves 4

Grilled London Broil

1½ pounds London broil steaks, each 1½” thick

5 large cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon powdered onion

¼ cup dry red wine

¼ cup lime juice

Place all the ingredients in a shallow dish and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 and up to 24 hours. Remove the steaks from the marinade and grill for 12 to 16 minutes for medium-rare, turning once. Place on a cutting board and, holding a sharp knife at a 45-degree angle, cut the steak across the grain into thin slices.

Serves 2 to 4

ORGAN MEATS

Apricot-Raisin Tongue

1 beef tongue

1 tablespoon garlic powder

3 bay leaves

1 tablespoon marjoram

1 pound dried apricots (nonsulfured; available at health food stores)

1 pound tomatoes, peeled

½ cup lime juice

½ cup lemon juice

¼ teaspoon basil

¼ teaspoon ground red pepper

1 tablespoon mustard powder

½ cup raisins

Put the tongue in a large pot, cover completely with water, and bring to a rapid boil. Replace the water and bring to a second boil. Replace the water again and bring to a slow, easy boil. Add the garlic powder, bay leaves, and marjoram, and cook until done, about 2 hours. Discard the water and bay leaves. Skin the tongue and let it cool. Cut into thin slices. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the apricots in a saucepan. Puree the tomatoes in a blender. Add the tomato sauce and the remaining ingredients to the apricots, and bring to a boil. Continue to simmer until the mixture thickens. Layer the sliced tongue in a flat casserole dish and pour the sauce over it. Bake for about 20 minutes.

Serves 4

Basque Beef Heart

½ pound beef heart

½ white onion, chopped

4 peppercorns