Read The Primal Blueprint Cookbook Online
Authors: Mark Sisson,Jennifer Meier
Poultry, fruit, and spices are mixed together, co-mingling into a blend of the familiar and the exotic. The addition of almonds and celery give the dish a nice crunch. This is a perfect summer salad for lunch or a picnic.
INGREDIENTS:
1 large ripe peach or nectarine, washed, pitted and chopped (no need to peel)
1 ½ cups diced cooked chicken breast
½ cup finely diced celery
A handful of almonds, chopped
Dressing:
3 tablespoons homemade mayonnaise (see recipe on page 224)
½ teaspoon unfiltered apple cider vinegar (preferably raw)
2 tablespoons orange juice, freshly squeezed
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (or 2 teaspoons dried)
¼ to ½ teaspoon curry powder
teaspoon ground cloves
Garnish:
whole leaves of fresh butter lettuce
INSTRUCTIONS:
Toss the peaches, chicken, celery and almonds together.
Whisk together the dressing ingredients and pour over the chicken mixture. Toss gently to coat. Serve right away on leaves of butter lettuce, or chill in the fridge before serving.
Chicken thighs are more tender and flavorful than other cuts and make this stew extra rich, although drumsticks could easily be substituted. The combination of both fennel bulb and fennel seeds give a very subtle but intriguing flavor to the stew. Fennel seeds can be found in the spice aisle of most grocery stores and have a complex flavor with a delicate hint of licorice.
INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds chicken thighs (about 8 small thighs)
½ onion, finely chopped
1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced
½ pound of mushrooms, sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, finely chopped until powdery
½ teaspoon saffron threads
2 cups Belgian beer or chicken broth
½ cup heavy cream or coconut milk
1 small bunch kale, finely chopped
½ cup finely chopped parsley
INSTRUCTIONS:
In a deep ovenproof pan, brown chicken over medium-high heat with a little bit of oil, about 4–6 minutes a side. Remove thighs from pan. Add onion, fennel and mushrooms and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. If there isn’t enough fat from the chicken, add some oil or butter to the pan.
In a small bowl combine a tablespoon of beer or broth with the saffron, and break and mash the threads with the back of the spoon so the saffron threads bleed out some color. Add this mixture plus the rest of the beer or broth to the pot, followed by the garlic and fennel seeds. Bring to a gentle boil for several minutes. Return chicken to pot. Put on lid and simmer about 25 minutes, until chicken is done. Remove from heat and stir in cream or coconut milk and kale. Garnish with chopped parsley.
Moroccan stews like this one, made with either meat or poultry, aromatic spices and vegetables, are called
tagines.
Don’t be turned off by the long list of ingredients; they’re mostly spices that are all easily found at the grocery store. This particular combination of spices makes a fairly spicy stew. If you don’t want it too hot, hold back a little on the turmeric, cayenne and paprika and use more cinnamon and cumin.
INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons oil
1 onion, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, finely diced
1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 ½ teaspoons paprika
½ teaspoon coriander
½ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon cayenne
(optional)
4 chicken thighs
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
2 cups water
½ cup finely chopped cilantro
1 lemon, thinly sliced
2 cups green beans, cut in half
¼ cup finely chopped mint
Juice from 1 lemon
INSTRUCTIONS:
Sauté onion, garlic and ginger in oil until soft and slightly browned. Add spices and sauté a minute more. Then add chicken, tomatoes, water, cilantro and sliced lemon. Simmer with a lid for 30 minutes. Add green beans, mint and lemon juice. Simmer a few more minutes until green beans are done. Serve over cauliflower rice (see recipe on page 184).