RecipeTin Eats and Food & Wine: Paleo Chicken Satay

I feel like everyone around me is either doing the Paleo diet or some form of Whole30.  Am I the only person who is still indulging in the horrors of wheat flour?  Apparently so.  But in an effort to see what I might be missing out on, I converted a recipe for chicken satay, which is delicious, into a Paleo diet-friendly dinner, and I was actually pleasantly surprised by how delicious the whole thing actually was.  I wouldn't mind doing some nice jasmine rice in a future incarnation (let's be honest - cauliflower rice doesn't soak up sauce the way a good scoop of regular rice does), but overall, this is a good start to some Paleo explorations.

Note: I used New Mexican ground chili powder and Madras curry powder in my seasoning mix.

Paleo Chicken Satay
Adapted from RecipeTin Eats and Bryant Ng, Food and Wine magazine, April 2012

Seasoning:
1¼ teaspoon ground coriander
1¼ teaspoon ground cumin
1¼ teaspoon ground tumeric
1¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
1¼ teaspoon chili powder
3 teaspoons curry powder
1½ teaspoons sea salt

1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into cubes

2 tablespoons canola or peanut oil

Satay:

2 tablespoons canola or peanut oil

4 medium shallots, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

Pinch of crushed red pepper
¾ cup natural peanut butter (no added sugar)
1 (14-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce

3 to 4 tablespoons honey

Sliced green onions, for garnish

Chopped cilantro, for garnish

Crushed roasted peanuts, for garnish

Combine seasoning ingredients in a medium bowl.  Add chicken and oil and stir to ensure all chicken cubes are coated well.  Cover with cling wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.

Soak four 12-inch bamboo skewers in water for at least 30 minutes.  Set oven to broil.  Thread the marinated chicken pieces onto the skewers and lay them on a rack set over a sheet pan that is lined with aluminum foil.  Broil the skewers for 8 to 10 minutes (until you start to see some charred bits), then turn the skewers over and broil for another 8 to 10 minutes.  Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, heat the canola oil. Add the shallots and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the shallots are softened and slightly browned, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, but do not let the garlic brown.  Add all of the remaining ingredients and stir well until a smooth sauce forms, adding a little water if necessary.  Taste for seasoning: Thai food requires a balance of sour, sweet, salty, and funky, so add additional seasoning until the balance is achieved.

Using tongs, pull the cooked chicken off of the skewers and drop it into the peanut sauce.  Fold the chicken into the sauce and allow to warm through.  Serve over cauliflower rice topped with green onions, cilantro, and peanuts.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Dinner In an Instant: Port-Braised Short Ribs with Star Anise

Okay, I finally jumped on the bandwagon and bought myself an Instant Pot.  How could I not, with all the fangirling I've been seeing on the cooking blogs and Pinterest?  I mean, this is a serious love affair for most people.  I needed to try it.  Well, I may be joining the fan club, because this is a pretty awesome little device, and I really like the fact that I can sauté and pressure cook in one pot without messing up my entire kitchen.  And this recipe makes the most amazing tender short ribs in only 40 minutes.  Something that would normally take four hours.  That's pretty special indeed.

Note: It took my Instant Pot about 30 minutes to release naturally, so factor that into your timing.

Port-Braised Short Ribs with Star Anise
From Dinner In an Instant

4 pounds bone-in beef short ribs
3 bay leaves, torn in half
2½ teaspoons sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
5 star anise pods, crumbled
5 garlic cloves: 3 grated on a Microplane, 2 minced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 leeks, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
2 carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks
Thumb-size piece of fresh ginger, peeled and cut into ½-inch thick coins
½ tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 (1-inch wide) strip orange zest
½ cup ruby or tawny port wine
½ cup beef or chicken stock
¼ cup chopped soft herbs (chives, tarragon, basil, parsley, or a combination), for serving

Put the short ribs in a bowl and rub them with the bay leaves, 2 teaspoons of the salt, and the pepper, star anise, and grated garlic. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or preferably overnight.

Using the sauté function, set to high if available, heat the oil in the pressure cooker. In batches, brown the ribs on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes per side, transferring them to a large bowl as they finish.

Reduce the heat to medium. Stir in the leeks, carrots, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt into the pressure cooker. Cook until the vegetables have softened, about 8 minutes; then stir in the minced garlic, ginger, and flour, and cook for 2 more minutes.

Stir in the orange zest, port, and stock. Then nestle the ribs back into the pot. Cover and cook on high pressure for 40 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally.

Transfer the ribs to a large bowl, and turn on the sauté function to reduce the liquid left in the cooker until it is thickened and saucy, about 10 minutes. Pour it over the ribs and serve, garnished with the herbs.

Makes 6 servings

Pioneer Woman: Zannie's Blackeyed Pea Dip

Every New Year's Day I try to fit blackeyed peas into my meals in some way, just in case there really is something to this good luck thing.  And let me tell you, it's not always easy, especially if you're not overly fond of blackeyed peas.  But luckily this year I was able to find a dish that is warm and cheesy and fits well on a tortilla chip, which is doing pretty well in my book.  The jalapeño, salsa, and hot sauce add a nice firey background, but you could definitely take that up a notch with something with a little more burn than the Tabasco I tossed in.  I would absolutely also serve this with some guacamole on the side.

Zannie's Blackeyed Pea Dip
From Pioneer Woman

1 (14-ounce) can blackeyed peas
¼ cup finely chopped white onion
¼ cup sour cream
8 jarred jalapeño slices, finely chopped
1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons salsa
Hot sauce, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350°F. Drain the blackeyed peas and partially mash, leaving some whole.  Add all other ingredients, stirring to combine. Spread into a 1½ quart baking dish and bake for 20 to 30 minutes until hot and bubbly. Serve with chips.

Makes 12 servings