The Ancestral Table: Traditional Recipes for a Paleo Lifestyle Read Online Free Page B
Author: Russ Crandall
salt is harvested from evaporated seawater and contains trace minerals; I used fine sea salt in developing these recipes, which has an equal saltiness and texture to table salt. I also used Morton’s kosher salt when writing this book; if you use the other leading brand, Diamond Crystal, you’ll need about one-third more salt, because it is significantly less salty than Morton’s.
Tools
DUTCH OR FRENCH OVEN
Easily the most-used pot in my kitchen, a 5-quart Dutch (or French) oven is worth its weight in gold. It can be used to brown, braise, and simmer dishes with an even heat distribution, and it works like a charm in the oven.
----
STAINLESS-STEEL SKILLET
I often use a 10" to 14" stainless-steel skillet when I don’t need the tall sides of a Dutch oven. Stainless-steel skillets work especially well for oven-roasting meats because you can make a gravy directly in the pan with the drippings that accumulate.
----
CAST-IRON SKILLET
Another essential, a 10" to 12" cast-iron skillet is superior for frying and roasting at high temperatures.
----
LARGE STOCKPOT
Perfect for boiling, simmering, and steaming. With the amount of broths my family makes, our 8-quart stockpot always seems to be on the stove.
----
RIMMED BAKING SHEET WITH WIRE RACK
Called a half sheet in the culinary world, this versatile 13” x 8” sheet can be used to roast any number of dishes, and an accompanying 12” x 7” rack enables you to keep ingredients dry.
----
BLENDER OR FOOD PROCESSOR
A blender or food processor is necessary to create appealing sauces and mixes and can save you time in the kitchen so you can be outdoors with your family instead. In addition to a stand-alone blender or food processor, an immersion blender is an inexpensive but useful tool for blending soups and sauces in large amounts without having to transfer them to another container.
----
STRAINER AND CHEESECLOTH
Paired with a blender, a strainer (with or without cheesecloth) can create velvety sauces and clear broths and will make your dishes much more appealing to the eye.
----
SHARP KNIFE
A sharp knife seriously lessens the drudgery of cutting. I prefer a 10" Santoku or chef’s knife. Be sure to get an appropriate sharpener to keep your knife in good condition.
----
QUICK-READ THERMOMETER
Essential for knowing when meats and oils reach the desired temperature.
----
CHIMNEY STARTER
Worth its weight in gold if you use a charcoal grill, a chimney starter quickly and effortlessly lights and warms charcoal without lighter fluid.
Cooking Techniques
BLANCH
To submerge a food in boiling water for a short time (often 30 seconds or less) to cook it slightly but retain its shape, color, and/or texture. Also referred to as parboiling.
----
BLEND
To grind into a smooth paste or liquid using a blender or food processor on a high setting. Blending produces smoother results than processing.
----
BRAISE
To simmer, generally covered, in a liquid over low heat.
----
COMBINE
To mix ingredients together, generally gently so as to not disturb the foods. When applicable, I combine ingredients with my hands.
----
CHOP, DICE, AND MINCE
Chopping is the most coarse cutting technique, resulting in large, uneven chunks. Dicing produces small, even pieces about 1/4" in size. Mincing involves chopping an ingredient as finely as possible. Think of it this way: in a salad you could use chopped lettuce, diced eggs and tomatoes, and minced ham.
----
DEGLAZE
To add liquid (usually broth or wine) to a pan that has browned chunks stuck to it and simmer the liquid while scraping up and whisking the chunks (called sucs) into the liquid to form a flavorful sauce.
----
FOLD
To combine a light ingredient with a heavier ingredient while retaining as much air as possible. To fold, add the light ingredient to the heavier one and cut through the mixture with the edge of a spatula, moving in a figure-eight motion and rotating the bowl as you go. When the spatula gets to the side of the bowl, scrape the
Tools
DUTCH OR FRENCH OVEN
Easily the most-used pot in my kitchen, a 5-quart Dutch (or French) oven is worth its weight in gold. It can be used to brown, braise, and simmer dishes with an even heat distribution, and it works like a charm in the oven.
----
STAINLESS-STEEL SKILLET
I often use a 10" to 14" stainless-steel skillet when I don’t need the tall sides of a Dutch oven. Stainless-steel skillets work especially well for oven-roasting meats because you can make a gravy directly in the pan with the drippings that accumulate.
----
CAST-IRON SKILLET
Another essential, a 10" to 12" cast-iron skillet is superior for frying and roasting at high temperatures.
----
LARGE STOCKPOT
Perfect for boiling, simmering, and steaming. With the amount of broths my family makes, our 8-quart stockpot always seems to be on the stove.
----
RIMMED BAKING SHEET WITH WIRE RACK
Called a half sheet in the culinary world, this versatile 13” x 8” sheet can be used to roast any number of dishes, and an accompanying 12” x 7” rack enables you to keep ingredients dry.
----
BLENDER OR FOOD PROCESSOR
A blender or food processor is necessary to create appealing sauces and mixes and can save you time in the kitchen so you can be outdoors with your family instead. In addition to a stand-alone blender or food processor, an immersion blender is an inexpensive but useful tool for blending soups and sauces in large amounts without having to transfer them to another container.
----
STRAINER AND CHEESECLOTH
Paired with a blender, a strainer (with or without cheesecloth) can create velvety sauces and clear broths and will make your dishes much more appealing to the eye.
----
SHARP KNIFE
A sharp knife seriously lessens the drudgery of cutting. I prefer a 10" Santoku or chef’s knife. Be sure to get an appropriate sharpener to keep your knife in good condition.
----
QUICK-READ THERMOMETER
Essential for knowing when meats and oils reach the desired temperature.
----
CHIMNEY STARTER
Worth its weight in gold if you use a charcoal grill, a chimney starter quickly and effortlessly lights and warms charcoal without lighter fluid.
Cooking Techniques
BLANCH
To submerge a food in boiling water for a short time (often 30 seconds or less) to cook it slightly but retain its shape, color, and/or texture. Also referred to as parboiling.
----
BLEND
To grind into a smooth paste or liquid using a blender or food processor on a high setting. Blending produces smoother results than processing.
----
BRAISE
To simmer, generally covered, in a liquid over low heat.
----
COMBINE
To mix ingredients together, generally gently so as to not disturb the foods. When applicable, I combine ingredients with my hands.
----
CHOP, DICE, AND MINCE
Chopping is the most coarse cutting technique, resulting in large, uneven chunks. Dicing produces small, even pieces about 1/4" in size. Mincing involves chopping an ingredient as finely as possible. Think of it this way: in a salad you could use chopped lettuce, diced eggs and tomatoes, and minced ham.
----
DEGLAZE
To add liquid (usually broth or wine) to a pan that has browned chunks stuck to it and simmer the liquid while scraping up and whisking the chunks (called sucs) into the liquid to form a flavorful sauce.
----
FOLD
To combine a light ingredient with a heavier ingredient while retaining as much air as possible. To fold, add the light ingredient to the heavier one and cut through the mixture with the edge of a spatula, moving in a figure-eight motion and rotating the bowl as you go. When the spatula gets to the side of the bowl, scrape the
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