nightshade-free | The Paleo Mom

Nightshade-Free Curry-Baked Tilapia (or whitefish of choice)

March 23, 2013 in Fish and Seafood

I love curry, but traditional curry powders contain nightshades which are a big problem for me. So, after a little experimentation, I found a great nightshade-free homemade curry mix. I actually like to make a big batch of it and store it in a shaker for an easy and flavorful seasoning for a quick midweek meal. It’s pretty common for me to just sprinkle some on some meat or seafood and panfry or bake. My family especially loves the flavor of curry with seafood (one of my oldest’s favorite meals is this curried shrimp recipe and I now use the seasoning mix below as my substitute for curry powder in that recipe), which is the origin for this recipe.

The seasoning in this recipe is enough for anywhere from 4-8 fish fillets, depending on how thick the fillets are and how heavy-handed you are with the seasoning. The leftover seasoning keeps well for a good long time. I have a spice shaker dedicated just to homemade curry powder. By the way, spice shakers are one of those inexpensive yet awesomely handy kitchen gadgets/tools that I highly recommend.

I like baking these fillets just for the ease of preparation. However, pan-frying (in coconut oil or butter) is another great option.

Ingredients:

4 6-8oz tilapia fillets (or use hake, cod, halibut or other whitefish of choice)
2 Tbsp extra virgin coconut oil, melted (or use unsalted butter)
2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp ginger
½ tsp cardamom
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp pepper
¼ tsp anise
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp caraway seed
½ tsp salt, to taste

Preheat oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, tin foil, or a silicone liner.
Combine all of the seasoning together. If using any whole spices (typically anise and caraway), grind in a mini food processor, a spice grinder, a coffee grinder or use a mortar and pestle.
Place seasoning mix into a spice shaker (you can also dust using a sieve if you don’t have a spice shaker).
Melt coconut oil and coat fish with either a pastry brush or the back of a wooden spoon (if your fish is still cold, which it probably is, the coconut oil with solidify fairly quickly after you coat the fist and that’s okay).
Sprinkle seasoning generously over both sides of your fish (it should stick nicely to the coconut oil). Place on you prepared baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes (the rule of thumb is 20 minutes per inch thick, so for thicker fillets you’ll need to adjust your baking time).
Enjoy!

Tags: cod, curry, fish, hake, halibut, nightshade-free, paleo, Paleolithic, primal, Recipe, tilapia, white, whitefish
1 Comment »

Puerto Rican-Inspired Green Plantain Mash (Mofongo)

November 24, 2012 in Side Dishes, Starchy Staples, Veggies

Mofongo is a traditional fried plantain-based dish from Puerto Rico. It is typically made with fried green plantains mashed together in a wooden mortar and pestle, with broth, garlic, olive oil, and pork cracklings or bits of bacon. It is often filled with vegetables, chicken, crab, shrimp, or beef and is often served with fried meat and chicken broth soup.

This version of mofongo is a fantastic paleo mashed potato replacement. Delicious and starchy, but also with a relatively neutral flavor, it would go well beside just about anything. I would even fry up leftovers with eggs for breakfast.

I must thank Gloria for sending me the base recipe for Cuban kufu (and her suggested modifications for mofongo) for me to work from to put together this absolutely awesome starchy side dish. You will not miss mashed potatoes any more! (As an aside, kufu is the same dish made with ripe plantains. It has a very different flavor, but worth a try if you’re like me and are on a plantain kick! The only difference is that the ripe plantains don’t take as long to cook.)

Green plantains are fairly starchy, but if you can handle starches then this recipe is AIP-friendly.

Ingredients:

3 green plantains (also called raw bananas)—the greener, the better!
6 oz bacon
1 medium yellow onion
4 cloves garlic
(extra bacon grease, lard, or butter may be used to make a thinner mash)

Peel plantains and cut into 1” semi-circles. I made that sound too easy. Peeling green plantains can be an exercise in frustration. Cut in half lengthwise and then in half crosswise. Get your thumbs under the peel and pry off. If the peel breaks, use a paring knife to cut off whatever is stuck on.
Place plantains into a pot with 2” of water. Bring to a boil over high heat and then reduce to maintain a simmer. Simmer covered until plantains are tender when pierced with a knife, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut bacon into small pieces (I like a pair of scissors for this job). Dice onion finely and finely chop garlic.
Add bacon to a cold frying pan then turn on the heat to medium high. Cook bacon 5 minutes, then add onion and garlic, stirring occasionally. Continue cooking until bacon is crisp and onion is soft and caramelized.
Drain plantains when they are finished cooking, but keep the cooking liquid! (I like to drain into a large pyrex measuring cup).
Add ½ cup cooking liquid back to the plantains. Mash with a wire potato masher to your desired consistency. Add bacon, onion, garlic and all of the grease from the pan. Stir to incorporate.
If you like a thinner mash, you can either add more of the cooking liquid or you can add additional bacon grease (or substitute lard or butter). Mofongo tends to get thicker as it sits, so if you have any leftovers, you will likely want to add some liquid to them before reheating.
Enjoy!

Tags: bacon, Dairy-free, garlic, Gluten-Free, kufu, mashed, mofongo, nightshade-free, paleo, Paleolithic, plantain, potato, potatoes, primal, Recipe, starch
10 Comments »

Nightshade-Free Paleo Lamb Curry

November 21, 2012 in Soups and Stews, Stir Fries and One-Pot Meals

I have been experimenting with nightshade-free spice blends lately. Because my family all enjoys anything seasoned with curry powder, it became and important priority to recreate the curry flavor without the nightshades that are typically included in curry spices. This curry, while milk, is absolutely delicious. If you buy lamb stew meat pre-butchered into cubes, this also makes this meal quite easy to put together. The longer you cook this curry, the more tender the meat will be, so you can easily extend the cooking time if you wish. This would also work in a slow cooker.

This is delicious served with plain cauliflower rice or spaghetti squash. You could also substitute another meat very easily into this meal (dare I suggest leftover turkey since Thanksgiving is tomorrow?). Serves 5-6.

Ingredients:

3 lbs lamb stew meat, cubed
3 Tbsp red palm oil (or substitute tallow, lard or coconut oil)
2 medium yellow onions, diced
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp ginger
½ tsp mustard powder
½ tsp cardamom
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp pepper
¼ tsp anise
¼ tsp garlic powder or 2 cloves fresh garlic, crushed
¼ tsp caraway seed
½ tsp salt, to taste
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 cup chicken stock
1/3 cup coconut cream concentrate (aka creamed coconut, aka coconut butter)
4 cups fresh spinach

If you are using any whole seeds (anise and caraway would be typical), grind in a food processor or spice grinder to a powder.
In a large stock pot, heat 2 Tbsp red palm oil over medium-high heat. Brown meat in 2-3 batches, setting browned meat aside in a large bowl.
Add 1 Tbsp of red palm oil to the pot. Cook onion and carrot until onion is starting to turn translucent, about 7-8 minutes.
Add meat back to the pot and all of the spices.
Add chicken broth and lemon juice to the pot. Cover, reduce temperature to medium and simmer for 1 hour (or more).
Remove lid and continue to simmer uncovered for 30-40 minutes.
Stir in coconut cream and spinach. Once spinach has wilted (about 1 minute), serve.
Enjoy!

Tags: crock pot, curry, Dairy-free, easy, ethnic, Gluten-Free, Indian, lamb, leftover, leftovers, nightshade-free, Recipe, red palm oil, slow cooker, stew, thanksgiving, turkey
3 Comments »

Seafood Leek Soup

May 2, 2012 in Fish and Seafood, Soups and Stews, Soups and Stews

I was craving cioppino right when I was giving up nightshades. So, I improvised this seafood soup and it was so delicious I just had to share it with you. You could use whatever seafood you happen have on hand. I had a bag of Trader Joe’s frozen mixed seafood, which was composed of shrimp, calamari rings, and scallops. You could also use mussels or clams (in the shell would be very pretty!) like a traditional cioppino. I thought this was very tasty with chicken broth, but if you happen to have fish stock around, that would be even better!

Ingredients:

4 cups chicken bone broth or fish stock
1 lb mixed seafood (eg. Shrimp, Calamari, Clams, Scallops, Lobster, Crab, Mussels, Clams)
6 oz salmon, cut into chunks
6 oz Tilapia, cut into chunks (or substitute halibut or cod)
1 lb leeks, chopped (approximately 4 cups)
1 cup dry white wine
1-2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp Salt, to taste

1.    Bring broth to a boil over high heat, then lower heat to keep a rolling simmer.
2.    Add seafood, fish and leeks to broth. Cook until seafood is completely cooked and leeks are soft, about 15-20 minutes.
3.    Add wine, parsley and salt. Cook another 5 minutes. Serve!

Tags: ancestral, Bone Broth, chioppino, Dairy-free, Diet, Gluten-Free, Grain-free, leeks, legume-free, nightshade-free, paleo, Paleolithic, primal, seafood, shrimp, Soup
1 Comment »