THE Pizza Crust

This is Alton Brown's recipe for pizza dough, except I cut the salt by 1/2.  When we were in England we had pizza at Franco Manca in Oxford and I really enjoyed how little salt the dough contained.  Tried duplicating it here. Theirs is a sourdough so the texture and flavor are different, but this is still the best crust I've ever made.

• 690 grams bread flour (plus 1/2 cup or so for shaping)
• 9 grams yeast
• 15 grams sugar
• 10 grams kosher salt
• 455 grams bottled water
• 15 grams olive oil
• Sauce and pizza toppings as desired

1. Scale the dry ingredients together and place all the dry ingredients in the work bowl of your stand mixer. Scale the liquids into a measuring cup then add to the dry ingredients.
2. Install the bowl on the mixer and attach the dough hook and turn the mixer to “stir.”
3. Mix until the dough just comes together, forming a ball and pulling away from the sides of the bowl. Increase the mixer speed to medium (4 on a Kitchen Aid) and knead for 5 minutes.
4. Remove the dough to a lightly floured countertop and smooth into a ball. Coat a large mixing bowl with oil. Place dough in bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 18 to 24 hours.
5. Remove dough to counter and punch down and knead into a ball.  Split the dough into 3-4 equal parts. Shape into a smooth ball by folding the edges of the round in toward the center several times and rolling it between your hands on the counter.
6. Cover each ball and allow to rest for 30 minutes. (At this point you can also transfer doughs to air-tight plastic containers and refrigerate for up to 8 hours. Bring them to room temp for half an hour before forming.)
7. To bake, heat oven (pizza stone inside on lower rack) to 500 degrees F, or hotter if possible. Give the oven a good half hour to heat up.
8. Sprinkle a couple teaspoons of flour on a peel and place the dough right in the middle. Pound the dough into a disk with your hands, then pick it up and pull it through your fingers to create the outer lip.  Alton Brown claims rolling rather than stretching will ruin the dough.  (I'm not so sure I buy that).
9. Stretch the dough to desired pizza shape. 
10. Top with whatever you want.
11. Slide the pizza onto the hot pizza stone.
12. Keep an eye on the dough for the first 3 to 4 minutes. If any big bubbles start ballooning up, reach in with a paring knife or fork and pop them. Bake for 7 minutes or until the top is bubbly. Then slide the peel under and lift to check the underside, which should be nicely brown.
13. Slide the peel under the pizza and remove to the counter or a cutting board. Let it rest for at least 2 minutes before slicing.

Recipe from Alton Brown, modified.

Brussels Sprouts of Patience (Fried Brussels Sprouts)

Slaving over a pan of slowly-cooking vegetables the size of a quarter and painstakingly flipping each one over is not high on my list of Fun Things to Do.  However, this is WORTH IT.  The sprouts develop a wonderfully nutty flavor and are crispy and amazing.  Don't skimp on the fat.  Fat is GOOD.

1 lb Brussels sprouts, halved
4 strips bacon
Olive oil or some other oil suitable for frying
Kosher salt
Pepper
Fresh garlic (optional) (1-2 cloves)
1-2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

Cook bacon until crispy on medium heat and remove from pan.  Reduce heat to low.  Arrange Brussels sprouts cut side down in pan.  Sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.   Fry without disturbing for at least 5-7 minutes, or until very substantially caramelized.  Add olive oil or bacon grease if needed.  Flip and cook another 5 minutes or so until caramelized on the other side, adding more salt and pepper.  Remove from pan.  Add garlic to pan and cook briefly, being careful to not burn.  Mince/crumble bacon.  Return Brussels sprouts to the pan, toss with bacon and garlic and sprinkle with balsamic vinegar.

Serve hot.  Also good garnished with a garlic aioli or Caesar dressing.

Keto Bread Dough

1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
2 oz cream cheese
1 egg
1 pkg yeast
1 T baking powder
1 T psyllium husks or other fiber
1 1/4 cups almond flour

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Melt mozzarella cheese and cream cheese together in the microwave (stovetop may work also). Add the egg; stir until combined. Add the dry ingredients and mix the dough thoroughly. It will be sticky.   Bake on cookie sheet lined with parchment for 12 minutes or until slightly golden.

Note:  I usually double the recipe.  For bagels, omit the yeast.  Water hands and divide dough into even portions and shape into bagel shapes, roughly 3-4 ounces per bagel (8 regular sized bagels), or into 12 portions (mini bagels).  Bagels will be soft and need to cool to harden up.  My oven likes to overcook the bottom of things so I place bagels on the top rack.

For pizza crust, I double the recipe and separate the dough into 3 parts.  Roll thin (think pie crust) and bake for 5-10 minutes and remove from oven.  Then add toppings and bake until cheese is melted.  It will burn easily so WATCH it.

Store pizza crusts or bagels in freezer.  I slice the bagels before freezing them, which makes pulling them out and toasting them for breakfast a snap. You can probably get two small "personal" sized pizzas out of one batch of dough, which then could fit easily into a gallon Ziplock bag for easy freezing. 

Source: This recipe is all over the internet, although I modified it by adding the yeast and psyllium fiber.

Mini bagels

Pizza crust (omitting toppings)

Flagstaff Dara Thai "Thai Pasta"

This dish has a great umami flavor with a very slight tang to it.  I'm sure the original version uses authentic ingredients, such as tamarind paste.  That results in a glycemic reaction, so I opted for lemon juice, stevia and sugar free ketchup instead.  It is not supposed to be as tangy like pad thai, but then you're the cook, so if you want it tangy like pad thai, knock yourself out.

All measurements are approximate.

1 lb ground pork
1/4 c. sambal oelek
2-3 T sriracha
1 tsp. red curry paste
2-3 tsp. ketchup (I use sugar free hippie shit)
1 small onion, sliced
1 tomato, cut into eighths
Handful or two of bean sprouts
Stevia, to taste
Squeeze of lemon juice
Fish sauce. to taste

Brown ground pork until no longer pink.  Add sliced onion, curry paste, sambal oelek, sriracha, curry paste, ketchup, and a dash of fish sauce.  Add tomato and bean sprouts; cook until bean sprouts begin to wilt and peel begins to separate from tomato; about 1-2 minutes.

Add stevia & lemon juice, adjust seasonings if necessary, and serve.

Cooked flat rice noodles can be added at the end to soak up the sauce, if desired.

Venison Summer Sausage/Salami?

This is my grandmother's recipe.  It involves aging but no real fermentation, so although she and my mom called it salami, I think the more accurate term is summer sausage.  Pretty decent, but I think it needs another flavor component added to it.  I plan to experiment with red wine and juniper berries next batch. 

5 lb. lean ground venison or ground chuck

5 rounded teaspoons curing salt

2 1/2 teaspoons coarse ground pepper

2 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 1/2 teaspoons mustard seed

1 teaspoon hickory salt

liquid smoke flavor (optional, and added on the 6th day....up to 5 tsp.)

Mix all ingredients on day #1 and place in refrigerator.

Mix for 3 more consecutive days, always returning to refrigerator.

Let rest 1 day.

On the 6th day roll into five 1 lb. sausages.
Optional:  Roll sausages in cracked black pepper prior to baking.

Bake 8 hours at 150 degrees   (not sure with altitude, take care not to get it too dry)

"You probably still need to freeze it if you are not going to use it right away."

-Grandma Walden's recipe, Mom's instructions, verbatim. 

Finnish Bread Cheese (leipäjuusto)

2 gallons whole milk, don't get the ultra pasteurized stuff.  It's dead and won't curdle.

1/4 tsp liquid rennet

2 Tbsp sugar.  I will probably use 1 next time.

lots of salt.  I started with 2 tablespoons but once the milk curdled and I tasted it I added like 1/2 cup more.

Mix all ingredients in kettle that can hold 2 gallons of milk.  Bring mixture to 90 degrees SLOWLY.  It will start to curdle once it begins to warm...curds need to have a slightly stretchy consistency (think less yogurt, more fresh mozzarella).  Curds and whey need to be distinctly separated; whey should look clear and greenish.  When milk has reached 90 degrees and curds are the correct consistency, pour into cheesecloth or fine mesh nut milk bag and squeeze the hell out of it until most of the liquid is removed. 

Roll it out to about 1 inch thick and stick on a sheet pan (with a lip to catch juices) under a broiler until it starts to caramelize. Flip and repeat. Don't burn it like I did!

Paleo Creme Brulee

2 cups coconut cream
5 egg yolks
1 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)
6 T erythritol, halved (I use Swerve Confectioner's-dissolves better than granulated)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Set a rectangular baking dish filled halfway with water in oven.  Your creme brulees will bake in a water bath.

Bring the coconut cream to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat with 3 tablespoons erythritol.  While cream is heating, beat egg yolks in a medium bowl with the other 3 tablespoons erythritol.   Once the cream comes to a boil, whisk thoroughly and then slowly add to the egg mixture, stirring continuously (you don't want to allow the eggs to curdle).  Add cardamom.  Strain mixture and pour into 6 6-oz ramekins.

Set filled ramekins in baking dish in oven and bake for 45 minutes.  Remove from water bath and cool completely. 

Serve with fresh fruit.  Mango is nice!

Note:  You can extract coconut cream from 3 cans of full-fat coconut milk.  Refrigerate the cans for a couple hours.  Cream will solidify at the top, so it will be easy to separate from the "whey" once you open the can.  Cream from 3 14.5-oz cans should make about 2 cups.

Honey Rice Pudding

2 eggs
2 cups milk
1/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups cooked rice
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Beat eggs well. Add milk, honey, vanilla, rice, nutmeg, and raisins.

Oven version:  Bake in a 1 quart casserole for 1 to 1 1/2 hours at 350°. Test for doneness by inserting a knife into the center. If it comes out clean it is done

Stovetop version:  Cook atop stovetop until it comes to a boil, stirring continuously; add rice, heat through.  Pour in a glass dish and chill.

Indian version:  Use stovetop recipe and use cardamom instead of nutmeg.  Omit raisins.


Source:  Mom's recipe, adapted.

Venison Marinade

For 2-3 lb venison:

3/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
Juice of 2 lemons (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. black pepper
2 T. dry mustard
2 garlic cloves, minced, or garlic powder in a pinch

Oil for grilling


Works well if you marinate backstrap/steaks for 48 hours.  Remove meat from marinade and bring to room temperature.  Pat dry with paper towels and rub meat with oil and grill.  Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Source:  New York Times venison marinade recipe, tweaked to make sense.  

Thai Venison Curry

2-3 lbs venison or beef, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 onion, chopped
3-4 carrots, chopped
2-3 Tbsp. fish sauce
2-3 Tbsp.  soy sauce
2-4 Tbsp. curry paste  (start with 2 Tbsp. if you don't like hot)
1 14-oz can coconut milk

Toss together all ingredients in pressure cooker and cook for 60-90 minutes.  If venison is frozen, cook for 90 minutes.  Use slow pressure release.  Carrots will be incredibly mushy and onions will have completely dissolved, but I like them that way.  Even the toughest meat should be melt-in-your-mouth tender.

Almond Flour Biscuits

2 cups almond flour
2 large eggs
1/3 cup butter or coconut oil
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder

Mix all ingredients together.  Drop on parchment paper or aluminum foil, bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden.

Yield:  9 biscuits.

Zucchini Fritters

2 zucchini, grated
Salt

1 oz almond flour
1-2 cloves garlic*, minced
3 eggs
Pepper

Olive oil

Toss grated zucchini with a generous pinch or two of salt; let rest in bowl for 5-10 minutes.  Squeeze excess moisture out using a cheesecloth or nut milk bag.  Mix zucchini with remaining ingredients.  Fry in olive oil over medium heat; roughly 2 minutes for the first side, 1 minute for the second, until golden brown and cooked throughout.

*Onions or chives work well in conjunction with the garlic.

Honey Pecan Pralines

1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp.baking soda
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup pecans
Chocolate* for dipping (optional)

Mix honey, buttermilk, soda and salt in a large, deep saucepan over moderate heat.  Cook for 5-10 minutes stirring constantly with a wire whisk until concoction darkens slightly. Expect mixture to increase significantly in volume once it reaches a boil (hence the need for a large, deep saucepan).

Add butter and continue to cook until mixture forms a soft ball when dropped into cold water or reaches 234 F.  Remove from heat and add pecans.  Cool until mixture begins to thicken enough that the candy does not spread significantly when dropped onto greased wax paper or aluminum foil.

Drop by tablespoons onto greased wax paper or greased aluminum foil (aluminum foil seems to work better).  Cool completely.  Yield:  1 dozen pralines

*Original recipe did not suggest dipping the candies in chocolate, but since the honey makes the surface of the candies slightly sticky I prefer to go this route.  Plus, they taste fantastic with chocolate.

Adapted from Rodale's Naturally Delicious Desserts and Snacks, Faye Martin, 1978

"Black Pepper" Venison Curry

We butchered 4 mule deer last year and my freezer is full of scraps of meat with sinewy bits that were too much of a pain to grind in our mediocre grinder but too good to waste.  It occurred to me that venison might be a good substitute for other tough, gamey meat such as goat or lamb, so I went to the Internet to investigate.  I found a multitude of goat or lamb curry dishes that essentially use the same ingredients in varying combinations.  Here's what I came up with after some experimentation. 

The recipe is pretty forgiving.  If you don't have canned tomatoes, fresh are fine.  Tomato sauce is fine (makes a creamy mouthfeel).  Don't like tomatoes?  Use just coconut milk.  Adding a can or two of coconut milk or coconut cream to the mix with the tomatoes is also nice, although this much liquid makes the concoction more soupy and it has a tendency to curdle unless you add it at the end.  Sometimes I add a little stevia to sweeten it.  

 
2 lbs venison or goat or lamb, chopped (any red meat would be fine)
2 onions, chopped
1.5 inch knob of ginger, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Indian bay leaf (Tej Patta)
1-2 T coconut oil or olive oil or ghee
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1 T ground coriander
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground turmeric
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp. garam masala
2 tsp. salt
1-5 hot peppers, chopped, depending on your pain tolerance
28 oz canned tomatoes OR 28 oz coconut milk, or a combination thereof
 Fresh chopped cilantro

Heat oil in Dutch oven and add spices.  Cook in oil until fragrant.  Add venison in batches until browned.  Remove from pan and add onions.  Cook until onions begin to caramelize.  Add remaining ingredients (except cilantro).

Cook at low heat in oven at 350 or at medium heat on the top of the stove for several hours until meat is tender.

When I use frozen venison, I skip the searing step and just throw everything (frozen meat chunk and all) into an Instant Pot for 90 minutes on high heat.

Serve with chopped cilantro.

Chanterelle Omelette

Eggs
Fresh chanterelles sauteed in butter
Cream cheese
Gruyere cheese
Fresh minced sage, 3-4 leaves
Salt & Pepper

Beat the eggs.  Add sage to beaten eggs.  Season with salt & pepper.  Toss eggs in oiled or buttered cast iron or nonstick skillet and assemble filling (mushrooms, dollops of cream cheese and gruyere cheese).  You should know how to cook an omelette. Cook.   Eat.

Paleo Swiss Venison

 Based loosely on Grandma Phipps' recipe for "Swiss Steak" minus the flour and fussing.

2 lbs venison (beef can be substituted)
1 14-oz can tomatoes
1 large onion, sliced
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
Dash of Worchestershire sauce

Throw venison in pressure cooker; season with salt & pepper.  Add tomatoes and sliced onions.  If venison is frozen, set pressure cooker to 2 hours. After 2 hours release pressure and remove meat.  It should be quite tender and falling off the bone.  Puree vegetables and broth and add Worchestershire; adjust seasonings if necessary. Use pureed vegetables as a substitute for gravy atop meat.

White Vegetable Puree

This is a nearly dairy-free version of the cauliflower mash, with more depth of flavor.  It contains butter, but my body doesn't react badly to butter the way it does to cheese and cream.  Stands up well against gamier meats, like venison.

1 head cauliflower, chopped
1 small bulb garlic, peeled
1-2 turnips, peeled & diced
Celery root (2), peeled & diced
1/2 stick butter
salt & pepper

Steam or boil vegetables until tender.  Drain.   Masticate veggies until creamy using a boat motor or food processor.  Add butter and season with salt and pepper. 

Paleo Banana Bread

2 T melted coconut oil, plus more for pan
4 large eggs
1/4 c. erythritol (optional)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ c. coconut flour
1/4 c. almond flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. salt
3 very ripe bananas

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a small loaf pan with coconut oil and line with wax paper.  Mash bananas and add remaining ingredients.  Pour batter into pan and bake for 45 minutes.  Remove loaf from pan when still warm and set on rack to cool.

Herb Fritatta (Kuku)

1/4 c. butter

6 eggs
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. coriander
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1 T dried fenugreek leaves
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp. freshly-ground black pepper
1 bunch chopped fresh dill
1 bunch chopped fresh cilantro
1 bunch chopped fresh parsley
2 bunches chopped green onions

Preheat oven to 325.  Place butter in cast iron skillet and set in oven as it heats until butter has melted.  Mix remaining ingredients and pour egg mixture into pan.  Bake for 45 minutes until the edge is golden brown.

Pear/Gorgonzola/Fig/Caramelized Onion/Arugala/Bacon Pizza Topping

Assemble the following on an uncooked pizza crust (this makes enough for one medium pizza):

4 oz gorgonzola cheese

3 strips cooked, good quality bacon, chopped (prosciutto would be good too)

Fig "jam"
1/4 cup dried figs, sliced or chopped (tough parts removed)
Tablespoon or so of honey
Tablespoon or so of balsamic vinegar
pinch of salt
2-4 Tablespoons water

Mix all ingredients in small saucepan and bring to a simmer.  Cook until figs become soft and balsamic and honey has reduced to a syrup.

Caramelized Onions
1 large onion, sliced
Tablespoon or so of olive oil
pinch of salt

Saute onion in olive oil over medium heat, stirring occasionally; don't burn; take your time!  Midway through the cooking process, add salt (this will help expel the moisture).  Cook until onions are semi-translucent, slightly sticky and have turned a light caramel color.

1/2 fresh pear, sliced

Bake at 500 degrees until pizza begins to brown.

After pizza has finished cooking, sprinkle a handful of fresh arugula on top.

Crispy Green Beans

16 oz fresh green beans
3 T olive oil or coconut oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp sesame oil
1 T soy sauce (I use Bragg's)
1 tsp black vinegar
3 T toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Heat wok to the highest temperature you can get it to and add oil.  Saute beans in oil in batches until their skins blister and they begin to brown.  Add garlic and cook for about a minute.  Add remaining ingredients and serve.

Nice appetizer or side dish.

Yemeni Salad Dressing

Juice of 1 lemon
Olive oil-double the volume of lemon juice
salt
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. ground cumin

Incorporate all ingredients in a bottle with a lid and shake well.


Salad usually consists of some combination of sliced red onion, cucumber, tomato, parsley, lettuce, green pepper, thinly sliced carrots, chickpeas (I omit those).

Uncle Abdo's recipe

Zucchini Casserole

8 medium zucchini, about 4 lbs
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 ounces parmesan cheese, shredded
1 cup heavy cream or coconut cream
salt & freshly ground black pepper
Butter or olive oil

Slice zucchini using a mandoline or grater.  Sprinkle liberally with salt and set aside at room temperature for a couple of hours.  Drain and wrap in a tea towel to remove excess water.

In a skillet, saute sliced onion in olive oil or butter until caramelized.  Add cream and deglaze pan.  Add garlic.  Mix with remaining ingredients, season with black pepper and place in a large casserole.  Bake at 350 until concoction is browned and bubbling.

Almond Pastry Crust

2 1/2 cups almond flour
1 T coconut flour
1 large egg
Ice water (you may not need this)
3/4 t. salt
3 1/2 t. solid shortening (I use coconut oil or butter)

Mix first 5 ingredients (easiest in food processor but a wire whisk works well too).  Add shortening, one spoonful at a time.  Add water, one teaspoon at a time; add just enough for the dough to come together.  With some almond flours, no water is necessary at all.

Dough will be stickier than regular pastry dough and will crack when you plop it into the pie dish.  Don't sweat it; just patch the holes and cracks.

Roll out between sheets of wax or parchment paper and transfer to pie dish.  Bake at 325 until crust begins to turn gold.  

One batch makes precisely two sparsely-crusted quiches (I don't like a lot of crust).  To discourage browning of the crust, cover with a metal sheet pan during baking.  

Paleo Clam Chowder

Pureeing the cauliflower into oblivion results in a silky, decadent soup.  You don't miss the flour or milk at all and the diced cauliflower added at the end serves as a good substitute for chunks of potato that you encounter in conventional clam chowder recipes.  Best of all, this is a great way to get loads of veggies down the gullet fast.

2 heads of cauliflower, divided

2 large onions, divided

4 stalks celery, diced

1/2 bulb garlic (6-8 cloves)

bacon grease or other lubricant  (I use several tablespoons)

salt & freshly ground black pepper

1 quart chicken broth

2 10-oz cans clams

2 8-oz bottles clam juice

Heat bacon grease in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.

Roughly chop: 

1 1/2 heads of cauliflower

1 onion

Smash cloves of garlic and remove paper skins.

Dice:
Other onion
Celery
1/2 head of cauliflower
Set aside.  

Saute garlic, roughly chopped onion, and 1 1/2 heads of cauliflower in bacon grease until onions begin to turn translucent.  

Add:

Clam juice (drain the juice from the canned clams as well and add it to the pot)

Chicken broth

Bring to a simmer and cook for half an hour or so or until vegetables are very soft.

While soup is simmering, saute the diced onion and the diced celery and the remaining 1/2 head of diced cauliflower in a skillet until onions begin to turn translucent.  Don't let the vegetables brown.

When the vegetables in the soup are tender, remove from heat and puree the entire mixture in batches until very creamy.  Return to the Dutch oven.  

Add the diced sauteed vegetables to the pureed soup and add the drained clams.  Reheat, season with salt and pepper and serve.  

Creamy Cauliflower Bacon Rosemary Soup

2 heads cauliflower, roughly chopped
2-3 onions, chopped
4-5 cloves garlic
1/4-1/2 cup bacon grease (You can substitute any fat, but bacon grease adds that nice bacon flavor)
2- 2 1\2 pints chicken broth (preferably homemade)
fresh rosemary, finely chopped
Salt & freshly ground black pepper

Melt bacon grease in a Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add chopped onions and garlic.  Cook until onions begin to turn translucent.  Add chopped cauliflower and chicken broth , cover and bring to a simmer.  Simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until cauliflower can be mashed easily with a spoon.

Remove from heat and puree in batches until very creamy.    Return to pot, add salt and black pepper, ladle into bowls, and sprinkle fresh rosemary on top.

Asian Coleslaw

Vegetables:
2 cups cabbage, shredded
2 cups red cabbage, shredded
1-2 cups kale, chopped
2 cups Napa cabbage, chopped
1-2 cups shredded carrots
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 cups bean sprouts
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 English cucumber, chopped

Dressing:
1 lime, juiced
1/2 cup olive oil
2-3 T sesame oil
1/3 c. honey
3 T fresh ginger
3 cloves fresh garlic
1/3 c. soy sauce

Puree dressing ingredients in blender until creamy.  Toss chopped vegetables with dressing.  Keeps fairly well in the refrigerator for several days, if you exclude the cucumber, (which gets soggy).

Salmon with Cucumber-Dill Salsa

1/2 seedless cucumber, diced
2 small plum tomatoes, diced
1 shallot or 1/4 red onion, minced, divided
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons sugar ( I use a few drops of stevia)
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh dill
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 (6-ounce) skinless salmon fillets
Seafood seasoning (recommended: Old Bay)

Combine the cucumber, tomatoes and half of the shallots or red onion in bowl and reserve.

In a small bowl, whisk together mustard, sugar, and white wine vinegar and remaining half of the shallots. Stream in extra-virgin olive oil while continuing to whisk. Stir in dill and season dressing with salt and pepper, to taste.

Season the salmon with seafood seasoning and a little black pepper. Heat a nonstick skillet with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Place salmon rounded side down and cook until golden and a little crispy at edges, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook 2 minutes more for a pink center, 4 minutes for opaque fish.

Transfer salmon to dinner or serving plates, top with the cucumber-tomato relish and cover with a liberal amount of dill dressing.

Source: Food Network

Chicken with Mushrooms & Artichokes

2 lbs bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed
16 oz cremini or button mushrooms, quartered
16 oz jarred marinated artichoke hearts, drained
Bacon fat or ghee or olive oil
Paprika
salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 c. chicken broth
1.5 T flour
1 tsp. honey
1.5 tsp. apple cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 375.

Heat oil/bacon fat/ghee in cast iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat.  Season chicken liberally with paprika, black pepper, and salt.  Cook in batches until browned (about 2 minutes per side) and set aside.  Be careful to not scorch the spices on the bottom of the pan.

When chicken has been browned, add additional fat and saute mushrooms for 5-10 minutes.  Remove mushrooms and set aside.

Deglaze pan:  Whisk flour, honey, vinegar, and chicken broth together until thoroughly mixed.  Pour into skillet and lower heat, stirring continuously until the browned bits of spices and chicken are released from the bottom of the pan and the mixture has thickened into a thin sauce.  Adjust seasonings if necessary (add salt, paprika, whatever)

Spread chicken, artichoke hearts and mushrooms into baking dish and pour the sauce over the top.  Bake at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes until chicken is tender and the sauce is bubbling.

Kale Salad

Dressing:
3-4 cloves fresh garlic
1/2 c. olive oil
1/4 c. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper

Finely mince garlic.  Shake all ingredients together in a container with a lid.  Or, if you're lazy and don't want to chop garlic, puree everything in a blender until smooth.  The flavor seems to be a bit better if you take the time to mince the garlic separately, but the dressing is creamier if you puree it.

Toss with:
2 large bunches kale, chopped (Dinosaur/Black kale is my favorite; I prefer a rough julienne)
Grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/4 cup or as desired)

Source:  Dr. Weil True Food Kitchen cookbook