Latin Slaw with Peanuts
There is a back story to this. What seems like ions ago now, before George got sick, we often spent long weekends together in Washington DC. His client has a gorgeous old Queen Anne on Capitol Hill that he renovated from the top down, inside and out; it is his masterpiece! Nearly 13 years later, he’s still going back for odds and ends, always enjoying his handiwork.
Anyway, he would often spend many days at a time there, and I would occasionally drive down to spend a few of those days with him. We’d stay at a nice hotel or, when the house was livable again, we’d take the 3rd floor for ourselves and enjoy the city.
While he would work I’d hop on either my bike or the Metro and spend endless hours perusing the National Gallery of Art, Renwick Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery, and the Smithsonian Castle. I’d often have a baby on my back and remember resting on a sofa in front of Ruben’s Daniel in the Lions’ Den for a very long time, nursing my Emma to sleep as I studied every detail.
I miss those carefree days, and the freedom to enjoy all that this beautiful city has to offer!
Anyway, one of the things which I also enjoyed was meeting up for dinner somewhere in the city. It might be Clyde’s in Chinatown, a favorite Greek restaurant near Eastern Market, or Friday nights in the NGA garden for great local jazz, drinks and dinner.
On one occasion we chose to have an early dinner at the Capital Grill on Pennsylvania Avenue. I love a good, juicy burger and they did not disappoint! But as a side I chose an interesting, Latin-inspired slaw which really made the meal for me-it was delicious!
I savored that humble side and went home to re-create it. After just a couple of tries I had it, perhaps even better than the original! The slaw was enjoyed several times for picnics and family meals, but did I write down the recipe? No, of course not!
Today we had friends join us for an afternoon meal and as I was making a dry-rubbed rack of ribs, it seemed appropriate to make a slaw to go with it, so I thought about all those flavor highlights and figured it out all over again. Here is the end result, and I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
Latin Cole Slaw with Peanuts
1/2 medium-sized cabbage (Make sauerkraut with the rest, or sauté with onions, garlic, and peppers for another delicious side.)
1 cup good mayo (Please, no Dukes or Hellmans! My recipe below.)
1/2 cup raw, unsalted peanuts, chopped
1/2 cup freshly chopped cilantro
1/4 cup minced red onion
2-3 Tb lime juice
1-2 Tb honey, optional
1 tsp salt
Shred the cabbage and salt it. Add all other ingredients, combining well, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Serves 8-10.
The Best Mayonnaise Ever!
1 cup good quality, pure olive oil (may be partly cut with sunflower or safflower oil, but not soy/canola/corn/vegetable oils)
2 whole eggs
1 egg yolk
3 Tb of some combination of the following: fresh lemon juice, brine from a ferment such as sauerkraut, pickles, or, if you like it hot, kimchi, or wine vinegar (not balsamic)
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 clove fresh garlic
1 tsp liquid sunflower lecithin, optional
Place all ingredients in a Vitamix, solid blender, or mixing container for an immersion blender. Blend on medium-high power for about 30 seconds. Refrigerate and use within 2 weeks.
Anyway, he would often spend many days at a time there, and I would occasionally drive down to spend a few of those days with him. We’d stay at a nice hotel or, when the house was livable again, we’d take the 3rd floor for ourselves and enjoy the city.
While he would work I’d hop on either my bike or the Metro and spend endless hours perusing the National Gallery of Art, Renwick Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery, and the Smithsonian Castle. I’d often have a baby on my back and remember resting on a sofa in front of Ruben’s Daniel in the Lions’ Den for a very long time, nursing my Emma to sleep as I studied every detail.
I miss those carefree days, and the freedom to enjoy all that this beautiful city has to offer!
Anyway, one of the things which I also enjoyed was meeting up for dinner somewhere in the city. It might be Clyde’s in Chinatown, a favorite Greek restaurant near Eastern Market, or Friday nights in the NGA garden for great local jazz, drinks and dinner.
On one occasion we chose to have an early dinner at the Capital Grill on Pennsylvania Avenue. I love a good, juicy burger and they did not disappoint! But as a side I chose an interesting, Latin-inspired slaw which really made the meal for me-it was delicious!
I savored that humble side and went home to re-create it. After just a couple of tries I had it, perhaps even better than the original! The slaw was enjoyed several times for picnics and family meals, but did I write down the recipe? No, of course not!
Today we had friends join us for an afternoon meal and as I was making a dry-rubbed rack of ribs, it seemed appropriate to make a slaw to go with it, so I thought about all those flavor highlights and figured it out all over again. Here is the end result, and I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
Latin Cole Slaw with Peanuts
1/2 medium-sized cabbage (Make sauerkraut with the rest, or sauté with onions, garlic, and peppers for another delicious side.)
1 cup good mayo (Please, no Dukes or Hellmans! My recipe below.)
1/2 cup raw, unsalted peanuts, chopped
1/2 cup freshly chopped cilantro
1/4 cup minced red onion
2-3 Tb lime juice
1-2 Tb honey, optional
1 tsp salt
Shred the cabbage and salt it. Add all other ingredients, combining well, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Serves 8-10.
The Best Mayonnaise Ever!
1 cup good quality, pure olive oil (may be partly cut with sunflower or safflower oil, but not soy/canola/corn/vegetable oils)
2 whole eggs
1 egg yolk
3 Tb of some combination of the following: fresh lemon juice, brine from a ferment such as sauerkraut, pickles, or, if you like it hot, kimchi, or wine vinegar (not balsamic)
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 clove fresh garlic
1 tsp liquid sunflower lecithin, optional
Place all ingredients in a Vitamix, solid blender, or mixing container for an immersion blender. Blend on medium-high power for about 30 seconds. Refrigerate and use within 2 weeks.
Tips for using coconut flour for baking
To reduce the "eggy-ness" of coconut flour pancakes or other baked goods, you can substitute ground chia seeds for 1 of the eggs, about 1 Tbsp. for 1 egg. You need to let the batter sit about 5 minutes for the chia "flour" to absorb the moisture and become mucogonous.
Use an old-fashioned rotary beater to make fast work of frothing eggs; about 30 seconds.
Also, separate the egg yolks from the whites and beat the whites separately, folding them in at the end. This guarantees fluff!
Use full-fat coconut flour. My preferred brand is Wildly Organic.
Sour cream works equally well for the liquid if it is thinned down some with cream or milk, but I love full-fat coconut milk! Also, don't forget that you can use stock for a savory "bread" side to a nice meal; add herbs to compliment the main dish.
Coconut flour is very high in insoluble fiber which, for some, causes impaction of the colon. Additionally there is very little actual nutrient intake with coconut flour, so you're not really getting a lot out of the pancakes other than taste and satiety, but that counts for something, doesn't it? My alternative is pancakes made with green plantains ("Paleo"), which are also very yummy.
Coconut Flour Pancakes or Muffins
Dry: 1/2 cup full-fat coconut flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
Wet: 4 eggs, separated
1 cup milk/stock/cream/yogurt (or combination thereof)
1 Tbsp. raw honey or maple syrup
! Tbsp. melted butter, ghee, lard or coconut oil (bacon fat is great for a savory pancake or muffin)
Mix the wet ingredients together in one bowl, the dry in another. If substituting ground chia for 1 of the eggs, add this first to the dry ingredients. Whisk egg whites until stiff. Add wet to dry, then the fat, and lastly fold in the egg whites. Drop by spoonfuls onto a medium low greased skillet (or fill lined muffin tins if making muffins). Flatten out the pancakes some initially and flip after about 2 minutes. For muffins, bake at 375 for about 20 minutes, pop out of pans to cool.
Grain-Free Zucchini Bread
Dry Mix:
2 cups blanched almond flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
3 Tbsp. ground chia seeds
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Wet Mix:
4 eggs, separated
2 cups shredded zucchini
1/4-1/2 cup honey
1 tsp. vanilla
Fats:
1/4 cup 50/50 mix coconut oil or lard & butter or ghee
Separate the eggs and mix yolks with wet ingredients. Beat the egg whites in a separate bowl and set aside. Mix the dry ingredients, add wet to dry, and then melted fats. Fold the stiffly beaten egg whites to the rest and pour into a greased loaf pan. Note: if you line the pan with parchment paper it will be easy to turn out from the pan when done.
Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, let cool on a wire rack. That's it! Enjoy!
Dry Mix:
2 cups blanched almond flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
3 Tbsp. ground chia seeds
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Wet Mix:
4 eggs, separated
2 cups shredded zucchini
1/4-1/2 cup honey
1 tsp. vanilla
Fats:
1/4 cup 50/50 mix coconut oil or lard & butter or ghee
Separate the eggs and mix yolks with wet ingredients. Beat the egg whites in a separate bowl and set aside. Mix the dry ingredients, add wet to dry, and then melted fats. Fold the stiffly beaten egg whites to the rest and pour into a greased loaf pan. Note: if you line the pan with parchment paper it will be easy to turn out from the pan when done.
Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, let cool on a wire rack. That's it! Enjoy!
Grain/Gluten/Starch-free Flour Mix
This is the mix which I designed to use for gut-healing in my family. It works well for Paloe, GAPS, SCD, and LCHF diets. It is very important that you choose blanched almond flour as opposed to "natural", as there are compounds within the skin of the almond which can be quite irritating to the gut, thus preventing healing while possibly doing some damage.
7 cups Anthony's or Honeyville blanched almond flour (it is very important that use only the blanched)
2 cups coconut flour (or you may instead use 9 cups of the above almond flour to replace the coconut flour)
1 cup chia seeds, ground fine
Use cup for cup to make any variety of cakes, cookies, pancakes, muffins, waffles, etc. My basic formula is this:
3 cups mix
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2-2 cups milk, cream, buttermilk, sour milk, coconut milk, or even stock (with herbs for a savory taste)
4 medium eggs
1 tsp-1 Tbsp raw honey (optional)
3 Tbsp. melted fats (lard, butter, coconut oil, and/or ghee)
Mix the dry and wet ingredients separately while gently melting the fats. Add wet to dry, whisk together well and add the fats. For muffins, drop into muffin tins, preferably lined, and bake at 400 for about 20 minutes. For cakes or bread, reduce the oven temp by ten degrees and pour into a greasedcake or loaf pan, bake for 30 minutes. Add savory herbs for a dinner or sandwich bread. For sweets, increase the amount of honey and add vanilla and/or other flavorings. Pancakes or waffles, just cook accordingly. Beating the egg whites separately and folding in lastly creates light and fluffy waffles or cakes. There is no end to the flavors you can create with this basic formula!
This is the mix which I designed to use for gut-healing in my family. It works well for Paloe, GAPS, SCD, and LCHF diets. It is very important that you choose blanched almond flour as opposed to "natural", as there are compounds within the skin of the almond which can be quite irritating to the gut, thus preventing healing while possibly doing some damage.
7 cups Anthony's or Honeyville blanched almond flour (it is very important that use only the blanched)
2 cups coconut flour (or you may instead use 9 cups of the above almond flour to replace the coconut flour)
1 cup chia seeds, ground fine
Use cup for cup to make any variety of cakes, cookies, pancakes, muffins, waffles, etc. My basic formula is this:
3 cups mix
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2-2 cups milk, cream, buttermilk, sour milk, coconut milk, or even stock (with herbs for a savory taste)
4 medium eggs
1 tsp-1 Tbsp raw honey (optional)
3 Tbsp. melted fats (lard, butter, coconut oil, and/or ghee)
Mix the dry and wet ingredients separately while gently melting the fats. Add wet to dry, whisk together well and add the fats. For muffins, drop into muffin tins, preferably lined, and bake at 400 for about 20 minutes. For cakes or bread, reduce the oven temp by ten degrees and pour into a greasedcake or loaf pan, bake for 30 minutes. Add savory herbs for a dinner or sandwich bread. For sweets, increase the amount of honey and add vanilla and/or other flavorings. Pancakes or waffles, just cook accordingly. Beating the egg whites separately and folding in lastly creates light and fluffy waffles or cakes. There is no end to the flavors you can create with this basic formula!
Apple/Pear Chutney
Maureen's original recipe for a delicious, digestion-enhancing and nutritious fermented chutney. Try some with pork, chicken, or as a breakfast side. Makes 1 quart.
About 6 ripe, firm combined apples & pears, diced
2 Tablespoons muscavado sugar
2 Tablespoons whey
2 teaspoons good quality, unrefined salt
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger root
3-4 star anise pods
1 sweet cinnamon stick, broken
Combine everything in a large bowl. Pour all into a quart jar, adding pure water if needed to fill within 1 1/2". Let ferment at room temp for 2 days, burping the closed jar daily (or use an airlock), refrigerate.
Maureen's original recipe for a delicious, digestion-enhancing and nutritious fermented chutney. Try some with pork, chicken, or as a breakfast side. Makes 1 quart.
About 6 ripe, firm combined apples & pears, diced
2 Tablespoons muscavado sugar
2 Tablespoons whey
2 teaspoons good quality, unrefined salt
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger root
3-4 star anise pods
1 sweet cinnamon stick, broken
Combine everything in a large bowl. Pour all into a quart jar, adding pure water if needed to fill within 1 1/2". Let ferment at room temp for 2 days, burping the closed jar daily (or use an airlock), refrigerate.
Coconut Panacotta
1 can coconut milk (not lite!)
2 Tbsp. raw honey
2 1/2 tsp gelatin
1 tsp vanilla extract *
Sprinkle gelatin over the surface of the coconut milk in a small sauce pan. Let it sit for about 5 minutes to soften, then gently warm, stirring to dissolve all of the gelatin. Once all traces of gelatin are dissolved, take off the heat and add the honey and vanilla. Note: I usually divide the coconut milk, only heating half, then adding the other half for a more rapid set.
Pour into ramekins, a shallow dish, parfait glasses, whatever you would like, cover with plastic wrap, and chill for an hour or two. Serve as is or topped with lemon curd, toasted coconut, shaved chocolate, fresh berries, whatever you fancy!
*Homemade vanilla extract recipe below!
1 can coconut milk (not lite!)
2 Tbsp. raw honey
2 1/2 tsp gelatin
1 tsp vanilla extract *
Sprinkle gelatin over the surface of the coconut milk in a small sauce pan. Let it sit for about 5 minutes to soften, then gently warm, stirring to dissolve all of the gelatin. Once all traces of gelatin are dissolved, take off the heat and add the honey and vanilla. Note: I usually divide the coconut milk, only heating half, then adding the other half for a more rapid set.
Pour into ramekins, a shallow dish, parfait glasses, whatever you would like, cover with plastic wrap, and chill for an hour or two. Serve as is or topped with lemon curd, toasted coconut, shaved chocolate, fresh berries, whatever you fancy!
*Homemade vanilla extract recipe below!
My extracts occupy a place of honor in my kitchen!
Double-Strength Vanilla Extract
8 vanilla beans (Beanilla is my absolute favorite source, and the Madagascar are by far my most favorite bean!)
1 cup 80 proof plain vodka, dark rum, or grain alcohol.
1/2 cup water
Split the vanilla beans lengthwise and scrape out the tiny seeds. Toss everything, seeds, pods , vodka & water, into a glass jar, seal tightly, and let sit for 6-8 weeks, shaking occasionally. Strain off into a suitable glass bottle, add a couple more beans, the alcohol, water, shake it all up, and have at it again!
8 vanilla beans (Beanilla is my absolute favorite source, and the Madagascar are by far my most favorite bean!)
1 cup 80 proof plain vodka, dark rum, or grain alcohol.
1/2 cup water
Split the vanilla beans lengthwise and scrape out the tiny seeds. Toss everything, seeds, pods , vodka & water, into a glass jar, seal tightly, and let sit for 6-8 weeks, shaking occasionally. Strain off into a suitable glass bottle, add a couple more beans, the alcohol, water, shake it all up, and have at it again!