I walked into Natural Grocers this afternoon to pick up a few things when a beautiful bunch of fennel caught my eye. That is all that it takes to derail my dinner plans. I will figure out another recipe for the spaghetti squash I was planning to use. I grabbed a jug of apple cider on sale, and boom...a new recipe was born in my brain. I have been noticing myself being drawn to more raw foods as the seasons change, and have not been bringing out my big red soup pot quite as often. I think that a pureed starch is always a perfect compliment to crispy proteins, and it doesn't get any creamier than celeriac puree. If you haven't tried it, it is the bulb of the celery plant, and it has a very mild texture. You peel it like a potato, boil it, and puree away.
CRISPY PORK CUTLETS
INGREDIENTS
8 pork cutlets (you can buy butterflied pork chops and pound them thin if you don't find cutlets at your grocery store)
1/4 cup of duck fat or oil of choice
1/3 cup of cassava flour (aka tapioca)
1 teaspoon each of salt, garlic powder and poultry seasoning
Mix the flour and seasoning together in a shallow dish, coat the meat on each side, and then coat each side again.
Heat the oil in a large skillet until a drop of water sizzles, then add the pork and brown on each side for 2-3 minutes.
APPLE CIDER REDUCTION
INGREDIENTS
2 Tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
1 cup of apple cider
1 cup of bone broth or chicken broth
2 Tablespoons of coconut cream
After the pork has finished cooking, set on a paper towel lined plate to cool. Add the vinegar, broth and juice to the hot skillet and stir to scrape all of the brown bits off of the bottom of the pan.
Let the sauce cook until it has reduced by half, and then stir in the coconut cream. Turn the heat to a low simmer to thicken.
Spoon the sauce over the pork and serve immediately.
CELERIAC PUREÉ
INGREDIENTS
2 bulbs of celeriac (celery root)
1 large white sweet potato
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cups of bone broth, or chicken broth
2 Tablespoons of duck fat (or butter if you tolerate it)
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper (omit for AIP)
Peel and cube the celeriac and sweet potato, and add to a saucepan.
Add the garlic and bone broth, cover, and bring to a low boil. Turn down the heat and simmer until fork tender, about 10 minutes.
Use a masher or immersion blender until it reaches a smooth consistency. You can also pour the ingredients of the saucepan into a blender and pulse until smooth. It really depends on the equipment you have available and how many dishes you are willing to wash!
Add the fat, and season to taste.
APPLE FENNEL SALAD
INGREDIENTS
1 bulb of fennel, thinly sliced
1 Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced
1 Gala apple, thinly sliced
1 Shallot, thinly sliced
1 Tablespoon of fresh parsley, chopped
Add all of ingredients to a bowl of ice water, and soak for at least 15 minutes to crisp, then drain.
Dressing
2 Tablespoons of good olive oil
2 Tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
2 Tablespoon of apple cider
2 teaspoons of honey (omit for Whole 30)
1 teaspoon of dijon mustard (omit for AIP)
1/2 teaspoon of salt
Combine the ingredients of the dressing in a small jar and shake well. Pour the dressing over the remaining ingredients and toss to coat.