"Generally Badass" Paleo Cookbook

So it's summer, your local farmer's market is brimming with juicy tomatoes and sweet cucumbers, basil, the like. But it's friggin hot, and you don't want to do much cooking. Whala! The salad of champions, for you:

Curbmarket Salad
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen who adapted hers from The New Spanish Table

Makes enough for 2-4 good lunches, depending on how much you eat.

3 large chicken breasts, already grilled/baked and cut into bite size pieces
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 large pinch of coarse salt (Kosher or sea)
1 small pinch of cumin seeds
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 2/3 pounds very ripe but firm tomatoes, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
2 small Kirby (pickling) cucumbers, cored, seeded and diced
1/2 cup finely chopped white onion
1/2 cup seedless green grapes, cut in half
About 1/2 cup slivered fresh mint or basil (optional)

1. Place the garlic, salt, and cumin in a mortar (or cuisinart) and, using a pestle, mash them into a paste. Dump the paste into a medium bowl, add the vinegar and olive oil and whiskit all together well.

4. Place the chicken, cucumbers, onion, grapes, and mint, if using, in a large bowl and toss to mix. Add the dressing to the salad and toss to combine well.

So easy, refreshing, and cooking-free for these 100 degree days!

This delicious recipe comes from a non-paleo source: Food and Wine Magazine! Well, Tom Valenti via F&W. Tom owns Ouest on the upper west side in New York City. I believe I've been, though it was so long ago now that I could be making it up. Anyhow, you don't care about that. On to the recipe!

Ingredients:

1. olive oil
2. 6 pounds meaty beef short ribs on the bone (I used less and it was still delicious!)
3. Salt and freshly ground pepper
4. 2 celery ribs, coarsely chopped (I didn't have these, they're not necessary but would be good)
5. 1 carrot, coarsely chopped
6. 1 large onion,coarsely chopped
7. 3/4 of a small can of tomato paste (or if you're using a tube, approx. 1/2 cup)
8. 5 thyme sprigs (I used dried thyme, bad paleo gal!)
9. 3 anchovy fillets, chopped (Totally forgot to get this ingredient, will try it next time, but it's not necessary)
10. 1 bay leaf (You want to get a Turkish/Imported bay leaf for this. The American bay leafs are too strong and start your dish tasting like Eucalyptus)
11. 1 head of garlic, halved crosswise
12. 1 quart chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth
13. 2 cups dry red wine
14. 1/3 cup white vinegar

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 325°.
2. Heat approx. 2T of olive oil in a large enameled cast-iron casserole. Season the ribs with salt and pepper. Add half of the short ribs to the casserole and cook over moderately high heat until browned, about 6 minutes. Transfer the ribs to a plate. Repeat with 2T oil and ribs.
3. Add the celery, carrot and onion to the casserole and cook over moderate heat until softened.
4. Add the tomato paste to the mixture and stir about two minutes.
5. Add the thyme sprigs, anchovies, bay leaf and garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
6. Add the stock, wine and vinegar and bring to a boil. Return the short ribs to the casserole, then cover them and braise (aka cook) in the oven until the meat is very tender, about 3 hours.

Tricia and I ate this over riced cauliflower, and it was good! I can't wait to eat more for lunch today :)