The Primal Blueprint Cookbook (36 page)

For a less greasy chip, slice the root vegetables and toss in a bowl with a light coating of oil and salt (toss the beets separately or they will turn everything pink). Space the chips out on a pan and preheat the oven to 250°F. Bake until crispy and dry all the way through, checking every 15–20 minutes, and turning once or twice.

Marinades, sauces and dressings are viewed as a secret weapon in the kitchen because they can add incredible layers of flavor to simply prepared vegetables and cuts of meat. All can be made ahead and kept in the fridge, so they’re handy when you need to perk up a meal. The same cut of meat or the same old salad will continually be transformed into something new depending on what type of marinade, sauce or dressing you serve it with. This is a great way to switch up flavor and keep your family and your own palate interested. As an added bonus, homemade marinades, sauces and dressings have flavor and nutrients that aren’t diminished by preservatives, sugars and ingredients you can’t pronounce.

Marinades are also a secret weapon for making inexpensive cuts of meat more tender and flavorful. Make sure the meat or seafood is completely immersed in the marinade; large Ziploc plastic bags work best for this. In most cases, two hours is about all you need to impart flavor and tenderize. After that, the meat is basically just hanging out in the marinade, soaking up little additional flavor and possibly moving past tender right into mushy territory.

The sauces and dressings in this chapter are extremely flavorful, which means they can be used in moderation. A drizzle over a piece of meat or plate of vegetables is all you’ll need to transform your meal into something fabulous.

Mustard and herbs are aromatic powerhouses and can be used on any type of meat, although marinades with mustard taste especially good with pork. Slather this marinade on steaks, chops or roasts, either before grilling or roasting in the oven.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Mix together all the ingredients—leave rosemary twigs whole.

This briny, tangy marinade has an incredibly brilliant flavor from the fresh herbs, parsley and mint. It resembles chimichurri sauce from Argentina and pairs well with red meat—try it with sliced skirt or flank steak. The marinade is also versatile enough for fish. Just make sure to save a little on the side to drizzle on top after the meat or seafood is cooked, as this marinade also tastes great as a sauce.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Pulse all ingredients, except oil, in a food processor until finely chopped. Slowly drizzle in oil with processor running until the sauce reaches desired consistency.

The spicy, enticing flavor of ginger and rich, nutty flavor of sesame oil give this marinade its personality. It’s suitable for any type of meat or seafood, and can be used as a base for more complex Asian-flavored marinades. Consider enhancing it with garlic, lemongrass or cilantro.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Whisk together all ingredients.