Sous Vide Salmon with Salmon Skin “Bacon”

“Sous Vide” might immediately make you think this recipe involves a fancy, overly precious cooking method that only the food snobs among us will be interested in. But what if we tell you that the two main cooking tools it requires are a picnic cooler and a Ziploc bag, and that heating water is the only cooking skill required?

We’ve been reading about sous vide for some time now, but it took a recipe sent in by Szara Loring for the Primal Blueprint Reader-Created Cookbook Contest to encourage us to try it at home. Szara’s recipe for Sous Vide Salmon made us realize you don’t necessarily need expensive, professional sous vide equipment to try the cooking technique out. Turns out, all you need is the aforementioned cooler, a large Ziploc bag and a thermometer.

Posted By: Worker Bee

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Shrimp, Sausage and Summer Squash Casserole

Two words in the seafood recipe submitted by Rachel Virden for the Primal Blueprint Reader-Created Cookbook Contest caught our eye immediately: Summer and Squash.

Yes, we loved the combination of shrimp and sausage (who wouldn’t?) and the intensely savory flavor that only comes from sautéing with bacon fat. We were amazed by the way a few simple ingredients baked up into such a rich and satisfying dish. But what made us really happy was discovering a new, inventive way cook up summer’s seemingly endless bounty of squash.

Posted By: Worker Bee

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Salt and Pepper Squid

Squid is so often banished into a bowl of heavy batter followed by a lengthy stay in the deep fryer that most people don’t realize how fresh and healthy this cephalopod can be. Rich in protein and nutrients with a mild flavor that isn’t at all fishy, squid should be enjoyed with as little cooking interference as possible. If you always pass it by at the fish counter (understandably; the appearance can be a little intimidating), we’re hoping this easy recipe for Salt and Pepper Squid will inspire you to finally cook some at home.

The texture of squid is a bit chewy, a trait exaggerated by overcooking, which is why a quick sauté is an ideal way to prepare it. In the recipe, submitted for the Primal Blueprint Reader-Created Cookbook Contest, Nicola Aylin makes this simple cooking method more interesting by sprinkling the squid with Sichuan peppercorns.

Posted By: Worker Bee

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Shrimp “Grok-amole” Salad

Some meals are just meant to be eaten underneath a bright blue sky with the hot summer sun shining down, and in our opinion, Shrimp “Grok-amole” is one of them. Cold, plump shrimp doused liberally in lime juice and tossed with juicy red tomatoes, crunchy orange pepper, spicy jalapeño and as many avocados as you can fit in the bowl is our idea of good summer eating. Shrimp “Grok-amole” salad is refreshing, nutritious and (this might be the best part) you don’t have to turn on an oven, stove or grill to make it. Just get out your knife and start chopping.

Posted By: Worker Bee

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Slow-Cooked “Heart on Fire” with Creamed Kale

Once organ meats are cooked, they really don’t look that much different than other, more common cuts of meat. In their raw state, however, organs can be a little challenging. For some, the sight of a raw heart on a kitchen countertop doesn’t exactly stimulate the appetite. If you’re tempted to try cooking offal but don’t want too much face time with the raw product, then a Crock-Pot is the way to go.

A slow-cooker is the perfect “out of sight, out of mind” cooking method for organs that need a little tenderizing, like the heart. Christopher Williams’ “Heart on Fire’ recipe (submitted for the Primal Blueprint Reader-Created Cookbook Contest) is the perfect recipe for easing into offal. If you can manage to get the heart into a slow-cooker, then you don’t have to think about it for another 6 hours. It will emerge fully cooked and tender, looking not much different than a small roast nestled in a bed of tender vegetables. The scent that fills your kitchen will be rich and aromatic, heavy with an array of spices like cloves, allspice and paprika. The spices Christopher uses aren’t just for aroma, though, they pack a fiery kick that gives this dish its name. Christopher tames the fire by serving the slow-cooked heart on a creamy bed of kale simmered in coconut milk, bringing a cooling element and loads of extra nutrition to this dish.

Posted By: Worker Bee

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