Mark's Daily Apple

Halibut, Snapper and Shrimp Ceviche

Summer might be just about over, but last night in my kitchen it certainly didn’t seem like it. This had nothing to do with the weather, which was a bit cool, and everything to do with the refreshing, lively flavors in a bowl of colorful ceviche.

There is no better way to highlight the flavor of seafood, and to remember the feeling of summer, than with this chilled dish. To make ceviche, raw seafood is “cooked” in a lemon-lime marinade and tossed with spicy jalapeno, cooling avocado and the flavorful crunch of red pepper and red onion. Some versions add tomato or other vegetables and some play around with citrus marinades made from grapefruit or oranges, but the result is essentially the same: incredibly fresh seafood with a slightly tart and totally addictive flavor.

Posted By: Worker Bee

11

Beef Burgundy

If you’ve been to the movies lately, it’s likely you’ve seen Julie and Julia on the marquee. This true story contrasts the life of TV chef and cookbook author Julia Child with a modern-day fan, Julie, who blogs about cooking all 524 recipes in Mastering the Art of French Cooking. It’s a movie that makes you feel two things: uplifted and absolutely starving.

Some of the French dishes that star in the movie aren’t so appealing, like the ones baked in heavy pastry dough. Others are downright mouth-watering. Whenever the actors on screen sit down to eat you’ll wish you were at the table with them. French classics like juicy roasted chicken, fish sautéed liberally in butter and creamy hollandaise sauce with artichokes all make an appearance. One of the most memorable dishes is beef cooked for hours in red wine and stock until it’s so tender it will melt in your mouth.

Posted By: Mark Sisson

31

The Seattle Primal Blueprint Meet-Up

Since it’s Labor Day (here in the U.S.) and many of you are spending it with friends and family members, grilling some meat, and getting a little R&R I thought this article most appropriate.

A couple months back erstad17 started a forum thread. With a simple question (“Wondering if there are any others in the Pacific Northwest?”) and a little leg work the first Primal Blueprint meet-up event was held. It brought people together that hardly knew each other to share Primal stories, food and each other’s company. And by all accounts it went swimmingly. (Last I heard they’re planning on doing more in the future.) I was thrilled to hear about the event and even more excited to learn that they’d be taking and sending in photos and recipes from the party (see below).

I’ve discussed the importance of forging relationships for social wellness and the power of connecting with others in the past. I can’t tell you how pleased I am that Mark’s Daily Apple is in some small way encouraging people to get together, learn from one another and have a little fun in the sun. We all know the benefits of play. What better way to do it than with other Primal Blueprinters?

As my post last week stated, this is just the beginning. Because no matter how much fun all this virtual stuff we do is, it pales in comparison to actually meeting and spending time with people face-to-face. This is why I am looking forward to holding a meet-up here in Los Angeles at some point and why Primal retreats are a dream of mine. In the meantime I encourage all readers that are interested in connecting with other PBers to drop a line in the forum (Meet and Greet section) and form your own local meet-up. If any future meet-ups do take place I’d love to hear an account of it. Send in your stories, photos, recipes and video footage and I’ll publish it on MDA.

Many thanks to everyone that participated in the Seattle Primal Blueprint Meet-Up – for your mouth-watering recipes, your photos and for showing us all how it can be done! Thank you.

Here is the email I received from the group:

Posted By: Mark Sisson

28

Curried Chicken Salad

Thanks to a generous forum member, curried chicken salad is now an official Primal recipe! And a delicious one, to boot. It’s the perfect combination of crunch and flavor, using nuts, celery, and a bit of chopped apple for slight sweetness. It’s also a great recipe for the traditional bun-substitute: wrapped in a giant, fresh lettuce leaf.

When I tried this recipe, I found homemade mayonnaise to be best, since even high-quality brands of mayo (even the kind that use Extra Virgin Olive Oil) often still include preservatives, thickeners, and other unpronounceable junk. Try the mayo recipe below or, if you have leftovers, the coconut chive mayo recipe from yesterday’s post would also work nicely. Mustard can also substitute, instead, if you prefer the spice, don’t have time to use the blender, or simply aren’t a fan of mayo.

Posted By: Mark Sisson

16

Coconut Shrimp and Chive Mayonnaise

Appetizers are one of the great pleasures in life that can quickly get out of hand. Noshing before a meal is a relaxing social ritual, but it’s also a true test of self-control. It’s entirely too easy to pop an entire meal’s worth of finger food in your mouth before the main meal is even on the table.

A wise solution to this dilemma is to follow the advice that mothers everywhere preach to their children: moderation in all things. Or, (no offense to Mom) you can deal with your cravings for finger food a little more creatively. Why not turn finger food into an entire meal?

Posted By: Mark Sisson

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