Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

6

Remember mopping up your plate?

You braise beef in spiced coconut milk. The beef is great, but where's the rice to soak up all that delicious sauce?

You roast marrow bones, but when you scoop out the fat, where's the garlic toast to spread it on?

You make chicken liver pate, but where's the cracker to scoop it up?

As I've shifted to paleo cookery, I've missed the way pasta, rice, bread, potatoes, and so on serve as "media" to absorb liquids and carry flavor. What are your workarounds that help you enjoy all the unctuousness that comes from roasting/sauteeing/braising fatty animals?

flag	asked Jun 9 2010 at 20:10 Dan 902●4●8

9

I just lick my plate like a dog - much to the wife's chagrin. – Table Grapes Jun 9 2010 at 21:36

a licking your plate (and alternatives) here: paleohacks.com/questions/4101/licking-your-plate – Pieter D Aug 8 2010 at 11:28

I always like my plate. The best mix is when I have steak and eggs. The yolk and the blood make an amazing mix. – terenced Aug 9 2010 at 16:53

Cooked kale is great for many sauces, as are fresh salad greens... Depending on how badly you miss it, occasional use of chebe bread (tapioca flour) can make a pretty decent naan substitute. Of course, while grain free, it is still a simple starch. So make sure you soak up LOTS of good fat with that grain-free white bread! Or, as other – Energymonkey Dec 29 2011 at 3:43

Folks have said, you can just use your tongue! Really, I always used bread 'cause I felt guilty for eating pure, delicious goodness. Now I have no need to dilute it with bread, rice, etc! – Energymonkey Dec 29 2011 at 3:45

show 1 more comment

Gary Wu · Accepted Answer · 2010-06-09 22:11:23Z UTC

6

There is no need for "media" carbs. Eat or drink the sauce/marrow/drippings directly. You can use a spoon, lick it up, or just pour it into your mouth the Asian way. :)

answered Jun 9 2010 at 22:11

Gary Wu
2,809●2●16●28

	I like the -just drink it- answer! – Adam Crafter Jun 10 2010 at 0:29
	I have trained my kids to lick eir plate just like we did when I was a kid... Of course, I remind them that this is only ok at our home (and my primitive parents!) – Energymonkey Dec 29 2011 at 3:40

Captain Paleo · Answer 2 · 2010-06-09 20:49:50Z UTC

7

Steamed cauliflower works great as a rice substitute!

answered Jun 9 2010 at 20:49

Captain Paleo
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and if you pulse raw cauliflower in a food processor to small grain-like peices no need to even steam it even! – megtuo Dec 28 2011 at 19:33

ben61820 · Answer 3 · 2010-06-09 21:01:50Z UTC

this is from marksdailyapple, its an awesome bread substitute PERFECT for sopping up sauce: Chicken Curry Clafouti

Ingredients:

6 eggs

6 tablespoons melted butter cooled to room temp. + 1 pat for greasing pan

3/4 cup cream, half & half or coconut milk

4 cups cooked, chopped chicken

2 tablespoons curry spice, or to taste

Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400° F.

Butter a 10” round or 13×9” baking dish.

Whisk together eggs, butter & cream until frothy.

Mix in chicken and spices and pour into baking dish.

Bake about 35 minutes or until top is golden brown and puffy.

Shebeeste · Answer 4 · 2010-06-10 01:18:16Z UTC

3

I lick the plate! And I eat my chicken liver pate with a spoon.

answered Jun 10 2010 at 1:18

Shebeeste
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andrew · Answer 5 · 2010-06-12 06:45:43Z UTC

3

Celery sticks are great to smear pate on. Mashed boiled carrots or parsnips will soak up meat gravies. And I do agree with drinking off the plate - I often do this - but not in a restaurant!

answered Jun 12 2010 at 6:45

andrew
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Eric · Answer 6 · 2010-06-12 17:14:06Z UTC

3

raw Cabbage wedges for the curry (that's what Thai people use) and finely shredded cabbage for juicy stuff. Serve steak on bed of fine shredded cabbage and it will soak up the juice.

answered Jun 12 2010 at 17:14

Eric
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LiveForIt · Answer 7 · 2010-06-09 20:57:54Z UTC

I probably eat Thai food 2-3 times a week. Curry Dishes always, with green salads and shrimp/fish appetizers depending on who Im eating with.

They always bring out the rice, no matter how many times I tell them I do not need it. I just dont care for them anymore. Give me the veggies with the curry and I am good to go.

I think as you progress down the road, you will find your subconscious need for these SAD ingrained "media" carbs will slowly go away just as the cravings for sugar, grains, and the similar will.

archaea · Answer 8 · 2010-06-12 05:20:10Z UTC

This isn't really the best soaking-up medium in terms of absorbent power, but I often use lettuce when I want a vehicle for some sauce/fat/drippings. In particular, when I make a soup or broth with breast of lamb, the combination of a chunk of cold, crunchy lettuce (iceberg variety is best for this) dripping with hot lamb fat is absolutely heavenly! Somehow the temperature of the sauce seems to bring out more flavour in the lettuce too. I discovered it quite by accident but it's become a favourite of mine.

Usually, though, I just use a spoon or drink the fat directly, like most people have suggested. Or let the fat solidify and then break up little pieces to nibble on (though, really, animal fat is best eaten warm I think).

Oh, and marrow fat: spread it on a nice lean steak :) Liver pate: spread it on some cheese!

Nance · Answer 9 · 2011-12-29 00:37:52Z UTC

Nowadays I don't use plates as all my meals have a bone broth base. When I cook fresh vegetables--brussels sprouts tonight--I scoop a cup or two of broth out of the slow cooker and cook the vegetables in that. If I'm cooking raw meat I add the broth/cooked vegetables when the meat is nearly ready and turn the heat down.

The nice thing about eating out of bowls is that you can easily drink the last spoonful of broth. I have plates in my cupboards, but all I use are the bowls.

So, I don't miss the media carbs although I used to relish them. When you have brussels sprouts or other vegetables cooked in bone broth with 3 or 4 species of bones you don't need no stinkin' media carbs! :-))

syrahna · Answer 10 · 2011-12-29 03:08:18Z UTC

2

I like zucchini ribbons and finely shredded cabbage, myself. And eggs - fried eggs make a sort of base for juicy things!

answered Dec 29 2011 at 3:08

syrahna
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GiGiEats · Answer 11 · 2010-06-12 02:51:23Z UTC

1

Spaghetti Squash = my go to "soaker-uper!"

answered Jun 12 2010 at 2:51

GiGiEats
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How do you like to prep it? – Adam Crafter Jun 12 2010 at 9:57

1

I just cut open a raw one, scoop out the seeds & bake it... for about an hour or so at 350. Then when it cooks down, I scoop some out onto a baking dish and place a piece of salmon on top and broil until the salmon is done. The fish really infuses flavor into the squash, it's delish! – GiGiEats Jun 18 2010 at 3:47

xue · Answer 12 · 2010-08-08 10:10:19Z UTC

1) like already mentioned, steamed cauliflower + blend it, great sub

2) baby spinach. You could sautee it first in some butter, but I find usually the hot thing I just cooked right on top of some warms it enough for me

3) konjac/shirataki noodles. Make sure there's not too much moisture though, or else the sauces don't really stick. Also not very paleo

4) romaine lettuce for scooping/burger "buns"

5) nori as a wrapper

6) lightly steamed chopped celery. Great crunch to it too.

6) eat it straight. very slowly. enjoy :)

a mesmerizing trickster · Answer 13 · 2011-12-28 20:49:00Z UTC

1

Cheese crackers. http://www.joyfulabode.com/2010/04/25/low-carb-snacks-homemade-baked-cheese-crisps-recipe/

Get some FAT carrots and slice them diagonaly. You'll get some very round, large chips. The carrots at the farmer's market around here are so fat, 2 inches thick, I tell you!

Celery, you know celery, right?

You can use swiss chard, large spinach, green cabbage leaves (blanched), lettuce, to carry your fillings. It probably works with pate too.

Regarding your coconut braised beef, I find that roasted or mashed vegetables generally absorb the leftovers well.

The only thing I can't help you with, is bread to mop up the last bits of gravy or sauce. But bread here in America is so bad anyway, it never satisfied me to mop up sauces like Portuguese bread. So.... use your tongue!? :-D

edited Dec 28 2011 at 20:49

answered Dec 28 2011 at 20:42

a mesmerizing trickster
3,117●5●17

	Luisa, are you in Fall River? Just had to ask - my better half's family is from RI via the Azores. Any great Portuguese (Portagee, as his mom says) paleo recipes? My guy misses "good" linguiça. – syrahna Dec 29 2011 at 3:06
	No, I'm from Azores islands, but I'm living in Maine. I miss linguiça too, but thankfully you can buy Gaspar brand linguiça around here. Good enough shrug :-) I probably know as much about azorean food as you do :O My mother never taught me. But I like caldo verde, you can use turnip instead of potato, works pretty nicely. Caldo Verde is good fullbellies.blogspot.com/2011/04/caldo-verde.html but use collards or kale, not swiss chard, and roll the leaves very tightly between forefinger and thumb, slice paper thin. – a mesmerizing trickster Dec 29 2011 at 4:54
	This soup is really good too, needs more stock than the picture shows. Also, it doesn't need tomatoes. fullbellies.blogspot.com/2009/10/… – a mesmerizing trickster Dec 29 2011 at 4:55
	Bacalhau à Brás is a really good dish too if you like the olive + cod fish combo, but I don't have a recipe. :-O – a mesmerizing trickster Dec 29 2011 at 4:57

Steve E · Answer 14 · 2011-12-29 02:44:42Z UTC

1

Sesame Crackers...yum.

http://cavemanstrong.com/2010/10/paleo-sesame-crackers/

answered Dec 29 2011 at 2:44

Steve E
11●1

Those look good! I'll have to try them because I always loved sesame seed bagels and (of course) had to give them up. – Nance Dec 29 2011 at 2:51

AlohaSpeck · Answer 15 · 2011-12-29 14:00:22Z UTC

1

I cut courgette (zucchini) into tagliatelle size strips, blanch them in salted boiling water and use them instead of pasta in whatever pasta dish I made before. Works beautifully.

answered Dec 29 2011 at 14:00

AlohaSpeck
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Lutfisk · Answer 16 · 2011-12-28 19:13:48Z UTC

0

I use green beans in spaghetti sauce instead of spaghetti.

answered Dec 28 2011 at 19:13

Lutfisk
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What’s your paleo workaround for “media” carbs?

16 Answers