Keto

Can’t find Old Bay Rub? Try this recipe using Old Bay Seasoning (the 30% less sodium variety, if possible) instead of the rub, which has less salt, and a hint of sugar. Just be aware that using Old Bay Seasoning—even the less-sodium variety—will increase the sodium in this dish. When you’re selecting your salmon, always try to buy the thickest fillets possible (fillets closer to the head of the fish, not the tail). The tail is constantly whipping around, “working out,” so the meat there tends to be less tender. I try to use wild salmon as much as possible because it’s more natural and because it’s lower in fat and calories. But that’s often cost-prohibitive, since it’s a lot more rare. It’s also tougher to find in some parts of the country. Either wild-caught or farm-raised salmon is fine for this recipe, but using farm-raised adds 1.5 grams of fat and 12 calories per ounce.

Wooden grill planks are becoming easier and easier to find these days. Stores like Target, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Wal-Mart, and K-Mart all carry them. If you can’t find them in a store, they are available for purchase online at amazon.com. Just be sure to pay attention to the type of wood the plank is made from—different varieties of wood give the food a different flavor. And make sure you read the instructions enclosed with the planks for proper cleaning and care.

I’ve encountered many people who are shocked that I eat real pork bacon, being that I’ve kept off fifty-five pounds for close to twenty years. Others are shocked that I include it in my cookbooks. The interesting thing to realize is that center-cut bacon—real pork bacon that’s 35 to 40 percent leaner than other pork bacon—is often as lean as most turkey bacon, yet it tastes like real bacon because it is. The flavor is much stronger than turkey bacon and doesn’t have that turkey aftertaste many brands of turkey bacon do. When buying fish, I often opt for frozen individually wrapped fillets. They’re usually fresher than those I find at the fish counter, and I buy them when they go on sale so I can always have some handy in my freezer.

I love pesto, but unfortunately, it’s typically made with a shocking amount of oil and is thus very fattening. Luckily, I’ve discovered other ways to enjoy the flavor of pesto without the fat and calories. Using herbs from a tube or frozen herbs works really well on this chicken to give it that classic pesto flavor without the fat . . . and without a lot of work. Please note that if you buy frozen herbs, you should measure them out yourself before using them in recipes. I’ve found that a 1-teaspoon block of herbs is rarely an actual teaspoon.

This London broil has a wonderfully subtle flavor and is particularly great for folks who love mild foods. Though, unlike the other London broil recipes in this book, it doesn’t make the best sandwich leftovers. The leftovers are, however, great for salads, rice bowls, or other Asian-inspired favorites. Though I always love the added flavor that an outdoor grill provides, as a second option, this London broil can be prepared under a broiler for 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare, or longer until the desired doneness is reached.

It can be a bit tricky to spread the cheese over the cucumber because the cucumber pieces are so moist. But this super-simple snack is more than worth the mini-challenge!

When making these “wings,” be sure your pan is piping hot and the chicken isn’t overcrowded. The tenders should brown on the outside, and there should be no liquid in the pan as they cook to yield optimum—that is, decadent—results.

I love omelets, and this is one of my all-time favorites. Feel free to use any variety of olives here. No matter which you pick, you’ll have a great result.

These frittatas are ridiculously easy, especially if you consider how elegant they look. I’ve served them numerous times to last-minute brunch guests . . . and on those mornings where I just needed a hot, high-protein breakfast without any fuss. Do note it’s important to let the frittatas rest a couple of minutes before serving. You need to give the egg a chance to set a bit before eating. Also, when crumbling goat cheese, it’s best that it’s cold (it’s not a bad idea to freeze it slightly). When goat cheese is room temperature or only slightly chilled, it’s softer and thus tends not to crumble well. Also, 16 large egg whites or 2 cups 100% liquid egg whites can be swapped in for the egg substitute if preferred. Add 2 large egg whites or 1/4 cup 100% liquid egg whites to each cup of the muffin tin, and then follow the instructions below.

Gina: Like many of our favorite recipes, this one comes with a story, and, girl, I’m not about to let you down, because this is a tale of seduction. This is one of the recipes I made for Pat when I was courting him (and, most important, his stomach). The key to this dish is the scent it gives off while simmering on the stovetop. The minute your man walks in the house and gets a whiff, well, it’s game over (you may not even make it to the dinner table, hon!). It’s not a typical Southern dish—the chicken is essentially poached in tomato sauce and fresh herbs—but the end result is chicken that’s as tender as any rib that has been smoked for hours over a hickory pit. I use chicken thighs, because the dark meat is flavorful and moist, but you can also use chicken breasts if you are cooking for a breast man (who said that?!?). The result—well, we’re still married, aren’t we? We’re not courting anymore, but I still turn to this recipe when I need to get Pat around to my way of thinking—like when he discovers that Gucci bag I’ve splurged on! Ladies, handle your business and rule the house. Your man will never look at you the same.

Gina: I’m always surprised to discover that folks in these parts tend to cook turnip and mustard greens more often than collard greens. I think the perception is that collards tend to be a little bitter. But I gotta tell you, you’re sleeping on this one! Rich in vitamins and nutrients, collard greens are actually the sweetest, best-tasting leaves you can buy (turnip and mustard greens, on the other hand, have a slightly spicy, peppery taste). In this recipe, the deep, full flavor of the collard greens along with a bit of sugar and some heat from the red-pepper flakes create an irresistible sweet-and-hot pot of goodness, while the ham hocks add a note of smoke that balances out the other flavors. Pat can’t get enough of these sweet greens. Trust me on this one, ladies—this is the recipe that’ll bring your man home every night! Five bunches of collards might seem like a lot of greens, but these jokers will cook down to a fraction of their original size.

I’m sure this dish will take you back, whether you make it with “Italian” string beans (those flat wide ones), regular string beans, or the more expensive, thinner haricots verts. It isn’t necessary to start with a long-simmered tomato sauce for these beans; in fact, the flavor will be fresher with this quick-cooked marinara made right in the pan. The acidity of the tomatoes will turn the string beans a sort of olive green. That doesn’t bother me at all—it reminds me of the way my grandmother cooked vegetables. Maybe they weren’t the brightest-green vegetables I’ve ever seen, but they certainly were the most delicious.

If you’re in the habit of throwing away broccoli stems, or even saving them for soup, I’d like you to try cooking broccoli this way. The stems are delicious, and if you peel them, they’ll cook in the same time as the florets. Nothing could be simpler than this way of preparing broccoli—after a quick boiling, just plunk the pieces into the hot oil and let them go till they’re tender. You can skip the boiling step and add the raw broccoli directly to the oil and garlic, keeping more of the nutrients intact. In that case, add some water to the skillet along with the broccoli, and add more from time to time as they cook.

You can chop the chard stems coarsely and cook them in the oil and garlic for a minute or two before adding the chard leaves, or you can save them to serve as a side dish for a separate meal. In that case, trim them, cut them into 3-inch lengths, and cook them for a minute or two in boiling salted water. Drain them, press them gently to flatten them out, then either sauté them in a little olive oil, or coat them with flour, eggs, and bread crumbs and fry them. Either way they are delicious, with a flavor like cardi or cardoons—a very Italian vegetable with a flavor that is a cross between artichokes and celery.

This was one of the first dishes that brought the taste of contemporary Italy to the Italian-American restaurant scene. It came into vogue in the early seventies when red radicchio and arugula became available in the States. While the Italians will toss any vegetable in their salads, I think the addition of endive was a play on the color of the red, green, and white Italian flag. This salad is a great base for additions, from walnuts and pine nuts to different cheeses and cold cuts, such as salami or turkey, and even fish such as tuna, shrimp, or poached whitefish.

I love this salad—it’s so fresh and clean-tasting. Sometimes I make a meal of it. Because I really want you to make this salad, I’m calling for store-bought fillets. But if you have a whole striped bass that you’ve filleted, this salad is a great way to use odds and ends from the fish. Poach the fish head and the belly parts you’ve trimmed from the fillets in the court bouillon. Remove the meat from the cheeks and along the top of the head, and trim the bellies of bones and skin. I like the crushed red pepper to be conspicuous in this salad, so don’t be afraid to use it. Start with about 1/2 teaspoon and go from there. And don’t throw the cooking liquid out: save it to make the salad nice and juicy. You could use crabmeat or even chicken instead, I guess, but white fish, like the bass, is perfect prepared this way.

This aromatic puree is designed to be a base ingredient and is a great way to build flavor and texture without adding fat. It eliminates the need to add a lot of butter and cream to Macaroni and Cheese with a Crusty Crunch (page 174), for instance. You can stir it into just about any sauce or soup for a fat-free flavor punch.