Whether you are just starting out on a ketogenic diet or looking to add more delicious keto dinners to your menu, you will love these super simple recipes from Pete Evans that taste amazing and will help you reap the many benefits of ketosis.
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Southern fried chicken
There is chicken and then there is southern fried chicken from the US of A! Never has chicken tasted better: there is something just so pleasurable about biting through a crispy outer crust to find juicy melt-in-the-mouth chicken and a combination of spices that dance on your tastebuds. I encourage you to give this a go one weekend and get the whole family involved in the process so it becomes a team event.
Ingredients
4 eggs
2 tbsp almond milk
150g hemp or tapioca flour, for coating
1 x 1.8 kg chicken, cut into 10 pieces
coconut oil or good-quality animal fat*, for deep-frying
200g aioli
80ml hot sauce
sea salt
lemon wedges, to serve
Spice mix:
3 tbsp psyllium husks
30g tapioca flour
200g almond meal
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp sweet paprika
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180C.
2. Place all the spice mix ingredients in a shallow bowl and mix well.
3. Whisk the eggs and almond milk in another shallow bowl. Place the hemp or tapioca flour in a third bowl.
4. One at a time, toss the chicken pieces in the flour and dust off the excess. Then dip in the egg mixture, followed by the spice mixture, turning and pressing gently to coat thoroughly.
5. Add enough coconut oil or animal fat to fill a large saucepan by one-third and heat to 160C over medium-high heat. (To test, drop a small piece of chicken into the oil - it should bubble instantly around the edges.) Add the chicken in batches and fry for three to four minutes until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel. Transfer the chicken to a baking tray and roast for 10-15 minutes until cooked through.
6. Spoon the aioli into a small serving bowl, then swirl through the hot sauce.
7. Season the chicken with salt and serve with the aioli dipping sauce and the lemon wedges on the side.
Serves 4-6.
Blue swimmer crab linguine
This is one dish I must have cooked tens of thousands of times when I owned my restaurant. In the restaurant, I used butter and fresh pasta, but these days I use paleo or keto noodles or spiralised vegetables instead. I have also changed the fat, but the end result is still amazing. If you can't find good-quality crabmeat, use fish or any other seafood you fancy.
Ingredients
80ml melted ghee or good-quality animal fat
6 garlic cloves, sliced
4 French shallots, sliced
2 bird's eye chillies, finely chopped
1 bunch of coriander, roots, stalks and leaves chopped separately, plus extra sprigs to serve
3 tbsp fish sauce
500ml chicken bone broth
24 cherry tomatoes, halved
4 large zucchini (about 600g), spiralised into thin noodles
250 g cooked blue swimmer crabmeat
lime wedges, to serve
Method
1. Heat the ghee or fat in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, shallot, chilli and chopped coriander root and sauté for about five minutes until just softened.
2. Add the fish sauce to the pan and cook for about 30 seconds to release the flavour. Tip in the broth and tomato halves, then increase the heat to medium-high and cook for eight to 10 minutes until the sauce is reduced and thickened.
3. Add the zucchini noodles to the pan and toss through the sauce. Cook for one minute, then add the crabmeat and the rest of the chopped coriander. Serve with the coriander sprigs and a squeeze of lime.
Serves 4.
Spiced eggplant and pork mince
Anything made with pork mince is a winner, but when it comes to Chinese-flavoured pork mince, we are talking a whole other level. This classic dish is a wonderful combination of eggplant, pork and garlic. The key when working with eggplant is to cook it all the way through so it becomes super tender.
Ingredients
600g pork mince
3 tbsp shaoxing wine
1 tbsp tamari or coconut aminos
3 tbsp coconut oil or good-quality animal fat
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
6 Chinese eggplants, halved lengthways, then quartered
125ml chicken bone broth
3 handfuls of baby spinach leaves
1 tsp sesame oil
1 handful of coriander leaves
kimchi, to serve
6-8 quick pickled garlic cloves (page 176), crushed
Sauce:
2 tsp tapioca flour, mixed with 2 tbsp water
125ml chicken bone broth
2 tbsp fermented chilli sambal
1 tsp honey
2 tsp fish sauce
1 tbsp pickling liquid from quick pickled garlic (page 176)
1 1/2 tsp tamari or coconut aminos
Method
1. Place the pork mince in a bowl, add the shaoxing wine and tamari or coconut aminos and set aside to marinate.
2. Heat two tablespoons of the coconut oil or animal fat in a large saucepan over medium heat, add half the garlic and ginger and sauté for one minute, or until fragrant. Add the eggplant and broth and cover with the lid. Cook for three minutes, or until the eggplant is half cooked through.
3. Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil or fat in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the remaining garlic and ginger and cook for one minute, or until fragrant. Add the pork mince mixture and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up the lumps, for 10 minutes, or until browned.
4. Combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
5. Stir the sauce into the pork and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for five minutes, or until the sauce thickens.
6. Pour the mince and sauce over the eggplant, cover and simmer over medium-low heat for five minutes. Gently stir in the spinach, cover and cook for a further five minutes, or until the eggplant is cooked through. Drizzle over the sesame oil.
7. Scatter the coriander leaves over the mince and, for a little more spice and probiotic goodness, serve with kimchi and pickled garlic on the side.
Serves 4.
Quick pickled garlic
Ingredients
8 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
125ml apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
Method
1. Place all the ingredients in a small saucepan, add two tablespoons of water and bring to a summer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover with the lid and gently simmer for 15 minutes, or until semi-tender. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely. Strain, reserving the pickling liquid if need be.
Vietnamese beef skewers
A good simple marinade to flavour a piece of meat, plus a salad on the side, is all it takes for a terrific meal. I have chosen to use Vietnamese aromatics and a Vietnamese-inspired salad here, but feel free to use whatever spices or aromatics you have on hand. I love the Vietnamese take on this as it is fresh, vibrant, spicy and a little tangy, making you want to go back for more ... and more.
Ingredients
700g beef eye fillet, cut into 2.5 cm cubes
coconut oil or good-quality animal fat, for greasing
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 handful of mint leaves
1 handful of coriander leaves
1 handful of Vietnamese mint leaves
1 handful of bean sprouts
3 tbsp crispy shallots
3 tbsp chopped roasted cashews
Vietnamese pickled carrot, cucumber and daikon, to serve
Vietnamese dressing:
1 tbsp finely grated ginger
1 tbsp finely chopped coriander roots and stalks
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 bird's eye chillies, deseeded and chopped
80ml lime juice
2 tablespoons tamari or coconut aminos*
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 lemongrass stem, pale part only, finely chopped
1 tsp sesame oil
80ml extra-virgin olive oil
Method
1. Soak eight bamboo skewers in warm water for 20 minutes before using (or use metal skewers).
2. Thread three to four beef cubes onto each skewer and set aside on a tray.
3. Combine all the Vietnamese dressing ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Set aside.
4. Pour half the dressing over the skewers, cover and marinate in the fridge for two hours or, for best results, overnight. Place the remaining dressing in the fridge.
5. When you are ready to serve, heat a barbecue grill plate to medium-hot or a large chargrill pan over medium-high heat.
6. Grease with a little coconut oil or animal fat. Season the skewers with salt and pepper and cook for two minutes on each side, or until cooked to your liking. Remove from the heat and leave to rest in a warm place for five minutes.
7. Meanwhile, mix the herbs and bean sprouts in a bowl, then arrange on a platter. Add the skewers, spoon over the reserved dressing and sprinkle on the crispy shallots and cashews. Serve with the pickled carrot, cucumber and daikon on the side.
Serves 4.
Recipes from Easy Keto DInners, by Pete Evans. Plum, $26.99.