The Ancestral Table: Traditional Recipes for a Paleo Lifestyle by Russ Crandall Page B

their natural sweetness, parsnips were often served sweetened with honey or in fruitcakes for dessert.
    Parsnip puree is just the start when it comes to puréed root vegetables. Turnips, carrots, sweet potatoes, celery root, and rutabaga can all be puréed (alone or in combinations) to delicious effect using the method below.
    SERVES: 6   PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES   COOKING TIME: 50 MINUTES
    2 LBS. PARSNIPS, CUT INTO LARGE CHUNKS
    4 CLOVES GARLIC
    10 BLACK PEPPERCORNS
    2 BAY LEAVES
    6 TBSP. BUTTER, CUBED
    1/2 TSP. GROUND NUTMEG
    1 TSP. SEA SALT
    1. Place the parsnips in a large pot. Wrap the garlic, peppercorns, and bay leaves in cheesecloth and tie together, then add to the pot. Fill the pot with water until the parsnips are covered by 1". Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until easily pierced with a fork, about 40 minutes.
    2. Drain the parsnips and discard the cheesecloth. Purée the parsnips, in batches if needed, with a food processor or an immersion blender. Stir in the butter, nutmeg, and salt, and whip with a potato masher or whisk until smooth. Add more salt and butter to taste.

Tostones
    Tostones are twice-fried plantains. The dish is common in many Central and South American countries, although it is sometimes known by other names.
    Plantains and bananas are different varieties from the same parent plant. The banana plant originated in the eastern Indonesian islands as many as 9,000 years ago, where it spread throughout Asia before making its way to Africa. Portuguese sailors brought banana plants from West Africa to the Americas in the 16th century, and bananas and plantains have been an important part of Central and South American cuisine ever since.
    SERVES: 4   PREP TIME: 5 MINUTES   COOKING TIME: 25 MINUTES
    3-4 MOSTLY GREEN PLANTAINS (A FEW RIPE SPOTS ARE OKAY)
    1/4 CUP COCONUT OIL
    SALT TO TASTE
    1. Peel and slice the plantains into 1" slices, slicing along the peel with a sharp knife to make peeling easier. Heat the oil in a skillet on medium-low heat until hot, about 3 minutes. Add the plantains and partially fry, turning every 30-60 seconds, about 3 minutes per piece. They will turn bright yellow as they fry; be careful not to brown them. Drain on paper towels as you fry them in batches, and let cool.
    2. Smash the plantains to about 1/2" thickness. A tostonera is a smashing device made of 2 boards joined by a hinge, with a divot for the plantain; while a tostonera makes the job easy, you can also smash the plantains between 2 paper bags using the bottom of a plate.
    3. Once your plantains are smashed, re-fry them. Reheat the oil on medium heat until hot, then add the smashed plantains. Fry on each side until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels, sprinkle with salt to taste, and serve.



Pão de Queijo
(Brazilian Cheese Buns)
    Pão de queijo is a traditional cheese bun popular in South America, especially in Brazil. The dish has been around since the 17th century and was made with just tapioca starch and water before the widespread domestication of cattle in Brazil during the 19th century led to the addition of cheese. Today, it’s a popular breakfast food and can be found in most bakeries in Brazil.
    Tapioca starch is often labeled as tapioca flour, cassava starch, or yuca starch; they are all the same thing.
    SERVES: 6 PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES COOKING TIME: 20 MINUTES
    1 1/2 CUPS TAPIOCA STARCH
    1/4 CUP HEAVY CREAM
    1/4 CUP WATER
    1 TBSP. BUTTER
    1/2 TSP. SEA SALT
    1 EGG, BEATEN
    1/2 CUP GRATED HARD CHEESE (SUCH AS PARMESAN OR SHARP CHEDDAR)
    1. Put the tapioca starch in a large mixing bowl and set aside. In a saucepan, combine the cream, water, butter, and salt and warm on medium-low heat. Once the butter melts and the liquid just starts to bubble, remove from the heat and stir it into the tapioca starch. Let the mixture cool for 5 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
    2. Add the beaten egg to the mixture and knead with your hands. Add the cheese and mix together