Eat Smart, Feel
Good---get your game on!
My guests (guests of Beyond the Bull, that is) often ask what
I mean by “eating smart”. All of my
customers assume correctly that it refers to a healthier nutritional diet, but
none seem to agree on just what that is.
For some, eating healthy means eating low fat, for others it means the
Paleo way, still others assume counting calories or less sugar. But, it is none of those. At BTB, “eating smart” means eating a diet
consisting of at least 60% alkaline producing foods, foods which happen to be
anti-inflammatory as well. So, to help
our customers reach the 60% on every plate, we prepare a variety of substantial
vegetable dishes like ratatouille and sautéed zucchini, eliminate refined
grains and added sugar, and offer fresh salsas as well as alternative
proteins---those found to be less acid forming than the commonly served pork,
lamb, beef and deep fried fish dishes we Americans can’t seem to live
without.
Since all animal protein and grains are acid producing, it is
difficult for those of us who are used to eating meals based on them as the center of the plate ingredients, to
satisfy our need to eat what we were served when growing up. Well, we don’t have to give them up totally
and become vegetarians. We just need to
eat fewer and smarter. Most of us eat
far too much protein anyway. So, instead
of an 8 or 12 ounce portion of steak, cut it down to 4 or 5 ounces and load up
on a variety of vegetables and alkaline producing salsas like those served at
BTB, tomato salsa fresca, chimichurri, sauces made from chilis, herbs and
fruits like blueberries, figs, lemons, sour cherries,
cilantro or parsley,
cucumbers and garlic. There is another
way as well, and that is to choose animal protein wisely. Not all meat is equal. One of the less acidic producing varieties is
game meats.
These animals are considered hunting animals, and forage or
graze for their food. Having lived in
Maine for 25 years, I am familiar with the meat of the deer and moose, and have
on occasion tried bison. All three make
an excellent chili when cooked in an acid like tomatoes and wine, paired with
chili peppers and cooked using a long, slow stewing method. Rabbit was one of my favorite dishes when
growing up, and ever since culinary school I have had a love affair with duck,
but I am unfamiliar with the likes of ostrich, elk, alligator, kangaroo and yak. Although less acid producing than beef or
pork, game meats are still on the acid producing side. Therefore, like all of the other animal proteins, game meats should be eaten in a portion
size no larger than the size of your fist, and never equal to more than 40% of the
plate, even less if grains are included.
And as always, cook and pair the animal protein with as many alkaline
forming ingredients as possible.
Here, in this recipe for venison loin, I use chilis, sour
cherries, herbs and shitake mushrooms to boost the alkalinity, and pair the
venison with a plateful of garlic sautéed broccoli rabe and a side of great
northern white beans and caramelized onion.
Add a fresh salsa made from any of your favorite vegetables, vinegar and
spices and you will be rewarded with an eat
smart meal that makes you feel good.
Or, if you would rather someone else do the cooking, you can always take out or eat in at Beyond the Bull, open now for lunch and dinner Tuesday to Saturday.
Chocolate, chili, cherry venison
Yield : 4
servings
Preparation Time : 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
1 1
to 1- ½ pound venison loin, cut in two to four equal pieces for more even
cooking and more exposed surface for marinating
2 cups red wine
3 bay
leaves
2 sprigs of thyme (remove some leaves for
garnish)
1 ancho chili, seeds removed and crumbled
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
4 cups beef stock
1/4 cup dark chocolate (minimum cocoa of
70%)
Sea salt
Crushed black pepper
Garlic granules
Canola oil
16 ounces of shitakes, sliced
Sour cherries, crushed with seed removed
Lemon wedges for garnish
Directions
In a large stainless mixing bowl, combine the wine, bay
leaves, thyme, garlic and ancho chili.
Add the meat , cover and marinate in refrigerator overnight. Turn the pieces part way through. Remove and pat dry. Let the venison come to room temperature before
cooking. Do not discard the marinade.
In a sauce pan combine the marinade and beef stock. Bring it to a boil and let it reduce by half
then half again to the desired consistency of a sauce. Remove the bay leaves, garlic and thyme. Add the chocolate then puree to blend in the
chili. Stir in the cherries and set the
sauce aside, keeping it warm.
Pat each piece of loin with salt, pepper and garlic
granules. Coat the bottom of a sauté pan
with canola oil. When the oil ripples,
add the venison pieces and brown on all sides.
The pan must be hot enough for the meat to sizzle when placed in the
oil. When all sides are caramelized,
move the pan into the oven at 425 degrees and roast for 5 to 10 minutes
uncovered. The meat should be served
rare on the inside. Remove it when the
temperature reaches 115 degrees and let it rest while the temperature reaches
120. Cut it into thin slices, against
the grain on a diagonal.
For the mushrooms, add a small amount of canola oil to the
same pan. Cook quickly over high heat
and serve. The mushrooms will pick up
all the little bit of caramelized venison from the bottom of the pan.
Recommended Service: Make a bed of garlic sautéed broccoli
rabe. Place the venison slices on top,
cover with mushrooms and drizzle with chocolate, chili, cherry sauce. Garnish with thyme leaves and lemon
wedges. Serve with a side of white
beans and caramelized onions. A glass of
Zinfandel wine is an excellent accompaniment to the chocolate, chili, cherry
venison.
Buon Appetito e Buona Salute, Chef AngelaB
Beyond the Bulll (an "eat
smart" kitchen)
P.S. Both
my first book AS GOOD AS IT GETS, COOKING
SKILLS FOR LIFE, VOLUME 1
( a how to
primer for the first time cook) and my latest book GOOD FOOD BAD FOOD, COOKING SKILLS FOR LIFE, VOLUME 2 (all about
the anti-aging diet with many more recipes like the one above) are both
available now on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
Or if you are looking for an “eat smart” kitchen for lunch or dinner,
stop by BTB in Central, SC and while you are there, pick up a signed copy.
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To me, Thanksgiving is all about tradition. At Beyond the Bull, we are about to start a new one, right here in the town of Central where we will hopefully stay for many years to come. Beyond the Bull has joined with the Marine Corps Reserve in the first annual Thanksgiving Benefit Dinner for Toys for Tots of Pickens 
cucumber slices.
