Clean out the Ice Box

Clean out the Ice Box

It’s more of the “paleo” diet, which I like, as the simple version is “No grains, no high-fructose corn syrup,” like a modified Atkins, or South Beach, low-carb, high-protein eating plan. Works well.

Dinner, the other night, on a “clean out the ice box” plan.

On a medium-low heat, I browned a quarter pound of lean local beef, with a teaspoon of cumin, a chopped clove of garlic, pink salt, cilantro, onion, a huge jalapeño sliced up, and a teaspoon of olive oil. As the meat began to brown and dry, I added the secret ingredient: that last shot of coffee.

I use a French Press, most mornings. The last cup, the last half cup, the last quarter cup, I let it sit on the kitchen counter after noon, and there’s maybe two tablespoons of liquid, but the bottom half is a fine sludge of coffee grounds, sort of a liquid mud. As the beef dries out, the coffee adds some moisture.

Then, it was “clean out the ice box” time, I had a half dozen key limes, so I squeezed their juices into the pan.

The final bit, after this gets almost crunchy, I added a diced chicken breast and the last free-range spinach leafs, with chopped basil. Turn it to low and simmer for a few more minutes.