Rocket Salad with Steak, Roasted Eggplant & Dukkah-Crusted Pumpkin

Apologies for the lull here at Southern Spoon recently. We hosted my awesome sister in Sydney for a couple of weeks, after which I few straight to Iceland for work (fabulous fish, meat, soups, berries, etc-- see proof on my instagram feed @SouthernSpoon), then we moved house-- always an exhausting exercise, but our new kitchen makes up for it. It's big by inner-city standards, equipped with new appliances, and just around the corner from a great grocery store and Newtown, a central Sydney suburb known for its great cafes and restaurants. So goodbye to our tiny, 1970s vintage kitchen, and hello to white granite countertops and a new neighborhood of food and drinks to explore.

This simple salad is inspired by one over at Sydney-based blog Eat Drink Paleo (a beautiful blog of delicious, doable, whole food recipes-- highly recommended). Aussie salads are delicious: focused on seasonal produce without tons of dressing weighing them down, and this one is the perfect balance of textures and flavors. The slight sweetness of the dukkah-crusted pumpkin goes well with the savory steak and peppery rocket (aka arugula), and a simple olive oil and apple cider vinegar dressing is all the salad needs to bring the flavors together. Rather than eggplant, you could easily substitute bell pepper or tomatoes, cutting them into slices before roasting for 15-20 minutes.

paleo-friendly salad of rocket, steak, dukkah-crusted pumpkin, and roasted eggplant

This is delicious for lunch or dinner, and would make a great salad to transport to a barbeque or pot luck event, as the hardier rocket leaf holds up very well in a dressing, staying crisp for hours after it is made. The steak packs a protein punch, so this salad will fill you up and keep you satisfied till your next meal. It's paleo, gluten-free, and dairy-free, and allergy friendly for serving to a crowd (though careful about what nuts/seeds you use in the Dukkah if cooking for nut-sensitive eaters). Hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Rocket Salad with Steak, Roasted Peppers & Dukkah-Crusted Pumpkin
Serves 3-4 as a main course, 6-8 as a side
Inspired by Eat Drink Paleo

1.5 lbs (680 g) flank beef steak or other thin-cut of beef
pinch of freshly ground salt and pepper
3 teaspoons cooking oil (such as rice bran oil), divided use
2 cups rocket (arugula), rinsed and spun dry
2 cups diced pumpkin (kent, grey, butternut), about 1-inch squares
2 tablespoons dukkah (see my easy, homemade dukkah recipe here)
1 cup diced eggplant, about 1-inch squares

Vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 small clove garlic, minced
freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 215C / 420F, and line a baking sheet with baking paper.

In a large bowl, add 1 teaspoon of cooking oil and diced pumpkin, tossing to coat. Add the dukkah, and toss to coat the pumpkin evenly with the dukkah. Arrange the pumpkin and diced eggplant on the baking sheet lined with baking paper or greased well with oil, spreading out the vegetables so that the pieces aren't touching. (You may need to spread everything out over two baking trays). Place in pre-heated oven and cook at 215C / 420F for 18-25 minutes, turning over the pieces halfway through, until pumpkin is cooked through. (If the eggplant pieces are done earlier and beginning to brown, just remove them and set aside while the pumpkin continues to cook).

While the pumpkin and eggplant are cooking: season the steak on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a skillet to medium heat. When the skillet is hot, swirl 2 teaspoons cooking oil around to coat the skillet evenly. Add the steak, and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, till seared on the outside but still pink in the middle (medium), or to your desired level of doneness. Remove steak and set aside to rest for 5-10 minutes before thinly slicing across the grain into 1/4-inch thick slices.

Make a vinaigrette by whisking together the 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, and the minced garlic.

To assemble the salad: on a large serving platter or wide bowl, spread out the rocket leaves. Scatter the dukkah-crusted pumpkin and the roasted eggplant evenly over the leaves. Arrange the steak slices along the top of the salad, and drizzle the vinaigrette over the entire salad. Top with freshly ground pepper to taste. Serve immediately, or chill for up to 6 hours, and bring to room temperature before serving.

Leftover salad will keep for two days in the fridge in a sealed container.

Banana Muffins (gluten-free, grain-free)

I love whipping up a batch of muffins, savory or sweet, and that's something I've missed now that the hubs and I are focusing on lowering our carb intake in favor of more vegetables and protein. I've been pinning paleo-style and low-carb recipes like crazy for inspiration as we make up new dishes, and there are quite a few good-looking recipes out there for grain-free muffins. I've tried a few almondmeal-based muffins and have been very happy with the results-- they still rise a bit (not as much as a flour-based muffin), are moist and crumbly, and very satisfying after just one or two.

banana muffins, pale-style (grain-free goodness)

These banana bread-style muffins were a delicious component of our weekend breakfast, rounded out with eggs over easy and some crispy fried prosciutto. The muffins are plenty sweet with the banana and just a tablespoon of honey-- a perfect treat.

tender and just-sweet-enough banana muffins

This recipe is already grain-free and gluten free. To make it dairy-free just substitute melted coconut oil or your favorite cooking oil for the butter. I've listed my preferred mixture of warm spices, but feel free to use your favorite combination or a pumpkin pie spice mixture that adds up to one teaspoon. This makes a small batch of muffins, just six, but double the ingredients and divide between twelve muffin cups (same baking time) for a full dozen. 

For breakfast, dessert, or a sweet snack I'm sure you'll find these paleo-friendly muffins as delicious as we do. Happy (grain-free) baking! 

Banana Muffins (gluten-free, grain-free)

makes 6 muffins (double ingredients for 12)

Inspired by a number of paleo-friendly banana bread recipes

1 medium, ripe banana, mashed (about 1/2 cup mashed)

2 tablespoons melted butter or coconut oil

1 tablespoon honey

1 egg

1 cup almond meal 

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon coconut flour

2 tablespoons ground flaxseed (ground linseed)

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

dash of freshly ground sea salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 tablespoons chopped walnuts for topping (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 177C/ 350F, and grease 6 cups in a standard-sized muffin pan (or line with cupcake liners or baking paper).

In a small bowl, add the melted butter (or coconut oil), honey, and egg to the mashed banana. Stir thoroughly to combine.

In a medium sized bowl, add all of the remaining dry ingredients (almond meal through nutmeg), and stir to evenly combine. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and stir thoroughly to combine. 

Divide the mixture between 6 muffin cups (if desired, top with chopped walnuts), and bake at 177C/ 350F for 15-18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out without any batter on it (it may have a few crumbs). After removing from the oven, leave muffins to cool for at least 10 minutes before gently running a knife around the edges and removing them from the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature. 

Muffins will keep, stored in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge, for 3 to 4 days.

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

Honestly, the first time the hubs and I made and devoured cauliflower crust pizza, we both agreed it tasted better than normal pizza. It has a *flavor*, even if the texture isn't quite the same as a crispy thin-crust pie.

cauliflower crust pizza: low carb, huge flavor

I've made this base many times now, experimenting with slightly different methods, and can impart two key points of wisdom: 

1) you must steam the cauliflower and squeeze it out before you form the dough 

2) shredded cheese works better than any other substitutes for binding the dough 

So, apologies if you're not into cheese (sorry not sorry... great pizza has gotta have cheese). You can try an extra egg as substitute, but the crust won't hold together quite as well.

Below you'll find the recipe for cauliflower pizza crust, and then suggestions for topping combos and methods. This really is a delicious alternative to grain-based pizzas, and no more time-consuming than making a wheat-flour dough from scratch. Plus, low carb, higher veg = win, win. Enjoy!

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

makes 2 big pizza bases (about 12-inch diameter) 

1 large head cauliflower

1 egg

1/3 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, etc)

Optional: 1 teaspoon dried herbs (oregano, rosemary, parsley, marjaram, etc)

Baking paper to line your baking trays or pizza stones

Pre-heat oven to 215C / 420F. Place two baking trays or pizza stones into the oven as it heats. 

To prepare the cauliflower you have two options: 

1) place the heads (not stems) into a food processor and process until you achieve an even snow-like texture; OR 

2) grate the heads (holding the stems, don't grate the stems) using the large holes of a box grater, this is least messy if done over a large bowl. 

Place the grated cauliflower in a microwave-safe container, cover, and microwave for 4-6 minutes on high, stirring halfway through, until cauliflower is tender and piping hot. (Alternatively, you can place the cauliflower in a saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat, cover, and cook for 6-8 minutes).   Remove cauliflower from microwave, uncover, and let cool for at least 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to release steam.

Once the cauliflower is cool enough to handle, pour half of the cauliflower onto a clean, dry dishtowel. Gather the towel together so that the cauliflower is in a ball at the bottom, and wring the towel over a sink or bowl so that you extract as much liquid as possible. Place the squeeze-dried cauliflower into a bowl, and then repeat the twisting-wringing process with the remaining half of the steamed cauliflower.

To the squeeze-dried cauliflower, add the egg, shredded cheese, and, if desired, a teaspoon of dried herbs. Mix well to combine evenly. 

Remove the baking trays or pizza stones from the oven and line them with baking paper (or oil the trays generously... but note that using baking paper yields the best results). Divide the cauliflower dough into two equal portions, and, using your hands, carefully spread the portions out on the trays into a large, thin circle, about 12-14 inches wide. Pat together any holes that appear.

Place the crusts into the oven, and bake for 15-25 minutes at 215C / 420F, rotating the trays halfway through, until the crust is completely cooked through and browning well around the edges. Remove crusts from oven, add desired toppings, and return the pizzas to the oven for another 15 minutes, or until your toppings are done. Serve immediately.

Cauliflower Crust Pizza: Topping Suggestions

We find we like our toppings best if we sauté the vegetables in a pan for a few minutes, then place them onto the pre-baked cauliflower crust with the meat, top with shredded cheese, and bake again for a good 15-25 minutes at high heat (215C / 420F). But we pile our pies high.  If you're more minimalist in your toppings, placing them raw on the pre-baked crust, topping with cheese, and baking 15-25 minutes at 215C / 420F will be sufficient.

Because we have food sensitivities to tomatoes in our house, we simply spread a little olive oil over the crust before piling on the toppings. But of course you can use tomato sauce for a traditional pizza base.

The amounts below are for *one* pizza, double amounts for two pizzas.

Chicken-Avo

1 cup chopped, cooked rotisserie chicken 

half of an avocado, thinly sliced

1 thinly sliced red or yellow bell pepper (capsicum)

1 cup baby spinach leaves

1/2 thinly sliced purple onion

2 cloves minced garlic

1/3 cup shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese

a few dashes of Cholula or another mild chili sauce to top

Prawn-Brie

1 cup cooked prawns

3.5 oz (100 g) brie, diced into 1-inch chunks

1/2 thinly sliced purple onion

2 cloves minced garlic

big handful of fresh basil leaves

freshly ground pepper

Prosciutto-Olive

3-4 slices prosciutto, torn or cut into pieces

1/2 thinly sliced purple onion

1 cup baby spinach leaves or rocket/arugula

1/2 cup thinly sliced button mushrooms

2-3 tablespoons chopped ripe (black) olives

1 tablespoon capers

1/3 cup shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese

freshly ground pepper