Paleo Plantain Beef Pie
Paleo Plantain Beef Pie. Holy cow! After I put this dish in the oven on Sunday afternoon, I had to go down the street to the market for a couple of ingredients for another recipe. I came back 15 minutes later to the most amazing smells wafting out of my apartment.
Paleo Plantain Beef Pie. Holy cow! After I put this dish in the oven on Sunday afternoon, I had to go down the street to the market for a couple of ingredients for another recipe. I came back 15 minutes later to the most amazing smells wafting out of my apartment.
- 3 eggs
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon water
- coconut oil for frying
- 1 leaf
- chopped cilantro for garnish optional
- 1 pound (500 grams) grass-fed ground beef
- 1/3 cup diced red pepper
- 1/2 an onion diced
- 4 ounce (120 ml) can diced mild green chilis
- 1 cup (240 ml) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 1/4 cup (120 ml) tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons dried currants (or raisins)
- 2 tablespoons chopped olives (green or black)
- 1/2 teaspoon achiote or paprika
- 4 –5 large slightly ripe plantains (some yellow, some dark spots)
- Carbohydrate 5.95714666666667 g
- Cholesterol 4.9 mg
- Fat 1.08017333333333 g
- Fiber 0.0176666666666667 g
- Protein 4.06205 g
- Saturated Fat 0.671953333333333 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (322g)
- Sodium 419.785166666667 mg
- Sugar 5.93948 g
- Trans Fat 0.0552183333333335 g
- Calories 50 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease the inside of an 8" x 8" baking dish with coconut oil and set aside.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the ground beef completely. Lower the heat and to the same skillet, add the red pepper, onion and bay leaf. Cook for 4–5 minutes until the veggies are softened.
- Add the green chilis, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, currants, olives, apple cider vinegar, paprika, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and simmer for 10 more minutes. While this is cooking, start the plantains. (Remove the bay leaf before assembling the pie.)
- Peel and slice the plantains into ½” diagonal pieces. To peel, cut off both ends and slice through the skin lengthwise, then peel off in sections. If any skin remains, trim it off with a knife.
- In another skillet (I like cast iron for this task) over medium heat, add a couple tablespoons of coconut oil and begin to brown the plantains in a single layer, about 2 minutes per side. You’ll have to do this a few times until all the plantains are golden brown. Caution: If you walk away or get distracted, these will easily burn. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and water.
- Now you’re ready to assemble the pie. In the bottom of the dish, spread half the meat/veggie mixture. Pour ½ of the beaten egg on top. Place plantains in a single layer on top of the egg. Repeat the layers one more time and top with the remaining ½ of the beaten egg. (To summarize: Meat – egg – plantain – meat – egg – plantain – egg.)
- Bake for about 45 minutes or until the eggs are set. Let sit for 10 minutes before you slice into the pie.
My Unexpected Culinary Adventure: A Paleo Plantain Beef Pie Story
As a busy professional woman, juggling work, social life, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can feel like a constant uphill battle. Finding time for cooking, let alone creating something truly delicious and nutritious, often falls to the bottom of my to-do list. This past Sunday, however, that all changed. I’d stumbled across a recipe for a Paleo Plantain Beef Pie, and something about the combination of savory beef and sweet plantains intrigued me. Little did I know that this simple recipe would lead to an unexpected culinary adventure, and a surprisingly flavorful and satisfying meal.
The initial preparation was straightforward enough. I browned the grass-fed beef – always a priority for me, ensuring quality and health benefits – and sautéed the vegetables. The vibrant colours of the red pepper and onion, along with the subtle heat from the green chilis, were promising signs of the deliciousness to come. Preparing the plantains, however, proved to be a slightly more challenging task. The recipe suggested slicing them diagonally, and while relatively easy, it required a bit more finesse than I initially anticipated. But the effort was well worth it. Watching those plantains caramelize in the skillet, turning a beautiful golden brown, was mesmerizing. The aroma alone was worth the effort – a comforting blend of sweet and savory, perfectly hinting at the deliciousness awaiting me.
The assembling of the pie was the most creative part of the process. Layering the meat mixture, the subtly sweet plantains, and the binding egg mixture was almost meditative. It felt like building a small culinary masterpiece, layer upon layer of flavour and texture. And then, the moment of truth – slipping the creation into the oven. The anticipation was almost unbearable. The next 45 minutes felt like an eternity, the aroma growing richer and more inviting with every passing moment. When I finally took it out of the oven, the beautiful golden-brown top promised the warm, comforting meal I craved after a long week. The texture was unexpectedly delightful – a perfect balance of tender beef, slightly sweet plantains, and a subtly eggy binding agent that held it all together.
This wasn’t just a meal; it was an experience. A reminder that even amidst a busy schedule, taking the time to create something nourishing and delicious for myself is an act of self-care. It's a small rebellion against the daily grind, a moment to connect with food in a way that transcends mere sustenance. It's about appreciating the simple pleasures of cooking and savouring the rewards of a carefully prepared meal. And the Paleo Plantain Beef Pie? It was absolutely delicious. It was a revelation: a surprisingly easy, incredibly tasty, and remarkably satisfying dish that's now firmly cemented in my recipe repertoire. I highly recommend it for anyone looking for a delicious and satisfying, yet surprisingly simple, meal.
The ingredients were simple, readily available, and aligned perfectly with my paleo lifestyle. I love the fact that this dish is both healthy and flavourful, a testament to the power of simple, wholesome ingredients. The next time you are looking for a quick, yet sophisticated, meal that satisfies your taste buds and your commitment to healthy eating, give this recipe a try. You won't be disappointed.
And the best part? The leftovers were just as delicious the next day, making it a perfect meal-prep option. It’s a dish I’ll definitely be making again, and again, and again.
Ingredients:
- 3 eggs
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon water
- Coconut oil for frying
- 1 leaf, chopped cilantro for garnish (optional)
- 1 pound (500 grams) grass-fed ground beef
- 1/3 cup diced red pepper
- 1/2 an onion, diced
- 4 ounce (120 ml) can diced mild green chilis
- 1 cup (240 ml) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 1/4 cup (120 ml) tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons dried currants (or raisins)
- 2 tablespoons chopped olives (green or black)
- 1/2 teaspoon achiote or paprika
- 4–5 large slightly ripe plantains (some yellow, some dark spots)
