Michael Silverstein - New Comfort Cooking: Homestyle Keto Recipes that Wont Bust Your Belt or Wallet

Celebrity Chef and Author of New Keto Cooking

Copyright 2021 Michael Silverstein

First published in 2021 by

Page Street Publishing Co.

27 Congress Street, Suite 105

Salem, MA 01970

www.pagestreetpublishing.com

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

eISBN 978-1-64567-457-3

Our eBooks may be purchased in bulk for promotional, educational, or business use. Please contact the Macmillan Corporate and Premium Sales Department at 1-800-221-7945, extension. 5442, or by e-mail at .

Library of Congress Control Number: 2021931966

Cover design by Page Street Publishing Co.

Photography by Michael Silverstein

Cover Photography by Dan Galvan

Chef Michael Logo by Artsy Tessy

Sanyu Kyeyune, Contributing Editor

The symphony of the pots and pans clanging and the distinct smell of the onions cooking are still vivid to me, as I remember the hours my mom spent perfecting her chicken soup () during the holidays.

Despite both of my parents busy work schedules, family dinner every night was not up for debate. I think back to that one time of the day we would all spend together, talking, eating, and, for my sisters and me, skillfully dodging the age-old question, How was school today? These moments taught me that sharing a meal is how you say I love you to the important people in your life.

Today, nothing brings me more joy than seeing someone smile after their first bite of my food. So, this book is my way of sitting down to dinner with you, sharing a good meal, a story, and, perhaps, a smile. This is also a collection of recipes to help ensure you love every bite of the food youre eating, without sacrificing your health.

Ive spent years cooking, perfecting my culinary skillsnot to mention learning a few things from Gordon Ramsay while competing on MasterChefand, after going Keto, I knew I could put those skills to work, re-creating the dishes we all love but with careful consideration of how those foods could affect us. Most of the traditional comfort foods we know are generally very unhealthy, so I had to change that. I fell in love with the Ketogenic diet specifically because it allows me to make satisfying meals, using whole ingredients like meat, fish, and veggies. I could create hearty, filling dishes, rather than restricting myself to the traditional diet foods. In fact, I lost over 80 pounds (36 kg) in one year just from food like this, and I have kept it off since. And helping others do the same is a definite passion of mine.

For so many of us, childhood favorites inevitably become our comfort foods as adults. But we can also form new and surprising food memories every day. Have you ever taken a bite of something new and thought, Wow, Ive never had anything like this before!? Well, this book is designed to create more of those aha moments for you. I want to celebrate food and all of its unique flavors, spices, and origins. Every recipe is designed to bring you the feeling of home, wherever and whoever you are, and thats what comfort food is really supposed to do.

Whether its chicken tenders (), each dish is like a warm hug. I hope you find nostalgia in this book. But I also hope you discover something new that creates exciting food memories that will stay with you and your family for life.

Packed with low-carb, sugar-free, and gluten-free recipesmany of which are also nut-free and dairy-freethis book is full of feel-good food for anyone, Keto or not. Delicious, healthy, real meals that will fill you up, nourish you, and bring some comfort to your dinner table. This is not a diet book. This is not a weight-loss book. These are easy-to-make dishes your entire family will love and feel better about eating. This is food that will give you a smile, without busting your belt. So, what are you waiting for? Roll up those sleeves, and lets get cooking!

Here are some tips, tricks, and resources to keep you cooking like a chef in your kitchen. And keep your eyes open for more Pro Tips pepperedpun intendedthroughout the recipes in the book. I want you to cook with ease and confidence, and these tips will help you do that!

MISE EN PLACE

Read the recipe all the way through before you start cooking, and prep all your veggies in advance. It also helps to pre-measure and pre-chop all your ingredients, and get out all the equipment youll need for the recipe as well. This is called mise en place and lets you focus on the timing and execution while youre cooking.

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE

If youre a bit nervous in the kitchen, thats OK! Getting comfortable in the kitchen takes time, and Ill certainly help you get more confident with each recipe in this book.

But first, lets sharpen those skills! I recommend buying a bag of onions or peppers for a couple of dollars and practicing your way through the entire bag: Of course, save or freeze all those cut veggies for later! Check out the knife cuts on the next page and practice them until you feel comfortable. You dont need to move quickly, but just getting used to holding the knife and feeling comfortable is key.

In terms of knives, you dont need a big, fancy set that costs hundreds of dollars. All you really need to make fantastic food is one decent chefs knife. Just make sure you are using a thick plastic or wooden cutting boardnot glassand never run your knife through the dishwasher or leave it in your sink to get rusty and banged up. After you use it, simply wash it right away with water and soap, and leave it out to air dry. Store your knife in a safe place, like a knife block, and it will last you a lifetime.

Ironically, a sharp knife is the best way to prevent yourself from getting cut, as a dull knife can easily slip off the food youre slicing. So, keep your knife sharpI send my knives out once a year to get professionally sharpened. It usually costs about $10 per knife. You can enter knife sharpening into your favorite internet search engine and find companies that will even send an envelope right to your door. So, you can ship your knives out for sharpening without ever leaving your home.

KNIFE CUTS

Youll notice some terminology in the ingredient lists throughout this book, so above is a quick culinary guide to the most common knife cuts youll need to know. Go to my YouTube channel for a quick lesson on knife skills: www.youtube.com/chefmichael.