Crispy pork skin snack for paleo dieters

Get your butcher to give you a piece of pork skin with the fat still on. I get about a square foot, but a smaller piece will work fine. Pork skin should be very cheap. I pay about a euro for mine.

Preheat your oven to about 230C.

Wash and dry the pork skin. Drying it important to get it to crisp up. Lay it fat side down on a chopping board and score the skin deeply all the way from top to bottom. Don't cut all the way through to the board as you want the skin side to face upwards in the oven and a single piece makes this easier. Salt the skin side well and lay it fat side down on a grill pan.

Cook it for about 25 minutes. You need it to crisp up fully, but not burn. If you underdo it the skin can be very tough. It can be hard enough to damage your teeth, so make sure you crisp it all up well.

Once it is done let it cool a little and eat some while it is hot. It is fine cold, but best straight from the oven. It can be reheated in the microwave later.

A lot of lard will render from the skin during cooking. Pour this into a mug when still hot. Allow it to cool and refrigerate. It is perfect for cooking omelettes and frying vegetables.

Grilled fresh mackerel with lime salsa and toasted almonds

This makes a nice lunch or light evening meal. No carbs in evidence either unless you are on very low levels and can't eat tomatoes.

Ingredients

2 fillets of fresh mackerel
Juice of 2 limes
2 large tomatoes, roughly chopped
Chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp Sliced almonds
Salt and pepper

Method

Preheat the grill to its highest setting - 250C in my case. Line a baking tray with foil. Place the washed and dried fillets skin side up on the foil. Season with salt and pepper and place under the grill.
Mix the lime juice and tomatoes in a small serving bowl.
Toast the almond slices in a dry frying pan on a high heat until they start to turn golden.

To serve place a fillet on each plate, sprinkle the almonds over the fish and make a pile of the salsa on the side.