Gluten Free Recipes

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Just had a cool reminder that fall is around the corner this week, which has me getting my winter greens in the ground, and starting to forge forward on the coop building, commencing tomorrow! I have a weekend with our mom’s visiting so I am hopeful that they will want to help me get the garden together and slap some earthen plaster around.

Last night I fired up the wood stove and decided to do a round of pickling inside, as I was growing wiry of the camp stove kitchen set up, the problem is that massive caldron of water took nearly 4.5 hours to boil, even with our fireplace burning at a raging 500º the whole time! The whole batch was sweaty and frustrating, but I yielded my favorite pickled veg; carrots! During the day we visited some neighbors and Mia picked some beautiful purple carrots from their garden, which I added to some orange ones we got at the Nelson market, along with some local garlic, dill, hot peppers, and a few of our tiny carrot ball variety thrown in for good measure.

While waiting for the vat of water to boil I whipped up a yellow summer salad to die for; I sliced some yellow sunburst squash paper thin, along with some thicker slices of these darling crisp little lemon yellow cucumbers we are growing, added some thin slices of locally grown organic yellow watermelon, & some tiny yellow heirloom tomatoes, all topped with a drizzle of lemon juice, olive oil, lemon and lavender sea salt and some fresh purple and green basil and a pinch of fennel tops all fresh from the herb spiral. I have seen watermelon and tomato salads many times before and never had the desire to try one, until my good friend and foodie reminded me on her recent visit how amazing the combination was, that and the fact the watermelon was yellow was all the convincing I needed.  Mmmm, it was stunning and I will defiantly play with this combination of flavors again.

After the long weekend, I hope to have pictures of the chicken coop progress.

Yes, I realize I’m late on this post. REAL late. Wish I had a good excuse, too. I could have b

Those wonderful bakers at Katz Gluten Free sent me a large box of their baked goods for my family to sample recently. We received a nice assortment of cookies, muffins, cupcakes and other GF delights and while the box was big, the treats only lasted a week in our house before there was nothing but crumbs.

Now, youngest daughter is in that teenaged, constantly-famished state of being, compounded with a need for extra snackage because of soccer training, but still, these baked goodies were really good. Some of the items were a bit dry (a common event with preservative-free baked goods) but a quick pop in the microwave for 20-30 seconds, wrapped in a paper towel, revived them nicely.

We were especially fond of the cinnamon rugelach, chocolate-dipped cookies (they ran out first) and the chocolate cupcakes. The cupcakes were so nice, my husband ate them without frosting, and he's not even a huge chocolate fan (I married him anyway). I was the biggest fan of the Chocolate Strip, a dessert bread swirled with a delectable whorl of chocolate and coffee.



Katz Gluten Free baked goods are not only gluten-free, but made in a dairy-free, nut-free dedicated baking facility. They are also kosher, all natural and contain no preservatives, so many folks with different dietary needs can partake.

I am delighted that the company gave me a chance to offer a giveaway to one of my readers, a first prize of $25 Katz dollars to spend on goodies from their website (go for the Chocolate Strip!) and a second prize of a sample pack of Katz Gluten Free goodies. To enter the giveaway, just leave a comment below rhapsodizing about your favorite gluten-free bakery item and I will pick two winners randomly after the deadline of Sept. 13, which is National Celiac Awareness Day.

You can also enter a giveaway on this Katz Gluten Free site to win a $100 Katz Gluten Free gift certificate. Be sure to mention The Crispy Cook if you decide to go for this giveaway.

Good luck to everyone!

Lemon & Sage White Bean Spread
Serves 3 – 4
Can be doubled | Can be halved | Makes great leftovers

Here’s an easy alternative to hummus, with a different yet equally delicious flavor profile. White cannellini beans puree up smooth and silky, with very little oil needed to create a velvety texture. Our favorite way to enjoy this spread is with freshly baked whole grain bread, but it’s also good with crackers or vegetables for dipping. For a party or special gathering we’ll serve it along with a platter of grilled or roasted vegetables, a dish of olives and plenty of warm homemade bread. White bean spread is a fantastic appetizer, but makes a perfect light lunch or dinner too. And you can have the whole recipe done in five minutes!       ~ Susan

Ingredients:

1 can white cannellini beans – drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon granulated garlic (or 1 good sized fresh clove of garlic, roughly chopped)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (more or less depending on how lemony you like it)
1 teaspoon dried sage (or 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh chopped sage leaves)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
water as needed

Instructions:

Put everything in a food processor and blend until smooth and pureed, adding water in very small increments to make a good creamy consistency.

Taste and add a bit more garlic, lemon and/or salt to get it just the way you like it.

Spoon into a serving dish and garnish with a bit of chopped parsley, or fresh sage if you’ve got it!

Serving Suggestions:

This spread is best when served at room temperature.

Freshly baked whole grain bread is our favorite match, but crackers, pita breads or fresh vegetables are very good too.

The spread and bread ensemble travel well – great for taking to a picnic!

For lunch or dinner, serve the spread and bread ensemble along with a big salad – spicy arugula with a simple balsamic vinaigrette topped with a few shaves of Asiago cheese would be divine.

I don’t have time for breakfast.

You would think with the word “fast” in it, breakfast would be a somewhat manageable goal to accomplish before one walks out of the door each morning.

But for whatever reason, despite all the studies and information about how important eating breakfast is, I can’t do it.

No matter how early I get up or how much I prepare the night before, breakfast is always the first thing to go as I’m hustling to get ready in the morning. Throw the “gluten-free” wrench in the equation, and you can almost guarantee that my meal count remains a big fat “0″ as I start my day–and that my stomach angrily reminds me of this until noon.

So when I stumbled upon the smoothie idea on a gluten-free forum, I decided to give it a try.

Sweet peas and carrots, am I glad that I did.

Not only is this smoothie beyond tasty and FAST to make, but the flaxseed oil keeps me full until lunch. (That’s right people–a filling fast-food breakfast that isn’t smothered in grease and served on the McDonald’s menu. It exists. I promise.)

One of my favorite parts about this recipe is that it’s completely gluten-free AND good for you too. Every single ingredient–from the flaxseed oil to the natural cranberry juice–has great health benefits.

The Recipe:
1 cup fresh or frozen fruit (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, 1 fresh peach, 1 fresh apple, 1 pear)
1 scoop or 2 heaping tablespoons protein powder
8 ounces cran-water or plain filtered water
1 tablespoon flaxseed oil

• Place all ingredients in a blender
• Blend until rich and frothy, approximately 2-3 minutes

Just a few tips:

1. Don’t be afraid to get creative! Although I usually stick to my mixed berries, one time I used a Granny-smith apple and threw in a dash of cinnamon. Mmmmm, apple pie a la smoothie, anyone?
2. Natural cranberry juice is quite bitter to most, so use sparingly in your “cran-water” mixture. (I usually pour about 1/4 cup of cranberry juice and fill the rest with water.)
3. Don’t forget to double check that your whey protein is gluten-free! (Most are and say so on the label, but you never can be too sure.)
4. If you use berries in your smoothie, store them in the freezer. Not only does it make the smoothie a bit colder, but it also helps the berries last longer.

Here is a link to a recipe for GF spaghetti.

http://glutenfreecooking.about.com/od/entrees/r/gfspaghetti.htm

There are many different types and brands of gluten free spaghetti noodles, here is a link.

gluten free spaghetti noodles

Fried Okra & Tomatoes

Call me weird but I love okra.  I never cook with it since it doesn’t appeal to many but when I saw it fresh at the farmer’s market there was no way I could resist.  Ensuring Josh’s enjoyment I decided to go for the gold and fry it up!

• 1/2 lb Fresh Okra
• 1/2 C Cornmeal
• 1/4 C Spelt Flour + more
• 1/2 Can of Beer or more
• Smoked Paprika
• S&P
• Garlic Powder
• Oil for Frying
• Miso Mayo

Local Okra

1. First wash the okra whole.  Let dry for at least 30 minutes.  I have heard that air drying thoroughly helps cut down on the slime.  The slime doesn’t bother me but in thinking of Joshua I opted to air dry.

Sliced Okra

2. Once fully dried slice off the tops and tips.  Slice the rest of the okra into 1/2 inch rounds.

Making the Batter with Fat Tire

3. Next make the batter.  Mix the cornmeal and 1/4 c of the flour.  Season with smoked paprika, s&p, and garlic.  Add the beer slowly while stirring until a somewhat thin consistency is reached.  The batter will be thinner than a pancake batter.

Batter and Veggies

4. Add oil to a skillet and start to heat.

Floured Okra

5. In a bag add some flour, about 1/8 cup.  Add the chop okra and shake bag.  Dump okra into a sieve to shake off excess flour.

Don't Overcrowd!

6. The okra will cook in probably 3 batches so add 1/3 of the floured okra to the batter.  Once fully coated scoop out and add to oil once piece at a time to prevent sticking.

OKRA!

7.  Cook until browned and crispy.  Place on a cooling rack once cooked to keep them crispy and season with salt.  To my left over batter, Joshua added more flour and beer to quickly fry some of our green tomatoes!  I enjoyed these with some Miso Mayo, Josh Tabasco Sauce.

Tomatoes & Okra

Look Mom & Dad the bottle is almost gone!!!!

Parsley Sauce

While making Parsley Pesto for Linda’s pesto challenge last month at The Gluten-Free Homemaker, I also made a parsley recipe of a different type.  It’s a favorite of ours for all sorts of uses from spreading on gluten-free crackers or crispbread, to melting over broiled fish or steaks, to tossing with hot cooked green beans or noodles, and many more.  What can you think of to put parsley, butter and garlic on?   You might like to have a jar of this handy to do that quickly. 

I found this “Salsa di Prezzemolo,” as she also calls it, in Mary Ann Esposito’s cookbook, Celebrations, Italian Style: Recipes and Menus for Special Occasions and Seasons of the Year, William Morrow & Co., 1995, p. 315.  The book is out of print now, but you might find it, like I did, at the local library.  You might also find a used copy online.   The recipe is simple, it takes only a few minutes to put together, and it’s so appealing when you have it in jelly jars in the refrigerator, ready to use.  It will keep for several weeks there.  My changes and comments are in italics.

Parsley Sauce (Salsa di Prezzemolo)

Ingredients:

1/2 Pound Unsalted Butter, at room temperature  (I used Salted Butter) (for lactose-free diets, use lactose-free margarine)

3 Large Garlic Cloves, peeled

1 1/2 Cups Flat-leaf Parsley, packed

Dash Sea Salt, fine, to taste

Dash Black Pepper, coarsely ground

1 – 2 Tablespoons Extra-virgin Olive Oil

Directions:

1.  Place all the ingredients except the olive oil in a food processor or blender and pulse to make a smooth paste.  With the motor running, drizzle in just enough olive oil to make a smooth but not too liquid sauce. 

2.  Spoon the sauce into clean jars, cap; and refrigerate until needed.  The sauce will keep for 2 to 5 weeks.

3.  To serve, heat the sauce over medium heat until hot.

Makes about 2 cups.

Parsley Sauce done

Mary Ann adds that, “When you need a quick hostess gift, make this elegant, eye-appealing parsley sauce.  Delicious over grilled fish, scaloppine of veal, or pork, it is also the perfect cover for fettucine, rice or cooked vegetables such as zucchini and carrots or fresh summer corn.  It will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks.”

Gluten-Free Parsley Sauce on Crispbread

It is Gluten-free, Nut-free, and will be Dairy- Lactose-free if made with that kind of  margarine.  We’ve had it recently on broiled tilapia fillets, on green beans and on potatoes.

Roasted Artichoke

I have always steamed my artichokes, whether just steaming or steaming before grilling/baking.  It is time consuming and a pain since you have to use a huge pot to fit multiple artichokes into it.  Of course the final result is quite rewarding but here’s an all-in-one cooking method that produces a more flavorful artichoke!  The idea is to roast the artichokes while steaming them in a foil packet.  The final result is amazing.  And you can use the cooked garlic to make a dipping sauce.  I am not one to make mayonnaise sauces but decided to go for it with this meal… no regrets with my decision!

• 2 Artichokes
• Garlic Cloves, peeled
• Fresh Thyme
• Lemon Juice
• Olive Oil
• Salt

• Vegenaise
• Dried Parsley
• Lemon Juice
• Butter

Halved and Cleaned Artichokes

1. Pull off any small lower bottom leaves and chop off the end of the stems.  Slice the artichokes into two halves.  Immediately cover the cut flesh with lemon juice to prevent from browning.  Next scrape/spoon out the choke.  I have found a melon baller works best for this.  Once cleaned rinse with water to wash off the leftover hairs and again cover with lemon juice.  Set aside.

2. In a large pyrex dish lay a piece of foil.  Into the foil pour some olive oil, a bit more lemon juice, and sprinkle generously some salt.  Rub this salt olive oil mixture onto all sides of the artichoke.

Seasoned Artichokes

3. In the center of each piece of artichoke place a clove of garlic or two and a sprig of thyme.  Lay the artichokes face down in the foil.  Place another piece of foil on top and crimp the two pieces of foil together making a foil wrap.

4. Bake in a 375° oven for 40-50 minutes.  There are cooked when a knife can somewhat easily penetrate the heart.  Mine were large so it took the full 50 minutes.

Just out of the Oven

5.  Remove the top piece of foil while being careful so the steam doesn’t come rushing out onto your hands or into your face.  Flip the artichokes over.  Take the garlic out and set aside.  Broil the artichokes uncovered with the thyme until nicely browned.

Lightly Broiled and Ready to Serve

6. Next make the sauce.  In a bowl mash the garlic up with a fork.  Add a bit of lemon juice and make into a paste.  Next add some vegenaise and dried parsley.  Mix well.  Lastly melt some butter and mix into the garlic mixture.  I didn’t measure anything but I did about equal parts vegenaise to butter.

Fresh Baked Peach

Here’s a simple dessert.  No need to spend hours in the kitchen making a crust or slicing and peeling peaches!  I used fresh local peaches so there was no reason to do much to these already delicious fruit.  I opted not to remove the skin before baking, which proved to be a great idea.  Once baked and slightly cooled the skin peeled right off in one piece.

• Two Large Peaches, firm but ripe
• 1/3 C Water
• 1/3 C Honey
• Vanilla
• Ginger Powder
• Cinnamon Powder

Ready to Bake

First half the peaches and remove the pit.

In a cup mix the rest of the ingredients.

Place the peaches face side down in a pyrex dish and pour the honey mixture on top.

Bake in a 350° oven for 30-45 minutes.  I did 45 since my peaches were so big.

Once cooled peel off the skin and serve with some ice cream!  You can scoop out the syrup and drizzle over the peaches if desired.

I always thought of cooking GF spaghetti.. does anyone know how? the easy steps and all.. thanks in advance

I love chocolate and I LOVE cookies!  A HUGE shout out goes to Steve Maxwell for sending me this!

For the dough:

• 1 cup American Almond ™ Blanched Almond Flour
• 1/4 cup potato starch
• 1/4 cup rice flour
• 3/4 tsp. baking powder
• 12 oz. high quality bittersweet chocolate (68% or higher) such as Scharffenberger or Green and Black
• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 4 Tbsp.  unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon instant espresso or coffee powder dissolved in 1 Tablespoon hot water
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup granulated

For the coating:

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup confectioner’s sugar

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Stir together the American Almond ™ Blanched Almond Flour, potato starch, rice flour and baking powder and set aside.
3. Melt the chocolates and butter over a double boiler.  Allow to cool slightly then stir in the dissolved espresso or coffee powder.
4. Whip together the eggs and sugar in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whip until light and expanded in volume, about 5 minutes.
5. Add the melted chocolate to the whipped eggs.  Whisk in the dry ingredients.
6. Chill the batter until firm.
7. For the Coating: pour the granulated and confectioner’s sugar into two separate bowls. Portion the chilled batter into rounds. Roll each ball of dough until it is uniform and smooth. Roll each ball of dough first into the granulated sugar then in the confectioner’s sugar. Coat each piece generously. Position the dough spaced 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. 
8. Bake the cookies until there are deep cracks in the surface, they are firm to the touch but still moist in the center, about 15 minutes. (Do not overbake them.) Let the cookies cool until they are just cool enough to eat.  Or let them cool completely before storing. They will keep at room temperature for about 1 week, several weeks if frozen.

In my quest for finding more ways to satiate my pallet, I stumbled across two recipes that I’ve re-made to be gluten-free.  Both have received high praises, which is the only way they’d land here to begin with   Enjoy!

Cheeseburger Pie

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

1 lb ground turkey /ground beef

1 cup onion, chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1/2 cup gluten-free Bisquick (or Red Mill All Purpose Baking flour)

1 cup milk

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1 TBSP italian seasoning

1 TBSP basil

1 TBSP oregano

1 TBSP chile powder (for spice)

(Variations also include adding bacon, a dollop of sour cream on top, red/green peppers)

Directions:

1. Heat over to 400 degrees and grease a 9″ pie plate.
2. Cook turkey and onion til turkey is browned, drain well.
3. Spread in pie plate.
4. Sprinkle with cheese.
5. Stir remaining ingredients til blended and pour into pie plate.
6. Bake for 25 minutes.

Huevos Rancheros(Serves 2)

Ingredients:

• Six corn tortillas
• Four eggs
• 1/2 green pepper (use 1/4 if also including red pepper), chopped
• 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 med-sized red potatoes, cooked, diced
• 1 TBSP Cilantro
• 1 TBSP parsley
• 1 TBSP chile powder
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 4 strips of bacon, cooked, chopped
• 1/2 cup mango salsa
• 1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup brown sugar

Directions:

1. In a frying pan, heat oil and brown sugar until the brown sugar is melted but not thick.  Add in tortillas, frying them on both sides.  They are done when they are slightly brown (from the sugar) and slightly crispy
2. Remove tortillas from frying pan and place on plate, single layer
3. Combine eggs, peppers, cheese, onion, bacon, potatoes and spices in another pan until mixture is fully scrambled and cooked.
4. Place one tortilla on the plate, spoon 1/2 a cup of the mixture and place another tortilla on top.  Repeat this one more time.
5. Pour half of the mango salsa on top, sprinkle on some cheddar cheese, and half of the sour cream
6. Enjoy!

 

As noted previously here on The Crispy Cook, some blogger buddies and I were offered the chance to review copies of the new book "Pomodoro! A History of the Tomato in Italy", by David Gentilcore (NY: Columbia University Press, 2010) and we decided to put together a little blog event to roundup our thoughts about the book and to celebrate the tomatoes we all crave every season. If you would like to join us, please feel free to blog up something (including a recipe for a dish featuring tomatoes) and leave a comment below by our deadline of September 13, 2010 and I'll include you in the roundup.


Reading Professor Gentilcore's lively prose was a treat. I have enjoyed absorbing details of history through other food-centric volumes (Mark Kurlansky's "Cod" and Salt" are particularly good reads) and Pomodoro! was an entertaining romp through many centuries of Italian history. The tomato is not native to Europe, but was imported from the New World in the mid-16th century as a botanical curiosity for aristocratic gardeners. It was considered a plant that would dampen one's bodily humors and was not incorporated into everyday Italian cooking until the 1800s, when peasant women began sun drying tomatoes and tomato paste to supplement their farm incomes.

The struggles among Italy's various principalities and regions leading up to unification of Italy in the 1860s saw a general shift in prosperity from South to North. The proud Kingdom of Naples was reduced to a provincial capital and Neapolitans were mocked as bumbling, pasta-munchers in nationalist newspapers. Being poorer meant that Southern Italians ate less meat and more vegetables, and tomatoes soon zoomed to the top of the food pyramid.

Gentilcore's book has other interesting chapters about how the development of tomato varieties swung back and forth between Italy and the U.S. and how the waves of Italian immigration to America developed new tastes back home for tomato-heavy recipes. The chapter "The Autarchical Tomato", about how Mussolini's government used the tomato and home cooking iconography in its Fascist propaganda is similarly eye-opening, and overall the book is a great combination of scholarly detail and engaging writing that chronicles how the tomato slowly became an integral part of Italian culture.


Having some Neapolitan ancestors, the short description in the book about the commedia dell'arte stock character of Pulcinella, who represents Naples with his ever-present pot of macaroni, intrigued me to learn more. Commedia dell'arte is a stylized form of comic street theater which features masked actors and which flourished in Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries. Many characters originally developed to represent different regions, and Pulcinella, with his long-nosed black mask, oversized floppy clothes and sugarloaf hat, became a Neapolitan trickster type, who, when he wasn't loafing around gorging on macaroni, carried a cudgel to beat people with. If you've even seen a Punch and Judy show you'll see how Pulcinella evolved into the long-nosed evil assaulter, Punch, in English puppetry traditions. There is a Pulcinella Museum in Acerra, which would definitely be high on my itinerary if I get to visit Italy someday. In the meantime, I sketched a merrier version of the pasta-loving Pucinella to be my tomato muse in the kitchen.



And now to turn to the glories of the pomodoros, or golden apples, the tomatoes of summer! Ah, the beauty of a bowl of fresh garden tomatoes. It is the season when our family indulges in simple tomato sandwiches, tomato and cucumber salads, tomatoes tucked into pretty much every supper dish and our kitchen counters are filled with colanders and bowls of tomatoes awaiting canning and freezing.

I always grow at least 10-12 plum tomato plants in our home garden. They are meaty and fabulous for preserving, either as sauce or slow-roasted in the oven with salt, pepper and olive oil and then packed into freezer packs with fresh basil leaves. The other tomato varieties we like for immediate eating include whatever red and yellow varieties are offered as seedlings from the farmer around the corner and this year that included Striped German, a yellow and red heirloom variety with heavy fruit and some Supersteak and Celebrity tomatoes. And of course tomatoes need basil and garlic for neighbors, so I think my garden is fairly Italianate these days.

Since I already had put up some canned tomato sauce and spicy salsa this summer I thought I would attempt canning some tomato barbecue sauce. In honor of my saucy, spicy new friend Pulcinella, who also endears himself to me with his high-pitched voice and tendency to hop around like a chicken (pulcinella means little chick in Italian), I present this sweet and tangy tomato barbecue recipe:



Pulcinella's Barbecue Sauce
-adapted from the 1990 Ball Blue Book

8 quarts tomato puree
(I use my 4 quart crock pot to cook down cored, chunked tomatoes pretty much every night during tomato season. I turn the crock pot off in the morning and when things have cooled, I run the tomatoes through my food mill to get rid of seeds and skin and it makes a wonderful puree)

3 large onions, peeled and rough chopped
2 green bell peppers, seeded and rough chopped
2 red bell peppers, seeded and rough chopped
1 bunch celery, leaves and all, rough chopped
2-3 hot peppers, seeded and rough chopped (wear gloves)

1-1/2 cups brown sugar
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. dry mustard
2 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 tsp. dried red pepper flakes
2 cups cider vinegar

Cover onions, bell peppers, celery and hot peppers with water in a pot. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and cook, covered, until vegetables are softened. Puree through food mill.

Put pureed veggies and tomato puree in large stock pot and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium and keep at low boil until mixture thickens down to about half.

Stir in remaining ingredients and simmer, stirring occasionally to keep from scorching, until sauce is nice and thick, about 2 hours. Season to taste with salt and add more hot pepper flakes if Pulcinella advises you to.

Pour into sterilized pint jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space. Cap and process in a hot water bath for 20 minutes.

Makes 7 pints.

This is a slightly sweet barbecue sauce that is great for marinating vegetables and slathering on grilled zucchini slabs and portabella mushrooms. Pulcinella advises that it tastes great on roast chicken too.

I hope this post piques your interest in learning more about the history of tomatoes and seeking out Gentilcore's book, "Pomodoro!". You can read an interview with the esteemed author over at The Boston Globe and be sure to check back here after September 13th for the roundup of tomatoey posts.

Here’s to a summer of lettuce wraps!  Do all the prep in advance for an easy and sociable cooking experience.

Lettuce Wraps!

*

• Buffalo Sirloin

• Tamari
• Toasted Sesame Oil
• Grapeseed Oil
• Garlic, chopped
• Shallot, sliced into thin rounds
• Zest of 1 Lime
• Lemongrass
• Sesame Seeds
• Cayenne Pepper

• Corn
• Bean Sprouts
• Juice of 1 Lime
• Cherry Tomatoes, chopped
• S&P
• Olive Oil
• Onion

• Rice Noodles
• Basil
• Bibb Lettuce (Hydroponic is the best!)
• Skewers

For me this is the ideal way to eat meat.  I prepare the meat early in the morning and it marinades all day.  Sliced into thin strips which are skewered before grilling.  No thick cubes of meat here!

1. Trim off any excess fat off the sirloin and slice into thin strips, about 1/2 inch thick.  Definitely sharpen your knife or this won’t be an easy task.

2. Prepare the marinade.  I didn’t measure anything but just kept adding and tasting it until I found the right balance.  Once the marinade is at your liking add the prepared buffalo.  Cover and refrigerate all day!

Buffalo!

3. Cook the rice noodles according to the box.  I leave them in the colander and place in the fridge until ready to eat.  A trick of mine is to cut the rice noodles with some kitchen scissors once they are rinsed.  Otherwise when you go to grab a small handful of noodles you end up getting half the bowl as they like to clump together.

Rice Noodles

4. Break the lettuce down into individual leafs and the basil into little bunches.

Bibb Lettuce and Basil

5. Start to prepare the corn salad… Rinse the bean sprouts, dry, and place in a bowl in the fridge.  Also chop the cherry tomatoes and set in a separate bowl in the fridge as to not soggy the bean sprouts.

Enjoy the day!

While the coals are heating:

6. Soak your skewers for 20 minutes.  Trust me this makes a difference!  Once soaked, skewer the meat.  Don’t cram too much meat onto one skewer… you want the meat to stay thin when cooking so don’t bunch up the strips.  The long pieces were a bit of a pain to skewer through the whole length but really not that big of a deal.

Buffalo!

7. Cook the onion…. I grilled mine.  Peel onion leaving a strong base in tact.  Slice and ‘x’ into the onion going close to the base but not all the way through.  Stuff the cracks with a bit of butter and generously sprinkle with s&p.  Wrap in foil and cook on the edges of the grill for 30-45 minutes until translucent.

8. Cook the corn.  Our corn was from the market and is delicious raw so I husked them and quickly grilled them for a light char leaving them still crispy.

9. Assemble the corn salad.  In a large bowl add the bean sprouts, lime juice, and chopped tomatoes.  Chop the onion and add to the bowl.  Slice the corn off the cob and also add to the bowl.  Season with s&p and coat with olive oil.  Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

Corn Salad

10. Lastly cook the meat.  Jakie brought some delicious shrimp skewers to add to the dinner as well.  The beef doesn’t take long, just cook a few minutes on each side until lightly browned.

Buffalo and Shrimp

I set everything out on a table and let each guest serve themselves.  I find it easier to place a bit of everything on your plate and assemble the lettuce wraps as you go… as shown in the first picture.

These are definitely a winner!!!!

Savoury Gluten Free Tartlets

These are very easy to make and delicious! I used G-Free ready to roll pastry in the Pampered Chef Mini-Muffin Pan shaped with the wooden Mini-Tart Shaper. These are perfect for gluten free pastry because you don’t need to roll it out, just make small balls of pastry, put them in the wells and the shaper pats the pastry into the tin. The tin is non-stick too so you don’t need to grease it. You will need about 400g of pastry for this recipe.

Bake the pastry at 200°C/fan 180°C/Gas 6 for 8-10 mins then add filling.

I adapted this recipe at a cooking demo last week so it would be suitable for vegetarians. Even my son who doesn’t like mushrooms thought they were delicious!

You can put any filling in you like but this is what I used -

2 tomatoes – cut in half, scoop out seeds and chop finely (you could use sun-dried tomatoes for extra flavour)
4 mushrooms finely chopped
about 100g stilton broken into small pieces
1 clove garlic crushed
125g soft cheese

Mix everything together then spoon into tart cases and bake for a further 6-9 mins until cheese is melted.

This made about 30 tartlets.

Savoury tartlets in mini-muffin pan

Greek Style Grilled Calamari

Serves 2
Can be Doubled| Can be Halved

This recipe is proof that calamari doesn’t have to be deep fried to be tasty. I came up with it after having the grilled calamari at my favorite Greek restaurant Akti, which is in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens. When Mahir, Meenakshi and I go, we order the grilled squid and shrimp platter to share, and I always relish the tender squid! Since calamari is one of the least expensive fish, takes literally two minutes to cook and has around 205 calories for a half-pound (according to Calorie King), it a no brainer to make it at home. Unfortunately, it’s also overlooked as the star it can be, and most home cooks I know don’t have it as part of their lineup. Hopefully, this super easy recipe will inspire you to change that!     ~Shivani

Ingredients:

one pound of calamari, tentacles and body (most fishmongers already sell it cut up and divided into these two parts)
2 teaspoons of olive oil
1/2 to 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon paprika (optional)
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

Warm a large non-stick grill pan over medium heat.

In a bowl, toss together all of the ingredients with the squid.

Grill the squid until done. About 45 seconds to one minute per side. Take care not to overcook or the dish will be chewy.

Squeeze with extra lemon juice, if desired.

Serving Suggestions:

In keeping with the Greek theme, eat this dish with a salad of chopped romaine lettuce, tomato, red onion, cucumbers, Kalamata olives, a little feta cheese and a red wine vinegar and olive oil dressing. Warmed whole wheat pita is a good starch pairing.

Over at the Regional Recipes blog event the month's theme is the food of Puerto Rico and what can be more appropriate to cook up than the National Dish of Arroz Con Gandules, or Rice and Pigeon Peas. I am always on the lookout for another rice and beans recipe to add to our repertoire and this luscious dish turned out great for dinner and reheated for our lunch over the course of several days.

I had never tried pigeon peas, but our supermarket carried a green variety under the Goya brand. They were not a bright green like pigeon peas shown on the label, but were a more drab brownish gray. However, they have a nice earthy taste and Goya handily provided a recipe for Arroz Con Gandules right on the can which I used as a springboard for my own vegetarian version using more of the veggies sproinging out of the home gardens. Pigeon peas are protein-rich legumes are grown all over the tropics and are featured in many different cuisines. Indian cooks make a lot of recipes with pigeon peas, or toor dal, so I knew I wanted to play around with this new (to me) legume.

For a traditional Puerto Rican Arroz Con Gandules one would add a little bit of chopped ham or bacon, but I souped up my vegetarian version with extra seasoning and some chopped green olives.




Arroz Con Gandules, Garden-Style

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2-3 frying peppers, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
5 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 packets Sazon Goya con culantro y achiote (the Goya website says it gluten-free)
1 (15 oz.) can green pigeon peas, drained
2 cups rice
4 cups water
4 Tbsp. parsley, chopped
Chopped green olives for garnish


Heat oil in large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add onion and saute until translucent, about 4 minutes, add peppers and garlic and cook another 2-3 minutes, stirring. Add tomatoes and cook another 5 minutes. When vegetables are softened, add Sazon Goya, pigeon peas, and water.

Bring to a boil. Lower heat, add rice and simmer, covered, until rice is cooked, about 15-20 minutes. Try to resist the temptation to stir the rice during its steaming or it may become gummy. Season with a little salt and pepper to taste.

Garnish with chopped parsley and chopped green olives. A squirt of hot pepper sauce is also nice.

Makes 6-8 servings.

The Regional Recipes roundup will occur after the August 31 deadline and then our hostess Joanne will announce the next country we will be visiting. Previous editions of Regional Recipes have looked at the cuisines of Ethiopia, Ireland, Greece, Vietnam, and other nations, and the roundups really give a nice overview of the flavors and foods of these different countries. Can't wait to see our next destination.

I am also sending a bowl of this delicious dish to Simone of Briciole, who is hosting this month's edition of My Legume Love Affair, a monthly blog event that highlights the various legumes of the world, including my new favorite, pigeon peas. My Legume Love Affair is the brainchild of Susan, the Well-Seasoned Cook, and her blog contains all the archives of past MLLA rounds so you can spend many hours looking at the various ways cooks around the globe cook with these wonderful peas, beans and pulses.

   

King Arthur Flour Gluten-Free Brownie and Chocolate Cake Mixes

Chocolate Baking -  Two King Arthur Flour Gluten Free Mixes Reviewed

Some time back King Arthur Flour sent me two of their gluten-free chocolate baking mixes to review, but due to oven malfunctions and then summer heat, I did not get to them right away.  When I did, I loved them!  I am not an affiliate of King Arthur Flour, and I don’t speak for them –  I was only given samples to review.  I found these mixes to be very good.  I definitely want to buy them myself!

The King Arthur Flour webpage about gluten-free FAQs states their mixes are prepared in a dedicated gluten-free facility and are   ”…Certified Gluten-Free™ by the non-profit Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO), a program of the Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG®). GFCO products are tested to be less than 10ppm (parts per million) gluten. This is stricter than even the FDA requirement of less than 20ppm gluten.”   They are also allergen-free (“wheat, nuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy, eggs, and dairy”) and are certified kosher.

While the prices of these mixes if I had bought them seem a little high at $6.95 plus shipping, I have to admit that after using them, I found the quality well worth it.   

The first one I baked was the Gluten-Free Brownie Mix.   The other, their Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake Mix, I’ll describe further below.

 

Chocolate Brownie - King Arthur Flour Gluten Free Brownie Mix Review

Chocolate Brownie – King Arthur Flour Gluten Free Brownie Mix Review

The chocolate flavor is rich, without being overpowered by odd tastes that sometimes go with gluten-free flours. The texture was dense but still a little crumbly, like fudge brownies are supposed to be. They could be cut and removed from the pan without falling apart.  As their webpage says they’ve worked hard so their brownies “stay fresh longer than brownies from other mixes,” the next day I was glad to see they still had good texture and had not degenerated into chocolate pudding in the brownie pan like some recipes I’ve baked.  I was able to freeze a few of these, too, and the texture was still good after thawing — not quite as good as fresh-baked, but still good.

 Easy to put together:

Ready to mix

As you can see, the ingredients were simple:  the mix, butter or oil, water and eggs.  Just whisk them together (although I used a mixer on low — a creature of habit, I guess).  Here it is, ready to go in the oven:

Ready to bake

After baking, they have a firm, slightly springy texture and a nice crust.

Brownies baked and cooling.

Delicious!

 

Chocolate Cake – King Arthur Flour Gluten-Free Chocolate Mix Review

King Arthur Flour Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake

This chocolate cake mix made a two-layer cake that had a firm, springy texture and a rich chocolate flavor, without the odd tastes I sometimes find in gluten-free ingredients.  The layers held their shape and form well, making an attractive as well as delicious dessert.  What was left the next day still had good texture, and what I freezed still had good texture  and flavor when thawed.  It was hard to tell that it was “one of those gluten-free things.”  For a chocolate lover like me, that was great news!  You can find more nutritional information on their webpage for it here.

It was easy to put together.  You do need an electric mixer for this (not just a whisk like the brownies):

Ready to Mix

The layers came out of the oven looking good:

Baked and cooling

For the picture at the top of this section, I used my mom’s recipe for cocoa buttercream frosting, but you wouldn’t necessarily even need to frost it.  However, here’s another possibility for serving it, instead of buttercream frosting:

Ice Cream Cake!

The ice cream cake was sooooo good!

 

Food in the U.S. has gone through interesting transitions since I was a child.  I can clearly remember the days of complicated gelatin-fruit- “mystery ingredient” molds at my hometown church fellowship dinners.  Common elements within these treasures were marshmallows, canned pineapple and the occasional, rare and elusive maraschino cherry.  One per can of fruit cocktail, right?

We then entered the convenience phase (70s), the chemical additives phase (80s), moved into the pretentious and everything-imported phase (90s) and now here we are today.  In middle America with choices to make, doing our best to prepare and eat our food in the tastiest, healthiest and most competent way we know how.

I thought I would jot you a note and let you know how we make two common items in our home with only two simple ingredients.  Just to be clear, I’m not counting sea salt, ground pepper and olive oil in the “two.”  Tonight I’ll show you how we make our tried and true: summer roasted chicken and pan fried okra.

Summer Roasted Chicken

1 organically raised chicken

Approximately 3 cuts of fresh rosemary (3 pieces, about 3 inches long)

1 med white onion

Here we go: Not tried organic meats and poultry? Consider doing your family a favor and purchase roasting hens raised without antibiotics or hormones if possible. And range-fed? Even better.  If you’re not satisfied with your grocer’s selection, you might want to shop your local farms, butchers and meat markets.  It’s a nice adventure to find a local source, and developing a relationship with your local producers is always a good thing.

1) Brush your baking dish with olive oil.  Trim any extra skin or fat (I trim the tail) off the bird.  Brush the entire bird with olive oil.  Sometimes little pockets get trapped in the folds of the skin, so go over it twice with your pastry brush evenly distributing your oil for balanced baking.

Hen prepared for roasting.

2) Next, make your modified “bouquet garni” with your only two ingredients: rosemary and onion.  Wash and dry the rosemary. Cover the outside with a moderate sprinkling of destemmed leaves.  Stuff the remaining rosemary into the neck and back cavities.

3) Clean the onion, and cut into 6 or so pieces.  Stuff them into the neck and back cavities. If there are leftovers, simply lay them against the hen in the roasting pan.

4) Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven.  Bake for 30 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350 until the hen reaches AT LEAST 165 degrees.  I usually let mine go until the skin is a beautiful mix of golden and darker brown areas.  Click here for good roasting time estimates.

Make sure and bring the bird to AT LEAST 165 degrees before removing from your oven.

Beautiful to look at, smell and definitely eat.  Why these two ingredients for the summer?  Butter and garlic have waxy and fatty molecules that “weigh down” the meat, and are better for cooler temperatures.  Onions and rosemary have more open and acidic molecules which are perfect for delivering a “cool” aroma when you taste your masterpiece.  The bouquet of evergreens goes right up your nose, barely, as an afterthought this way.  Perfect.

Now – you have two options.  You can serve the stock and onions with the meal, or you can remove them both and utilize them in different ways.  I use the second choice because the hen is so juicy, there really is no need for stock.

Plate the hen, remove a couple of your onion chunks and put the pan in the refrigerator.  Once the fat is solid, remove it and put up the stock for a later use.  Good chicken stock is like gold!

Voila!

Take the roasted onion, put it in a blender with a regular container of sour cream or 8oz of Greek yogurt.  Blend.  Add about 1/2 c. of diced cucumber or about 1 T. diced fresh dill.  Tap the blender button until the green ingredients are just blended.  Use to dollop on the side of your meat or as a dip with fresh vegetables.  This cool complement helps continue to define your meal as “summer.”

Now, what to do thirty minutes before your bird is done? Hmmm – how about pan fried okra!

Pan Fried Okra

Enough okra to feed those you are serving. See below.

White or yellow cornmeal, milk (any type, including buttermilk)

I usually count about six to eight stalks of okra per person.  Our family likes pan fried okra (a lot!) so you might have to play with the amount.  Try to get the freshest medium size stalks you can find.  Smaller ones require more effort to prep and larger stalks are inedible.  The only use we’ve found for the larger ones to date is composting them or drying them and using them for firewood!  I think my neighbor dries them and paints them for a children’s craft.

Add only enough milk to cover the bottom of your container.

1) Wash and dry your okra, then cut into bitesized pieces disposing of the stem caps.  Place them in a mixing bowl.  Pour in about 1-2 T of milk for each person you are serving.  The milk should just barely cover the bottom of the bowl.  Toss to coat.  It usually takes me about four tosses.

2) Next, alternate between taking a handful of cornmeal and sprinkling it over the okra, and tossing to coat it.  A bowl for four people usually takes me 3 or 4 tries.  If you’ve ever made “puppy chow” snacks for children, then you know at some point the “dry” will coat and soak up the “wet.”

Toss in cornmeal until coated and separated.

3) Add salt and pepper, toss and fry in prepared pan.  You will need about 1-2 T. of olive oil in the pan for each person you are serving.  Make sure the pan is on med-med-high, and that the oil is heated before you add the okra.  Immediately separate any stuck pieces in the pan as the oil “sets” the coating fairly quickly.

4) I know this is silly, but the first “turn” on the okra I actually do by hand.  I want to make sure every piece gets set and is cooking evenly…so I take a fork and hand flip them over.  You don’t have to do this; just toss the pan saute’ style to continue to flip and cook the okra until done.

You’ll know your work is done when you begin to see a fairly even browning across the coating and little dark brown “crumbs” are apparent in the bottom of your pan. Vegan recipe? Use vegetable broth and cornmeal – OR, my mother and grandmother simply coat the okra with flour, then with cornmeal; they don’t use liquid.  This method makes the okra shrink more when cooked, but is simple and delicious!

If your okra looks like this, it's done!

I suggest pairing this lovely meal up with something cold and crunchy, and a cold summer beverage such as pomegranate iced tea or sparkling water with orange slices.

Here’s a snack plate I prepared with homegrown fried okra, tomatoes and cucumbers – all from my garden.  Summer is a lovely thing and the food that comes with it, perhaps even better.  Happy mealtime!

Feast with your eyes...