Gluten Free Recipes

FLAVORFUL VEGETABLE STOCK Those who prefer not to cook with meat stocks are left at sea when it comes to the many recipes calling for chicken or beef stock. Canned vegetable stock, to put it bluntly, tastes terrible--like a combination of aluminum and artificial onion powder. But this vegetable stock is so flavorful that even if you regularly use chicken stock, you may want to make the switch. (Makes 9 cups) Freezes well. 3 onions, chopped 3 tablespoons unsalted GFCF margarine (or olive oil, if you prefer) 2 leeks, washed well and chopped 2 carrots, chopped 2 celery ribs, chopped 1/4 pound mushroom caps, chopped 1 cup potato peels 12 cups cold water 1/4 cup lentils 6 garlic cloves, unpeeled 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns 1/2 teaspoon thyme, crumbled 1/2 teaspoon tarragon 1 bay leaf 1/2 bunch fresh parsley 1 teaspoon sea salt In a stockpot, cook the onions in margarine or oil over medium heat, stirring until golden. Add leeks, carrots, celery, mushrooms, potato peelings, and 1/3 cup of water. Simmer, covered, for 5 minutes. Add all the rest of the ingredients. Simmer, uncovered, for two hours. Pour the stock through a fine sieve into a heatproof bowl and cool to room temperature. For thick stock puree everything. Store in the refrigerator. It will keep for one week. (Or you can freeze it for up to 3 months.) Skim the oil from the top before using it. BLACK BEAN SALSA 1 box frozen white shoepeg corn 1 16-ounce can black beans 1 small red onion, peeled and diced 1 Italian or Roma tomato, finely chopped 1 half-bunch cilantro, finely chopped the juice of two limes 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, de-veined, and finelychopped sea salt to taste Mix all ingredients in a medium glass bowl. Let stand at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before serving. You can make it ahead and chill it, but bring it back to room temperature before serving. It's especially tasty with blue corn tortilla chips. SHAKE N BAKE 4 C. GFCF mixture of FLOURS like soy and rice and bean, use what you like but use several. 2 tsp CAYENNE PEPPER 1 C. GFCF CEREAL, CRUSHED 2 TBSP. PARSLEY FLAKES 2 tsp. GARLIC POWDER 1 TBSP. ONION POWDER 2 tsp. CHILI POWDER 2 TBSP. TACO SEASONING 1 tsp. BLACK PEPPER 1 tsp. CURRY (OR MORE) 1 tsp. SWEET BASIL 1 tsp. OREGANO Combine all non-flour ingredients in blender and whirl, add to flours and combine well. Store in Freezer in zipper bag and use to coat meats, fish, fowl, and vegs. Shake and Bake in bag as a dry batter. To make egg batter, add 1/2 cup mix to one egg and dip and fry. Hard Nougat 2 C powdered sugar 1/2 C almonds 1/2 Tbsp GFCF margarine Scald, peel by rubbing in kitchen towel and chop almonds. Melt powdered sugar in a pan, stirring continuously. When melted and browned, add in first the margarine and then the almonds. Grease a cookie or jelly roll pan with oil and tip the mixture into it. When cold, break into chunks. Keep in an air-tight tin. Like almondy brittle. Marzipan 2 C sweet almonds 6 bitter almonds --or 1 t bitter almond flavor 2 C powdered sugar 2 whites of egg Scald almonds (do not boil), peel and soak in water for a couple of hours until blanched. Dry thoroughly and put them twice through the blender/grinder. Mix with sugar and the whites of egg. Form into small flat cakes. Toast slowly over low heat for about 20 mins. Puffy Potatoes 2 large baking potatoes 1/2 stick GFCF margarine 1/2 cup GFCF milk 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 1/2 cup Soymage 1 tablespoon ' Parmesan' Soymage sprinkle Under running water, wash the skin of the potatoes. Dry well, and prick several holes in each potato with a fork. Bake potatoes in an oven or microwave. In regular oven, preat to 425 degrees, and bake for 1 hour. In a microwave, bake on high for 10 minutes. When time is up, pierce with a fork to make sure the potato is done, (fork should go in easilly). Cut each cooked potato in half, lengthwise. Scoop out the insides of the potato with a spoon. Place the potato insides into a mixing bowl, and add margarine. Mash with a fork or potato masher. Add milk and whip with an electric mixer, until fluffy. Add salt and pepper and 1/2 of the soymage and mix well. Spoon potato mixture back into the skins, and top with the rest of the soymage and 'Parmesan'. Bake for 5 minutes. You can put the potato under the broiler to brown the top lightly, if desired. Peking Fried Rice 2 tablespoons oil 1 teaspoon salt 1 onion -- diced fine 1 stalk celery -- diced fine 2 eggs -- beaten 1 cup frozen peas and carrots 1 cup bean sprouts --fresh or canned 6 cups cold cooked rice 3 tablespoons GFCF soy sauce -- or to taste 1 teaspoon Five Spice Powder (optional) 2 scallions -- diced, green part only Heat oil in a large non stick frying pan. Add salt to the pan, then add onion and stir until tender. Add celery and stir until it begins to change color. Push to side of pan. Stir in eggs, keep stirring until the eggs begin to cook through. Add frozen peas and carrots, cover pan with a lid, and continue to cook 5 minutes, over low heat. Remove the lid and add rice, stir until rice is heated through and separated. Stir in soy sauce and five spice powder and cook until rice is a nice light brown color. Stir in scallions and serve hot. Moroccan Chicken Stew 2 cups chicken broth 1/4 cup tomato paste 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp salt 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 cup dark raisins 1 medium onion, sliced thin t tblspn miced fresh garlic 2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks 1 can chick-peas,drained and rinsed 4 chicken thighs or 2 breasts skin and visible fat removed, bone-in or boneless In a 4 quart pot, whisk together the chicken broth, tomato paste cumin, salt, red pepper, and cinnamon until blended. Stir in the raisins, onion, garlic, squash, peas, chick-peas, and chicken. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-heat. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the squash is tender and the chicken is opaque. Pear-Sage Galettes 2 firm pears 1 egg 1/4 cup GFCF sweet rice flour pinch salt and pepper 1/2 teaspoon fresh minced sage Coarsely grate pears and mix them with egg, flour, a pinch of salt and pepper, and sage. Melt a healthy nubbin of GFCF margarine in a skillet and when hot and foamy, drop in heaping tablespoons of batter, making rounds about 3 inches in diameter. Fry 1 or 2 minutes, or until golden on the bottom, then turn and fry the other side. Serve hot as a savory side dish. Boudin with Pan-Grilled Pears 2 pounds firm pears, sliced 1 inch thick 3 T GFCF margarine Melt margarine in a large skillet. When it is hot and foamy, add the pears. then reduce the heat to low. Cook until golden-brown and just beginning to caramelize, about 10 to 12 minutes. Sprinkle with a little salt, pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg OR brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. If desired, pour in a splash of Calvados or Armagnac and flambe. Serve hot with sausages, pork chops, or best of all, blood sausages. Red Cabbage and Pears. Core and halve a red cabbage. Cut it into thin shreds. Melt 3 tablespoons GFCF margarine in a large saucepan over medium heat. When it is hot and foamy, add 1 minced onion and 2 pears that have been peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch cubes. Saute 2 or 3 minutes, then add the cabbage and continue to saute until the cabbage is glistening. Deglaze the pan with 3 T red wine vinegar, then add about 1/4 cup chicken stock and a little salt and pepper. Just before serving, peel and coarsely grate 2 pears; stir them into the cabbage. Serve topped with GFCF sour cream. HINTS & TIPS How much does meat benefit from being marinated before cooking -- and what is the optimum amount of marinating time? In the search for the best marinade, we developed a citrus-based mixture (see accompanying recipe) designed for pork tenderloin or boneless skinless chicken breasts. Both were allowed to marinate for two hours, four hours and 24 hours. We also wanted to find out whether salt would draw an excessive amount of moisture from the chicken breasts if it was part of the marinade. So we made two versions of the marinade, one with salt and one without. Once it had marinated, we sautéed the meat in the same amount of oil over the same heat for the same length of time. We found that marinating meat, as expected, adds juiciness and flavor. However, chicken absorbs marinades faster than pork tenderloin. THE BEST WAY (Opinion!) Chicken breasts. We preferred the chicken left in the salted marinade. It had a zesty citrus flavor and was tender and juicy. Marinating the chicken for a longer time didn't enhance either the flavor or the texture. However, the breast left in the salted marinade overnight turned out dry and stringy after it was cooked. We surmised that had the chicken been whole or the breast not been skinless the flesh would have been moister. Pork tenderloin. We liked the flavor and texture of the pork tenderloin that had been marinated without salt for 24 hours. The pork tenderloin that had been left in a salted marinade for 24 hours was dry. Marinating the pork for less time, either two or four hours wasn't worth the bother. If you want a marinade to add flavor, the tenderloin has to soak for more than four hours. ALL-PURPOSE MARINADE This recipe yields enough marinade for 2 pork tenderloins or 6 chicken breasts. INGREDIENTS: 2 tablespoons finely minced orange zest 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice 2/3 cup hoisin sauce or GFCF soy sauce 1/4 cup honey 6 garlic cloves, finely minced 1/4 cup very finely minced fresh ginger 1/2 cup minced whole green onions 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional) Combine all ingredients in a nonreactive container. Add meat to the container, cover and refrigerate overnight if you're not using salt. If you're using salt, marinate in the refrigerator for no longer than 4 hours. Yields 2 1/2 cups. In a three-step process, we cooked medium-sized russet potatoes 14 ways, testing oven temperature, cooking time and cooking style. We wrapped, oiled, buttered, salted -- and left some completely plain. We even tried the microwave. We agreed potatoes are best when cooked in a 350-degree oven for 1 1/2 hours. Potatoes baked at higher temperatures for less time had limp skins and dense flesh. The most varied results, however, came from slight changes in the cooking method. The potatoes cooked in foil were a disaster they tasted more steamed than baked. The skin was limp and chewy, the flesh dense and overly-moist. Rubbing the potato with oil produced a similar steamed effect, but the flavor was better. And when microwaved, the potato turned into a shriveled, mushy mess. THE BEST WAY (Opinion!) The plain potato, pierced with a fork to let steam escape, produced the best results. Baked at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours, the potato emerged with a great flavor and a light and fluffy texture. In addition, the skin was crisp but chewable. AN APPEALING ALTERNATIVE If you want a change from the pure baked potato experience, the potato rubbed with olive oil and coarse salt is a good choice. The skin absorbs the flavor of the oil and the flecks of salt give it added visual interest. Surprisingly, we found that the potato rubbed with GFCF margarine wasn't as good as the one with oil. The cooked flavor didn't improve the outside. FOR THE HURRIED COOK In a time crunch, you can microwave a potato for 5 minutes, then finish it in a 350-degree oven for 10 minutes. The oven helps crisp the skin and dry out the flesh so it's not dense and gluey like the potato fully baked in a microwave. CHOP SUEY SALAD 4 oz medium Chinese or Thai rice noodles 4 oz broccoli florets 8 oz fresh bean sprouts 2 oz mushrooms, thinly sliced 5 green onions, chopped 4 oz cooked, peeled prawns or thin sliced cooked chicken 3 tbs sunflower oil 1 tbs GFCF soy sauce pinch ground ginger 1 t honey ½ red and ½ green or yellow pepper, cut into thin slivers Break noodles in half and cook in pan of boiling water for 3-4 minutes until tender. Drain and cool. Cut broccoli into small pieces and blanch in a pan of boiling water for 3 minutes, drain and rinse in cold water, then drain again. Wash bean sprouts and trim roots, if preferred. Put into bowl with mushrooms, onions, peppers, prawns or chicken, broccoli and noodles. Mix oil, honey, soy sauce and ginger together. Pour over salad and toss ingredients lightly together. Serve chilled. FISH BALLS 1 7 oz tin GFCF tuna fish or salmon, cooked leftover filet is fine too. 1 cup boiled, mashed potato 1 small onion, finely chopped 1 clove garlic (crushed) 1 egg, beaten 1 tsp. ground cumin (optional) salt & pepper 1 tbs. chopped parsley, tarragon or other fresh herbs to taste Mix together all the ingredients and form small balls the size of a walnut. Leave to rest for at least half an hour. Fry in a little oil, until golden brown. Drain on kitchen roll. Note: Can be served as hors d'oeuvres on cocktail sticks. Can also be formed into small cakes and fried. Particularly popular with children. Good with GFCF Catsup for them. Adults can use a tartar sauce or horseradish sauce. SCRAMBLED EGGS WITH SMOKED SALMON 4 large eggs 4 oz smoked salmon 4 tbsp GFCF milk 2 T GFCF margarine, or less salt and black pepper 1/2 t favorite herbs Chop salmon roughly and soak in a mug with milk for 20 minutes. Melt half the margarine on a low heat in a small heavy-based pan. Beat eggs and season. When pan is hot, swirl around pan and pour in beaten eggs - stir constantly. When egg has begun to solidify, but there is still a fair amount of liquid, add salmon and milk stir continuously. When almost all liquid has gone, remove pan from heat, add rest of margarine and continue stirring. Serve immediately on triangles of toasted GFCF bread. SUN DRIED TOMATO SPREAD 1 package GFCF Cream Cheese 2 T GFCF sour cream 2 tbsp fresh basil (2 tsp dried) 3 tbsp chopped sundried tomatoes 1/4 tsp lemon juice cracked peppercorns as desired Combine all ingredients until well blended. Serve with toast wedges, cucumber slice, fresh zuchinni slice. CRAB MEAT DIP 1 (8oz) pkg GFCF cream cheese 4 oz crab meat 1 tbsp onion, finely chopped 1/2 tbsp horse radish 1/2 tsp Worchestershire sauce 2 drops hot pepper sauce 1/8 C finely chopped pecans paprika to taste Stir cream cheese with sour cream until softened. Blend the next 5 ingredients until well combined. Spread in 9 pie pan. Top with pecans and paprika. Bake at 3750F uncovered for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve on crackers, toast or stuff into miniature tart crust (can be toasted in tarts). Angela