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Collard Greens with Grapefruit

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1/2 a large red onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
4 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon coarsely chopped garlic
1 sprig of fresh tarragon
1 dried cayenne pepper, cut in half
4-6 stalks celery, sliced
1 bunch collard greens (center ribs removed, leaves sliced in 1 inch widths)
2 Tablespoons wheat free soy sauce
2 Tablespoons sherry
1 Tablespoon honey
1 red grapefruit, peeled and divided into sections, white membranes removed
freshly ground pepper
freshly ground salt

Fry the chopped red onion in the butter, in a non-stick skillet set over medium heat, for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onion is browned – it will smell really great! Add the garlic, celery, cayenne pepper and tarragon branch and stir fry for a minute. Add the collard greens and stir fry as they wilt, another couple of minutes. Add the soy sauce, sherry and honey and stir fry as this cooks in to the greens, another 5-7 minutes. Add the grapefruit sections and stir-fry as the grapefruit sections start to fall apart and the greens cook some more – another 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Use all gluten-free ingredients!

This recipe is based on one from Hammersley’s Bistro Cooking at Home. The original recipe was for duck, with bitter greens and grapefruit etc. and appeared on page 203.

 

 

 

Creamy Lentil Soup with Curry and Chipotles

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This mulligatawny style soup is gluten free, dairy free and vegan. The recipe has been developed and tested for the gluten free community by Gf-Zing!

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon gluten free homemade chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
1 Tablespoon gluten free curry powder
1 teaspoon gluten free turmeric powder
2 stalks of celery, diced
1 or 2 carrots, sliced
2 potatoes, cubed
1/4 cup gluten free ketchup
1 quart water
1 can coconut milk
1 cup dry brown lentils
1 teaspoon salt, or more, to taste

Briefly fry the onions, garlic and ginger in the oil until soft. Add the curry powder and the turmeric and stir to coat the onions. Add the rest of the ingredients except the salt, and simmer uncovered for a half hour. Taste the soup. Add the salt, cook over low heat for 15 minutes more, and serve.

Make sure that all your ingredients are gluten free!

Eggplant Caviar

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When this recipe first came to our attention, in the 1970s, the instructions called for cooking the mixture for two hours in a covered pan over very low heat. Over the course of time, the hybridization of eggplants and the introduction of hotter stove burners have necessitated some changes. The recipe is presented here in its original form, with recommendations for modern cooking methods. The recipe has been tested for the gluten free community by Gf-Zing!

1 medium eggplant, peeled and chopped in 1/4″ cubes
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can gluten free stewed tomatoes (14 ounce size)
2 Tablespoons gluten free tomato paste (optional)
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
the juice of a half or a whole lemon

Fry the eggplant in the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed non-stick frying pan (12″) until soft, about ten minutes. Mash with a potato masher, then add the rest of the ingredients except for the lemon juice. Do not add the lemon juice yet.

Add the rest of the ingredients and cover the pan. Reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting and cook for 2 hours, watching carefully so it doesn’t burn. A heavy pan is necessary. When it is just starting to stick to the bottom of the pan, it is done cooking. Add the juice of 1/2-1 lemon, to taste. It should be somewhat tart.

This mixture is typically spread on “black bread” or Westphalian pumpernickel. For the gluten free community, try to find “Genuine Bavarian Gluten-Free Toast Bread” which is distributed by R & R Export-Import Specialties, PO Box 7667, Nashua NH 03060. (800)-818-7729.

Notes for modern cooks: If you have a stove that has hot burners, you can stir-fry the mixture for about 20 minutes, stirring constantly, until it starts to stick to the pan. The flavor will not be quite as intense as the old-fashioned low-heat method achieves, but it will be perfectly acceptable. If the eggplant seems to become soft and mushy quickly during the initial frying, this should be a clue that you need to cook the mixture for less time than two hours. Thirty years ago, the eggplant cubes could stand up to quite a bit of cooking and maintain their structural integrity but somehow the modern hybrids seem to disintegrate quickly.

Baked Beans with Rum

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It is a common question – which brands of baked beans are gluten free? Which ones don’t contain meat? Well, if you make your own, the beans will taste better, and you will know for sure what’s in them!

2 Tablespoons oil
1/2-3/4 cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cans (15.5 ounces each) gluten free Navy Beans

1/2 cup gluten free ketchup
1/2 cup rum (we used light rum)
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup molasses
2 Tablespoons gluten free Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt

Fry the onion and garlic in the oil until soft. Mix the fried mixture with all the other ingredients in a large bowl – the mixture will be thin and soupy – that’s ok. Transfer the mixture to a baking dish (Corningware casseroles are perfect for this). Do not put a cover on the dish. Bake at 350 for one hour, stirring from time to time. Then turn the heat up to 400 and bake until the sauce has reduced and thickened to the consistency you prefer. Stir frequently during this part of the cooking (every ten minutes) as the sauce can go from thick to stuck-to-the-bottom-of-the-pan in very short order!

These beans are just delicious, and they smell great when they are cooking.

This is adapted by Gf-Zing! from a recipe from Lean Bean Cuisine, by Jay Solomon, 1995.

Make sure all your ingredients are gluten free.

Sweet Potatoes with Apricots

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4 sweet potatoes or red garnet yams, cleaned, baked and peeled
1 Tablespoon gluten free frozen orange juice concentrate
1 Tablespoon dark brown sugar
salt
freshly ground pepper
1 egg
a very small amount of freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup dried apricots, diced and soaked in warm water for 1 hour and drained (discard the soaking liquid and keep the apricots)

Mash the sweet potatoes or yams. Add the rest of the ingredients.

Transfer the mixture to a buttered or greased casserole, (a shallow one is best so the mixture is not too thick and will heat quickly.) Bake for 25 minutes at 350, until slightly browned on top.

You can substitute other dried fruits for the apricots – cranberries, raisin, pears etc. or a combination.

This is based on a recipe in Casserole Cookery Complete, a cookbook from the mid and late-1950s.

Make sure all your ingredients are gluten free!

Sweet Potatoes with Pineapple and Cinnamon

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4 sweet potatoes or red garnet yams, cleaned and baked until soft
Gluten free crushed pineapple, drained
brown sugar to taste
salt
pepper
cinnamon to sprinkle on top

The amount of pineapple should be 1/2 the volume of cooked yams, approximately.

Peel and mash the sweet potatoes (if you can obtain canned sweet potatoes that do not have gluten, you can use them, but why not use fresh?) Add the crushed pineapple and as much brown sugar as you feel is appropriate. Add a little salt and pepper.

Place the mixture in a buttered or greased casserole, sprinkle gently with cinnamon.

Bake at 350 until heated through – if you use 4 yams, you would need to heat this casserole for 30-45 minutes, depending on the depth of the mixture in the dish.

Make sure that your spices are gluten free!

Spicy Collard Greens with Lemon and Rice

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Originally, the recipe was for a Turkish salad, but we found that with a few adjustments we had a fine, highly-flavored hot side dish. You can use this recipe with other “braising” greens, such as swiss chard.

3 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup shallots, peeled and sliced
1 cup of diced tomatoes
1/2 cup diced green peppers
2 pounds of collard greens, cleaned well and chopped (leave out the tough parts of the stem)
2 cups gluten free chicken stock
1/2 cup uncooked Jasmine, long-grain or Basmati rice
salt
freshly ground pepper
Gluten free hot sauce or asian garlic hot pepper sauce, about 1/2 teaspoon or to taste
juice of 1 lemon

Fry the shallots in the oil in a non-stick pan with a lid. Add the tomatoes, peppers and collard greens (don’t worry, the huge amount of collard greens will shrink as it cooks.) and fry for a few minutes while the collard greens cook down to fit into the pan. Add the chicken stock and rice, salt, pepper and hot sauce and cover the pan. Cook over low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding more stock if necessary. Sprinkle with lemon juice.

Serve with a sauce made from 1 cup of plain yogurt mixed with 2 cloves of raw garlic, grated, and a dash of salt.

Make sure all of your ingredients are gluten free!

Baby Potatoes – are they really worth the $$?

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When we visit the produce section those baby potatoes are sitting there in their little plastic potato prisons, enticing us to remember the stories people used to tell, of creamed potatoes and peas on the 4th of July; of new potatoes just out of the ground. However, at upwards of $4 a box these little tubers are pretty pricey! So, the question is, should we spend our hard earned money on them? Are they worth it? A resounding Yes! Baby, or “new” potatoes are a superior braising or boiling potato.

Definitely buy the baby potatoes – – try the Yukon Golds – try them braised, or boiled plain and served whole with butter. You will not be sorry! Buy two boxes because you will want seconds.

Now, here’s a little useful information about potatoes in general:

If you go to spend the big bucks on tiny potatoes, make sure that they are not green – look at them closely and you may see that some potatoes have a green tinge to the skin. The green is due to the presence of solanine, which is a toxin. Potatoes form more solanine when they are exposed to light, which is why potatoes were stored in root cellars in the old days, and why they are often sold in opaque bags today. If you smell a very green potato, you will notice a bitter, grassy smell like that of weeds broken while gardening. This smell, and the green color, should alert you not to consume that potato. Solanine, in large enough quantities, can make you ill. So, avoid green potatoes.

Here’ the dictionary definition of solanine:
http://www.bartleby.com/61/32/S0543200.html

and here’s the chemical composition:
C45H73NO15

Now, you know more about potatoes than you used to!

Hutspot – A Dutch Potato Dish

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2 parts potatoes
1 part onions
1 part carrots
water
salt
freshly ground pepper
butter

This is a very simple dish, and completely adjustable. If you use 2 pounds of potatoes, then use one pound of the carrots and onions. If you use more potatoes, increase the other vegetables accordingly. Peel the vegetables, cut the potatoes and carrots in chunks and cut up the onions a bit more.

Put all the vegetables into a pot with a lid. Add water about half way up the vegetables, then salt . Put the top on and cook on medium heat until the vegetables are soft. Drain the extra water (if necessary) – often there is no need to drain it, depending on what kind of potatoes you used. Mash while adding butter and freshly ground pepper. Taste the seasoning, and serve with meat dishes.

A simple dish that expands your potato horizons!

Succotash – modern version of American Corn and Beans

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Succotash is a Narraganset Indian word for a mixture of corn and legumes. The Depression era version of this dish included lima beans. If you prefer other vegies to limas, you may want to try branching out with asparagus, green beans or peas. If you like limas, then use them.

1/2 a spanish onion, chopped (spanish onions brown well)
3 Tablespoons butter, GF margarine of olive oil
corn off the cob from 7 ears of sweet corn, or 1 bag of frozen corn
1 bunch asparagus cut in 1 1/2-2 inch lengths, or string beans, or peas
salt
pepper

Stir-fry onion in butter in a non-stick pan until golden.

Add corn and asparagus or beans or peas, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the asparagus or beans are done – 10-15 minutes.

Make sure all of your ingredients are gluten free.

Coleslaw

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A medium sized cabbage
2 carrots
1/2 cup of gluten free mayonnaise
Gluten-free seasoned rice vinegar to taste (you will need at least a half cup)
2-3 teaspoons of prepared gluten free mustard
freshly ground pepper

Clean the cabbage and shred using the food processor or a good knife and chopping board. Clean, peel and grate the carrots. Mix the cabbage and carrots with the mayo, seasoned rice vinegar (already has salt and sugar in it), mustard and pepper. If your guests like onion, you can grate a small onion and add this too!

This coleslaw will keep in the fridge for a day or two. After that, it begins to look disturbing and should be discarded.

If you are serving food to gluten-free friends, check carefully with the manufacturers, or on the reputable internet-based gluten free food lists, to make sure that all ingredients are gluten free. Or, ask your friends which brands are safe for them to eat.

Corn Salad – Southwestern

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3-4 cups of cooked corn (you can use frozen or fresh)
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1 cup of cooked lima beans, edamame beans or other beans (or leave them out)
1/2 cup diced red onion
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of gluten free red chile powder
1/4 cup gluten free cider vinegar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
freshly ground black pepper

Mix it all up, refrigerate it and let the flavors mix for a couple of hours. This simple corn salad is delicious, and very colorful! If you are making this for a gluten-free friend, make sure to use gluten free spices, and tell your friend that you took the trouble. There are some spice purveyors that promise to include all ingredients on their labels, but some of them don’t and this makes the GF community wary and nervous about the possibility of fillers that may have been added to the spices!

You can add tomatoes to this recipe, and you can add 1-2 minced jalapeno peppers if you want a little heat in your salad.

If you are serving food to gluten-free friends, check carefully with the manufacturers, or on the reputable internet-based gluten free food lists, to make sure that all ingredients are gluten free. Or, ask your friends which brands are safe for them to eat.

Mushrooms or Green Beans, Vinaigrette

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Steam 1 1/2 pounds of green beans, or slice a couple of 12 ounce packages of mushrooms (cleaned really, really well, because after all what is all that dirt on those mushrooms anyway?)

Make a dressing of:

2-3 large cloves of garlic, minced
6-8 fresh basil leaves, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
3 Tablespoons GF red wine vinegar
salt
pepper

Marinate the beans or mushrooms in this dressing. You can add roasted red pepper strips, diced red onion, fresh spinach leaves (add spinach just before serving). Enjoy!

If you are serving food to gluten-free friends, check carefully with the manufacturers, or on the reputable internet-based gluten free food lists, to make sure that all ingredients are gluten free. Or, ask your friends which brands are safe for them to eat.

Salad Dressings, in general

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When the gluten-free person makes that trip to the grocery store, they enter like a cart-horse with blinders on – seeing only the 25% of the product aisles that have gluten-free food in them. Naturally, we gravitate towards the produce section, where the vegetables are neatly sealed in gluten-free packages by their allmighty maker – not even the food industry could introduce a “solution” into a potato, or add a modified food starch to lettuce. So, we are always happy to see our colorful vegetable friends! A safe oasis of green, orange and red in a desert world of wheat.

The salad course is a favorite, so we collect a variety of healthy vegetables, but then we wander over to the dressing shelf and have to get out those reading glasses to see what creepy ingredients the manufacturers have added to the products. We are ready to present to you here, on the gluten-free Gf-Zing! website, a selection of salad dressing recipes that will make your vegetables sing!

Check the Salads and Dressings link in the menu on the left for some salad dressing recipes.

Roasted Beets

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Two pounds of fresh beets
fresh thyme
Olive oil
Black pepper
Sea salt

You will need two pounds of fresh beets – red and yellow beets are pretty when cooked together! Fresh beets are not pretty to start out – they usually look like what they are – root vegetables. This recipe will make a real beet enthusiast happy, and it will turn the beet skeptic into a member of the beet lover’s club!

The beets must be washed, peeled and cut in slices. It doesn’t really matter how big the slices are, but I generally cut the beet in half and then make 1/2 inch slices. Put the slices in a single layer on a silpat lined cookie sheet, or in a ceramic or glass oven-proof dish. Sprinkle them with the leaves from 3 branches of fresh thyme (that’s 1/2-1 teaspoon of dried thyme depending on how much you like thyme), 2 Tablespoons of olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt. Cover the pan with foil. Bake the beets for one and a half hours at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then take off the foil and stir the beets around before serving.

This beet recipe turns out a very sweet roasted beet, and it makes enough for a family of four people who like beets. For those who love beets, it would serve three people. If you like the beets a little sweet and sour, you could sprinkle a little gluten free wine vinegar or other vinegar that you are confident about on top and stir them around.

Green Beans with Shallots

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2 pounds fresh green beans
2-3 shallots
vegetable oil
1/4-1/2 cup of broken nut meats or pine nuts
salt and pepper
water

Grab either two pounds of fresh green beans, or a bag of the frozen haricots verts (the little skinny french green beans), prepare them for cooking and make sure you have some shallots and some pecans or pine nuts on hand.

In a heavy skillet, stir-fry 2-3 shallots, peeled and sliced, in 1 Tablespoon of vegetable oil until they begin to brown. Shallots brown very nicely. Then add 1/4-1/2 cup of broken nut meats or pine nuts – your choice! Pecans and pine nuts have a slightly sweet flavor and are the best for this purpose. Stir fry for another minute, then add the green beans and some salt and fresh pepper. Stir fry until the beans are cooked to your liking, adding 1/3 cup of water to the pan to loosen the tasty shallot material that is stuck to the bottom.

This dish goes well with almost any meat course, and of course it goes well with rice!