Moblog Entry

This photo was posted from my cell phone.

Guess what these are?

If you guessed gluten-free doggie cookies, you guessed correctly.

Play time!

The photo below was me playing “Iron Chef” tonight.  The “secret” ingredient?  Blood oranges!  These were beautiful too.  Gorgeous orange and red on the outside and almost red wine/burgandy on the inside.  And suprisingly sweeter than usual. 

I decided tonight was a play night.  No recipe, no planning, just what’s in the fridge that I can do something with involving blood oranges and chicken (that’s what I had thawed).  I decided to zest the orange, then slice it into thin slices.  The chicken was salted and peppered, then had hte zest rubbed on it.  From there, a couple of sprigs of rosemary and 2 cloves of garlic made it in.  I wrapped the chicken in little foil pouches and stuck them in the oven at 375 for about a half hour or so.

Then I decided to make a simple Cointreau sauce.  I started with some sugar and let it melt in a saucepan, followed by another blood orange with zest, salt, pepper, and cointreau with a bit of cornstarch dissolved in it. 

For veg, as you can see I blanched the asparagus.  I let it go a bit longer than I normally do, so it was tender crisp rather than really crisp.

I thought it turned out extremely well.  The DH liked it, but the cointreau was a bit too much for him.  I’m now thinking up a combination involving some apples for the next try.

Moblog Entry

This photo was posted from my cell phone.

Pastry adventure

Having gone gluten-free, there are several things that I occasionally miss: bread and roasted garlic as a meal, spaghetti and other pastas, Cornish pasties.  The bread I’ve worked out and I can’t say I really miss pasta all that much but the Cornish pasty has been a big one.  Those wonderful stuffed pastries with meat, potatoes, or cheese and onions, or veggies and mushrooms or whatever happens to strike your fancy.  They used to be sent with miners and farmers in lunch boxes as a hearty, satisfying meal.  And they are, believe me. 

In the days BGF (before gluten free) I used to make them frequently.  I would double the recipe and eat them for lunch most of the week.  I loved steak and potato, but would occasionally try chicken or something else.  I used to pack them as full as possible.  Given that gluten in regular pastry dough makes it extremely springy, I could easily pack these things to bursting and they wouldn’t split.  Since going GF I basically kissed these marvelous creations goodbye.

Until tonight.

I decided I would atempt a gluten free pastry dough.  Now bear in mind, with my rice allergy, rice flour is out of the question.  I’ve read several ideas for pastry on various sites, so I figured it wouldn’t be that difficult.

That was a bit of an error in judgement.

I tried making the pastry according to the various directions on the sites I’ve seen and in the actual recipe itself.  I couldn’t get the dough to hold on a bet.  I know there shouldn’t be a lot of water in pastry dough, but there was no way it was going to hold without it, even with refrigeration.  Or would it?  I decided to chuck all convention out the window and try it my own way.  What can act as binders?  Hmmm…  Xantham gum, Guar gum… EGG!!  That should do nicely.  So I set to work after the first not-so-great attempt.  I knew I was close, but just not yet there.  This time the dough was great.  It was a bit sticky, but was holding nicely.  While I could’ve/should’ve refrigerated, I decided to delve right in and start rolling it out.  I tried the one tip I found online to roll the dough between two sheets of wax paper, eliminating both the need for additional flour and the messy pastry roller.  Then I cut them round using a bowl (my salad plates are too big for the job now, but if you have saucers that would do the job nicely) and tried stuffing them.  The first one was over stuffed.  I quickly learned that gluten free dough is extremely delicate.  It takes some patience and a bit of a delicate touch to fill these rounds.  And trying to patch the dough does work, but again it takes a very gentle touch to adhere the scraps and not break the dough any further.  I had enough dough for 5 pasties.

The filling today was beef, potato, onion, fresh parsley, freshly grated horseradish, dijon mustard, salt, pepper, freshly made stock from the batch I made earlier today, and some red wine.  These turned out perfect!  I was amazed.  My DH, the resident Brit, was extremely happy with them and said they tasted like he remembered them tasting, so that was high praise indeed.

So here’s the recipe I adapted from my English Cooking cookbook..  I hope you give it a try, as it’s definitely worth the extra bit of effort.  (They are also awesome cold the next day for lunch)

Gluten Free Cornish Pasties

For the pastry:

2 1/2 cups GF flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill GF All-purpose flour as I’m about out of my homemade blend)

1 tsp ground mustard seeds (this is a must)

1 tsp baking soda


1 tsp Guar gum

2 tsp Xantham gum

4 Tbsp crisco butter flavoured shortening

5 Tbsp dairy free margarine (or you could use all shortening so long as it equals 9 Tbsp or 120g)

1 egg

water

For the filling.  This is a more traditional recipe, but feel free to use whatever you like:

250g (or about 8 oz) steak, finely chopped

3 small old potatoes peeled and finely chopped

1 medium (or 1/2 large) onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (minus the big stems)

1/4 cup beef or chicken stock (or a combo of stock and wine, which I prefer)

pepper and salt to taste

1 tsp English mustard (I prefer Dijon, but stone ground, brown or even yellow would work)

1 tsp grated horseradish (I used to use prepared horseradish but have yet to find it here.  I just bought a root and grated it myself)


beaten egg for glazing/sealing

Preheat oven to 210 C/425 F (gas mark 6 or so).  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.

Place flour, xantham gum, guar gum, baking soda and mustard in food process or stand mixer (I prefer my mixer, but this can easily be done by hand mixer, pastry cutter or by hand) and add shortening and margarine.  Process or mix til mixture is fine and crumbly.  Add egg and mix until it starts coming together.  Add lukewarm water until it starts to ball up.  Take out of food processor or out of the mixing bowl and give it a few good kneads to make sure it’s a good consistency and isn’t too sticky.  Refrigerate for 1/2 hour to an hour if possible.

In the meantime, mix up all the ingredients for the filling.  Make sure that the filling is well coated with the horseradish, mustard and the liquid.

Roll pastry between two pieces of waxpaper to about 3mm thickness (about an 1/4” or so).  Make the dough circular by using a bowl or a saucer.  It should be about 16 cm (or about 6”) in diameter.  Place some of the filling int the middle of the circle.  You end up leaving about 1 1/2” to the edge of the circle.  Brush some of the beaten egg around the exposed edges of the circle.  Gently bring the sides together to form a half circle with the seam facing up.  Pich the edges to form little frills if desired.  Otherwise, just make sure it’s sealed.  Move to the baking sheet and brush with more of the egg wash.  Repeat with the rest of the dough.

Place in oven for 10 minutes.  Reduce heat to 180 C/ 350 F (gas mark 4) and bake another 20 minutes or until golden brown and yummy.

In honour of Valentine’s Day

I can’t say that I’m a huge fan of this holiday, but it is the perfect excuse to indulge in chocolate.  It also doesn’t hurt that it’s a dear friend’s birthday today.   So I’ve decided that he needs a cake.  Of course, I can’t do regular cakes, but I found this wonderful chocolate flourless cake recipe.  I’ve made it before, and it was *gorgeous*.  The fresh raspberry sauce was a must and really set the cake off wonderfully.  Though the first time I made it, I didn’t actually let it set up in the fridge, but instead served it warm.  While it was good, it really does need the time to chill and set up.  Because of the dairy issue, I use corn oil margarine in this, but if you can use butter, by all means, do!!  I also don’t use the cream of tartar, but just plain old baking powder.  Good chocolate is a must in this.  

After the cake, I think I’ll make some chocolate dipped strawberries for the weekend.  MMMMMMMMM!

Flourless chocolate cake with fresh raspberry sauce

For the cake:

12 tablespoons unsalted butter

12 ounces bittersweet chocolate (semi-sweet will work, but make sure it’s good quality chocolate)


3 teaspoons vanilla extract

8 large eggs (separated)

2/3 cup brown sugar (packed)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar (or 1 tsp or so of baking powder)

1 tablespoon cooking oil or cooking spray, for greasing pan

2 tablespoons gluten free flour, for dusting pan

For the raspberry sauce:

1/2 pt. raspberries

1/2 c. water

1/4 c. sugar

Preheat oven to 325 F.  Oil and flour a 9” springform cake round.  Cut a piece of wax paper or parchment to fit inside the bottom of the pan, place the paper in the bottom of the pan.

In a double-boiler on gentle heat, melt the butter and chocolate together until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a clean mixing bowl (make sure there is no oil residue on the bowl or mixer attachments) beat the egg whites until they become cloudy and frothy; about 30 seconds.  Continue beating while adding the brown sugar and cream of tartar.  Beat until stiff peaks form- be careful not to overbeat- this is most important!

If the eggs curdle, throw them away and start over with new egg whites, seriously.

Whisk the egg yolks and vanilla into the melted chocolate mixture in a large mixing bowl.  Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate (start by folding in about 1/3rd of the whites, then gently fold in the remaining whites), the mixture should end up fluffy and light.  Pour into the prepared pan.

Wrap the bottom of the pan with foil and place the pan in a deep cooking sheet with about 1/2 to 1 inch of water in it. Bake the cake for about 60-70 minutes or until it passes the toothpick test. Remove cake from oven and allow to cool for about an hour.

Gently run a knife around the edge of the pan, and then carefully invert the cake onto a flat plate or other surface.  Remove the paper from the bottom (now the top) of the cake.  Invert again onto the final plate for displaying the cake. The cake can be eaten right away but it may fall slightly when it is cut- for best results, it should be refrigerated for at least 6 hours before serving.

Right before serving the cake, make the raspberry sauce by combining all ingredients and bringing them to a boil. Strain and cool the sauce. Garnish the cake with fresh raspberries and serve with the sauce.

GF/DF Chocolate Chip cookies

I posted this on Celiac.com a bit ago, but just got around to posting this here.  It’s actually a recipe from my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook, with a verification with Nestle’s Tollhouse cookies.  They worked out really well.  I might try refrigerating the dough for about an hour just to see if I get even better results.  The first batch I did were just like I remember homemade chocolate chip cookies.  The second batch were very flat and ran.  They were almost crepe like, but I honestly think I forgot to add the rest of the flour in.  But at any rate, here’s the recipe:

2 1/4 cups gluten-free flour (add more if the dough is a bit runny)

1 Tbsp baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks, 1/2 pound) butter, softened (I used dairy-free Fleischmanns, as it’s all corn oil)

3/4 cup granulated [white] sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs (or egg replacement) (room temperature)


2 cups (12-ounce package) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels, or any dairy free morsels (I used Ghirardelli’s bittersweet and they were fantastic.)

1 cup chopped nuts (OPTIONAL!!)

COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in large mixer bowl. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts if you are using them. Drop by rounded teaspoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE in preheated 375-degree [Fahrenheit] oven for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Stuffed on salad

I managed to absolutely gorge myself on salad tonight.  Not just any salad, you ssee.  I’m not what you would call a “salad lover”.  To me, salad is the stuff I feed my rabbits every night.  While it’s great for them, not so much for humans.  But I saw one on TV that totally changed my mind.  I saw it on the Food Netowrk and totally had to try it, even with the Feta cheese.  Being dairy-free is a challenge, since I *love* cheese.  I adore most cheese, and Feta is no exception.  The last dairy I had was the cup of milk in the pancakes (so about half a cup as the pancakes were split between me and the DH.) and it made me bloated and extremely ill for a couple of hours.  Would 1/4 cup of Feta in a whole salad do the same thing?

Now the amusing part of all this is that it’s FREEZING outside.  Normally this is the weather that just begs for soups, stews or other hearty comfort foods.  But for some odd reason I had my heart set on making this salad tonight.  So I started marinating the chicken and prepped most of the salad.  The red onion I had was way too pungent, so I caramelized it.  I thought about roasting some veggies, but didn’t really feel in the mood for it.  What’s the best complement to a salad.  Slices of crusty bread.  Or, in my case, Chebe rolls with rosemary.   I was a little worried, as I know how many strong flavors there would be in this salad.  The chicken was marinating in an oregano marinade, there was a “greek” dressing I was making with more oregano and garlic, and of course the Feta cheese and kalamata olives.  I kept some additional chicken on stand-by in case the DH didn’t like it.

I needn’t have worried.

He devoured it.  Absolutely loved it.  He was saying how when summer comes around he’d love to see this in our rotation, or when we have people over, make a huge bowl of this.  He’s just as stuffed on the salad as I am.

Heres the recipe from Food Network.  It’s from Good Deal with Dave Lieberman.  If you can’t tolerate dairy, feel free to leave the cheese off entirely or try a dairy cheese substitute, if you desire.

Greek Salad with Oregano Marinated Chicken

For the chicken:

1 lemon, juiced

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

A couple good pinches salt

10 grinds black pepper

4 (6 to 7-ounce) boneless skinless chicken breasts


For the dressing:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 lemon, juiced

2 cloves garlic, smashed with the side of your chef’s knife

1 teaspoon dried oregano

3 pinches salt

10 to 15 grinds black pepper

For the salad:

2 to 3 hearts romaine lettuce

1 English cucumber, peeled, cut in 1/2 lengthwise, then cut into 1/2-inch chunks

3 vine-ripened tomatoes (about 3/4-pound), cored and cut into 1/2-inch chunks

1/2 red onion, very thinly sliced

1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

To marinate the chicken: In a non-reactive dish, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper and mix together. Add the chicken breasts to the dish and rub both sides in the mixture. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.


To make the dressing: Combine all the ingredients in a resealable container and shake vigorously. Refrigerate until ready to serve, and then bring to room temperature before tossing salad.

Assemble the salad: cut off any dark tips and the bitter white bottoms from the romaine leaves. Cut the lettuce into 1-inch strips and place in a bowl that is large enough to hold all the salad ingredients comfortably. Scatter cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, olives, and feta over the top. You can prepare the salad up to a few hours in advance. Cover it with a moist paper towel and refrigerate until 30 minutes before serving.

To cook the chicken: Heat a nonstick skillet or grill pan over high heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook, turning once, until well browned, about 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Let the chicken rest on a cutting board for a few minutes before slicing it into thin strips.

Give the dressing a good shake and pour it into a nice little serving bowl, using the lid to strain out the garlic.

Toss salad just before serving and fan chicken out on top.