We've been dabbling in a dairy-free, gluten-free diet in the House of Pinch. What we've learned is this: bready things are hard to recreate without gluten. We were thoroughly grossed out by Namaste's pancake mix, divided on the frozen gluten-free pancakes at Trader Joe's, and all agreed that Udi's Whole Grain Gluten Free bread should be in everyone's freezer. (I found it in the freezer section at our Chitown Whole Foods.)
We've had Udi's as toast, and we've had it thawed and soft. Both good. But the best preparation was this: basted with olive oil and garlic and baked until golden and crispy. Gluten free toast points with hummus? Awesome. As a base for a Pinch sandwich? Outstanding. Take your pick from these five awesome sandwiches and substitute Garlic Slathered Udi's for the baguette or ciabatta:
Salmon Sandwich with Dill Aioli
Flank Steak Sandwich
Herb Frittata with Pepperonata
Italian Beef Sandwich with Giardinera
Pan Bagnia
Garlic Slather for Bread
Print recipe only here
Combine in a small bowl:
about ¼ cup good olive oil
2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely chopped
2 T fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 T fresh basil, finely chopped,
Salt and fresh ground pepper
Brush on bread (frozen is fine) using silicone basting brush. Bake in a preheated 375 oven for about 5-15 minutes, depending on oven size, until golden brown at the edges and fragrant.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Fab Five Gluten Free Snacks and Sandwiches
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Pinched Potatoes au Gratin
Pinching unhealthy fats out of foods is one of my favorite things do to in the kitchen - just as long as the dish comes out well. Potatoes au Gratin might be the effort I'm most proud of. I give all the credit to the Gruyère; this cheese certainly stands alone. Gruyère is so flavorful that not much is needed. Couple that with the use of nonfat milk and the fat content is significantly lower than the cream-and-gobs-of-cheese version.
These make a terrific wintertime side dish. Just beware that they need to be baked for about an hour and plan accordingly. They're great leftover, too. I warm them up in my toaster oven.
Pinched Potatoes au Gratin
Print recipe only here
Serves 4
YOU WILL NEED
4 medium Russet potatoes, peeled
1/2 cup nonfat milk
2 ounces Gruyère, grated
2 garlic cloves, smashed a bit
pinch nutmeg
salt and fresh ground pepper
kitchen slicer or Mandoline to cut the potatoes paper-thin
8-inch skillet
METHOD
Preheat oven to 350° or 300° convection.
In a small saucepan, bring the milk, garlic, nutmeg and a few turns of black pepper to a simmer. Reduce heat to lowest setting - or turn it off completely - and allow to steep for 5 minutes.
Using slicer or Mandoline, cut one of the potatoes. Line the bottom of the skillet with a single layer of potatoes, overlapping them slightly. You won't use the entire potato in one layer; just save what's left for the next layer. Pour about a tablespoon of the steeped milk over the layer of potatoes, sprinkle a bit of salt and some fresh ground pepper on top. Top with a scant 1-2 t grated Gruyère. Repeat until you have used all four potatoes. Save the most generous sprinkling of cheese for the top layer.
Cover the skillet with foil and place in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes. Remove cover and bake another 10-15 minutes, or until the top is golden. Allow to cool about 5 minutes before serving.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Coconut Macaroon Intermezzo
This is a brain cleanser for me. It's taking me FOREVER to address the middle part of the Pinch tag line. Meanwhile, chew on these. They are so yummy. Doesn't the new woodpecker make them look so nice?!?
They are gluten free and unleavened, the latter being the reason they pop up in markets at Passover. But are they ever sweet! Almost too much for me. Unsweetened coconut isn't widely available, but if you can get your hands on it I recommend cutting the sweetened coconut with some unsweetened.
Coconut Macaroons
Print recipe only here
Makes 2-3 dozen cookies
INGREDIENTS
2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 egg white
1 1/2 t vanilla extract
pinch salt
3 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut. Use one part unsweetened flaked coconut if you can find it.
METHOD
Combine all ingredients, mixing well by hand.
Refrigerate, covered, for 2-3 hours.
Preheat oven to 325.
Drop measured spoonfuls of mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake for about 15 minutes or until nicely browned. Cool and serve or store.
These keep well for several days in an airtight container at room temperature.
