A Gluten Free Guide

Recreating Gluten-Free Perfection

Shortly after my gluten free dining experience at Asia de Cuba, I decided to recreate one of the side dishes at home. It was so simple yet so delicious.

Black Bean and Edamame Salad

one 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup shelled frozen edamame
salt to taste

Boil a large pot of salted water and cook edamame according to directions. Heat the black beans in a small saucepan or in a microwavable safe dish. Drain the edamame, toss with the black beans and salt to taste.

Voila’ the perfect accompaniment to a fish, tofu or dish or your choosing.

He tried to make ME dinner

One thing I have found since developing Celiac disease is that people love to ask you if something is gluten free. Unfortunately my answer is usually rather unsatisfying – “well, it depends.”It depends on how it is prepared, on how it is manufactured, where is it manufactured? Different rules apply for the US vs Canada vs Europe. I learned this the hard way shortly after I was diagnosed.

I was pleased to find out that the Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce I had in my fridge was gluten free. When one of my friends offered to make me a gluten free dinner I was so excited. He asked me about various ingredients.

Jeff: “I’m going to make a roast. Can you have Worcestershire sauce?”
Me: “Oh, yes I can!”
Jeff: “How about rice?”
Me: “That’s ok too!”

I offered to bring some fresh veggies and a loaf of gluten free gingerbread.

When I got to his apartment that evening I discovered some hard truths. Not all Worcestershire sauces are gluten free – the Heinz brand he had purchased had “WHEAT” right on the label. We then looked at the rice – he had made rice from a box with a flavoring packet that included “GLUTEN” as one of the ingredients. Yikes! Well, he had discovered this before I arrived and threw a chicken breast on a pan for me. Only he used a contaminated Teflon pan so I couldn’t even have that!

Luckily we discovered all of the contamination before I ate any of the gluten-containing goodies. But it was truly soul-crushing to sit there eating just the vegetables and later the gingerbread that I had prepared. It was on that night that I really began to understand how different my life would be from now on.

I now have a handle on what it means to be gluten free and all of the intricacies involved. I have a much better attitude. I probably eat much better than most of the general population, focusing on fresh, whole ingredients and the best spices and herbs to complement a dish. (Use your gluten free worcestershire sauce to make these Sauteed Mushrooms. )

We all have those moments when it just becomes too hard – that’s ok, know that there are others who understand. And hopefully, eventually it will get easier for you too.

PS – I still can’t figure out how to pronounce Worcestershire – can anyone help?

Gluten-Free Gone Trendy

I have been lucky enough to go to Asia de Cuba a few times since I moved to NYC. This is arguably the trendiest restaurant in the Gluten Free Restaurant Awareness Program. It’s a family-style Asian/Cuban fusion restaurant in Manhattan’s Midtown East / Murray Hill neighborhood. The door is practically hidden so you may walk by it a few times before finding your way inside the restaurant.

If you can convince your dining companions to all go gluten free you will get to try an array of delicious gluten free dishes. On my most recent trip, it was difficult to get photos of all of the food. We were all so enthusiastic; we ate much of it before I remembered to get out my camera!

Luckily I managed to get enough photos to tantalize most taste buds.

The Asia de Cuba salad is amazing. It combines, cashews, hearts of palm, chayote squash, and bananas on top of mixed greens.

The asian pesto grilled shrimp is served with a side of charred mangoes and papayas. I managed to get one photo before the plate was completely finished.

The “ropa vieja” of duck is not the most photogenic dish, but the flavor of the shredded duck in a lettuce wrap with strips of calabaza, cucumber and radishes will not disappoint.

Now on to the entrees. The pan seared ahi tuna is crusted with black pepper and served on mashed potatoes.

The palomillo of marinated lamb was a nice hearty dish with stir fried peppers, onions and eggplant.

My favorite by far is the miso cured black cod served with black beans and edamame. We had to order two of these. The fish is so light and delicious I could have easily eaten one all on my own.

They offer two gluten free dessert options – a flourless chocolate cake called the “Latin Lover” and an assortment of sorbets and ice creams. We were too full to partake this time but I have had the flourless chocolate cake at previous dinners. Chocolate connoisseurs give this one their approval.

Reservations are sometimes hard to come by at Asia de Cuba but they also have a large “communal” table that frees up more frequently. I had one of my most fun dinners in Manhattan at this table sitting next to a couple discussing the details of the latest Project Runway season (Make it work people).
I love NY! And I feel lucky to have this delicious gluten free restaurant option right in midtown manhattan.

Asia de Cuba 237 Madison Ave, New York 10016 Btwn 37th & 38th St Phone: 212-726-7755

Gluten-Free Sauteed Mushrooms

While not everyone loves the texture and taste of mushrooms, I am addicted. A side of sauteed mushrooms is the perfect accompaniment to so many dishes. My Mom always served these on top of steak. I could eat them all by themselves.The best part? They can be easy and low in calories. When my Mom used to make them, she loads them with butter. I have found the taste to be just as good when they are cooked without.

Sauteed Mushrooms

2 pints, sliced cremini mushrooms
Gluten Free Worcestershire Sauce
Gluten free garlic powder
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Spray a large frying pan with just a bit of olive oil. Heat the pan and add the mushrooms. Add a generous amount of Worcestershire sauce and stir about every two minutes to ensure all of the mushrooms begin to cook down. After the mushrooms are about half the size that they started, sprinkle garlic powder to taste (not too much, you don’t want the garlic to dominate the dish). Once the mushrooms have cooked down completely (10-15 minutes) the sauce will have reduced as well. They may not need salt, give them a taste, but definitely add freshly ground black pepper. Serve warm with the entree of your choice.

PLAY WITH YOUR GLUTEN-FREE FOOD!

As someone who enjoys cooking for fun, I love to play with ingredients and recipes. That comes in quite handy when adapting recipes to be gluten free.

However, sometimes a product is created that is just pure fun – literally playing with your food.

This best gift given during our holiday celebrations this year was a Marshmallow Gun. Did you know that marshmallows tend to be gluten free? (always check the ingredients)

As you can see – even my Mom got in on the action. When you get frustrated with all that is encompassed in living gluten free, have some fun and take a break from the constant worry by shooting a marshmallow.

Gluten-Free Pizza, Breadsticks and More

Risotteria is one of the most famous “gluten free” dining establishments. It’s a cute and cozy restaurant in Manhattan’s West Village. It’s one of the restaurants I loved in New York even before knowing what gluten was.

Now, Risotteria is more than just a restaurant, it’s a gluten free heaven. They offer gluten free pizza, panini, risotto, salads, breadsticks, and even dessert. I had the pleasure of dining at Risotteria on one of the coldest days of the year with a friend visiting from London.

As soon as you are seated, your server will bring you gluten free breadsticks. The first time I had these I had to keep asking to make sure they were gluten free – it just seemed too good to be true!

A few of my favorite starters are the beet and walnut salad and the white bean and calamari salad seen here.

Their green salads come in two sizes. All of their dressings are gluten free and you can even order them will truffle oil – what a culinary luxury!

You can order almost any pizza or panino (sandwich) with gluten free crust or gluten free bread. After spending time in Italy, sometimes I get such a craving for that thin crust pizza – thank goodness I can make a trip to Risotteria to get my fix.

And all of this is before even mentioning what they are most famous for – Risotto! All of the risotto I have had there has been superb. This is the parma ham, fontina and arugala. Other favorites include the gruyere, shiitake and asparagus, the porcini, corn and white truffle oil, or the calamari, olives and roasted red peppers. The choices seem endless. (And if you have ever made Risotto yourself, the memory of your tired arm will make the prices at Risotteria seem like a bargain.)

While I am not a beer drinker, this is something missed by many Celiacs. At Risotteria, they not only have gluten free beer, they have more than one to choose from. And on Tuesday nights they have gluten free pasta and beer specials. (Of course now that Anheuser Busch is producing a gluten free beer, more restaurants may have it available.)

To top it all off – ALL of the desserts on their menu are gluten free. They have gluten free carrot cake, chocolate chip cookies, fudge brownies and more.

The kind owners at Risotteria understand that you might be overwhelmed with all of the options so you can also order anything to go. They sell gluten free croutons, and pizza dough to facilitate your cooking at home.

Enjoy your next trip to Risotteria – while the wait could be long, it will be worth it.

PS – Risotteria is closed for two weeks in August (in good Italian tradition) so you many want to schedule your next trip to NYC with that in mind

Risotteria is located at 270 Bleecker St, New York 10014 Btwn 6th & 7th Ave Phone: 212-924-6664

Gluten-Free Tamales – Delicioso!

It is a tradition in many Hispanic American families to make tamales during the holidays. This year my stepdad and I attempted to recreate the scents and flavors of his youth by taking over the kitchen with a gluten free tamale project. I had a recipe and limited experience from a cooking class I took in NY. He had years of first hand experience helping his Mom. We were the perfect team.

Mexican food in general tends to be naturally gluten free. For tamales it was necessary to make sure that there was no hidden gluten in the ingredients rather than search out specific gluten free alternatives. After coming up empty at Whole Foods, we ventured to a Carniceria and found all of the tamale fixings. The instant corn masa from Mimaseca actually had “gluten free” right on the side of the bag.

Tamales can be made with various fillings. The recipe below is for chicken, though we made this batch with shredded pork. The mole sauce can be purchased ready to use or in a paste form that you reconstitute with the stock used from cooking the chicken, pork or beef. (if you want to make vegetarian tamales, you could use vegetable broth and substitute various veggies or cheese for the filling) Some ready to use mole sauces have bread crumbs so be vigilant in your ingredient perusal.

We made about 60 large tamales – this recipe is for about 30 small tamales or 20 medium to large tamales. It’s a lot of work and it can be messy – but it’s fun and nothing compares to the aroma of the cooking mole sauce and fresh steaming masa. We served them as part of all of our Holiday celebrations – dinner, breakfast – there is never a wrong time to eat tamales. Plus you can freeze tamales and enjoy the fruits of your effort for the rest of the year.

Gluten Free Tamales (recipe adapted from Essentials of Mexican Cuisine cooking class at the Institute for Culinary Education in NY)

In a large bowl filled with very hot water soak 30 corn husks for 20 minutes.

Filling
6 boneless, skinless chicken cutlets
2 quarts gluten free chicken stock
3 tablespoons canola oil
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 poblano pepper, diced
4 cups Mole Sauce
30 black pitted olives – optional

Masa Dough
4 cups gluten free instant corn masa
1 teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ cups vegetable oil
2-3 cups gluten free chicken stock

Filling
Poach chicken breast in chicken stock to an internal temperature of 165F. Set aside and allow to cool. Shred the cooled chicken. Heat a medium sauté pan, add the garlic and poblano pepper. Saute for about 4 minutes over medium-low heat. Add the mole and allow to simmer for about 7-10 minutes. Add the shredded chicken and warm through. Remove from heat and allow to cool.


Tamale Masa
In a large bowl, mix together the masa, salt and baking soda. In batches, add the vegetable oil and chicken stock. The dough should have the consistency of cookie dough. Set dough aside.

 

To Fill Tamal
Remove corn husks from water one at a time, as you work with them. Spread masa dough on the “inside” of the husk. It should cove the inside of the usk completely and be about ¼ inch thick. Place the filling in the middle of the dough, gently pushing down into the dough. (Optional – Place one olive in the center.) Fold the corn husk closed, with the top of the husk overlapping the first fold. Repeat process for remaining tamales.


To Cook
Place tamales, straightside up in a pan on top of a steaming insert. The pan should have water to a level just below the insert. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Steam, covered for one hour or until the husk comes away easily from the masa. If it does not peel away easily, allow to cook fro another 5-10 minutes. (remember to check water and refill as necessary) After they are done cooking, remove from heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Happy New Year one and all! I can sense big things for 2007.

Gluten-Free Southern Barbeque

Growing up in California, I knew “barbeque” as something you grilled outside. It wasn’t until I went away to college in Virginia that I learned in the South, “Barbeque” was something completely different. Pulled pork sandwiches from Big Jim’s in Charlottesville soon became one of my favorite foods.This week my Stepdad decided to put a new slow cooker cookbook to the test and make some gluten free pulled pork sandwiches. We were not disappointed.

Gluten Free Pulled Pork Sandwiches (adapted from the Williams Sonoma slow cooker cookbook)

3 Tablespoons Canola Oil
4 lb boneless pork shoulder, cut into 3 equal pieces
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
¾ cup gluten free apple cider vinegar
¾ cup gluten free tomato ketchup
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
¼ cup gluten free molasses
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1 Tablespoon gluten free Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Gluten free soft sandwich rolls split and toasted for serving

Warm the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the pork pieces and brown well on all sides about 12 minutes total. Transfer the pork to the slow cooker.

Pour off all but about 1 tablespoon fat from the frying pan and return the pan to medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté until golden, about five minutes. Add the vinegar and deglaze the pan, stirring to scrape up the browned bits on the pan bottom. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Cook, stirring occasionally just until the mixture begins to bubble. Pour over the pork in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on the high-heat setting for 4-5 hours or the low-heat setting for 8-10 hours.

Transfer the pork pieces to a platter. Using a pair of forks, shred each piece of pork, removing and discarding any large pieces of fat. Skim off the excess fat from the surface of the sauce and return the pulled pork to the sauce. Stir together to combine.

Serve the pork and sauce atop the gluten free sandwich rolls.

I made Mona’s Sunny Bun Mix for our sandwich rolls. They were a perfect complement to the pork. They have a great light texture and were well-received even by my Mom, who is picky about her gluten bread, much less my gluten free concoctions.

You can enjoy some southern style barbeque, even when you are living gluten free.

Gluten-Free Oatmeal Cranberry Delights!

When I was first diagnosed with celiac disease I was surprised to find out how much I would need to be vigilant about cross-contamination. In fact, oats are forbidden on a gluten free diet because they are contaminated by wheat in the production process.

In the last two years there has been some controversy in the Celiac community surrounding the safety of steel-cut oats such as McCann’s Irish Oats. Because of the length of time it took me to get my antibodies down I have not been comfortable using McCann’s, however I did decide to try a new brand of “gluten free oats” produced by Cream Hill Estates. They are quite expensive – $5 for a 500g box. But for someone who used to have oatmeal for breakfast everyday – I was glad to have the option even if it was pricey.

I couldn’t wait to make oatmeal cookies – my favorite cookie growing up. I adapted the Quaker Oats “Vanishing Oatmeal Cookies” recipe to create a crispy yet slightly chewy gluten free oatmeal cranberry cookie.

Gluten Free Oatmeal Cranberry Delights

14 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons good vanilla extract
1 ½ cups Pamela’s baking mix
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 cups gluten free oats
1 1/3 cups dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars with a mixer at medium speed. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until smooth.

Gradually add the baking mix and cinnamon and mix on low until smooth.

Stir in the oats and cranberries until evenly distributed.

Drop in small teaspoons-full on a silpat or slightly greased cookie sheet. Allow plenty of room for them to spread during baking. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Cooking times will vary according to the size of the cookie. Let cool before removing from the silpat or cookie sheet or they could crumble.

Adjustments for other gluten free flour mixes – because Pamela’s mix includes baking soda, salt and additional fat I adjusted the recipe accordingly. If your flour mix doesn’t have any fat, increase the butter by two tablespoons. Add 1 teaspoon baking soda and ½ teaspoon salt with the dry ingredients if your mix doesn’t include them already.

My step-father claims to be an “oatmeal cookie expert” and he couldn’t get enough. I hope you enjoy them as much as we did!

Elegant, Gluten-Free Italian in Manhattan

Lumi restaurant provides an elegant gluten free dining experience on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. This restaurant prepares lovely Italian fare. It is located just north of Midtown East and walking distance from Bloomingdales. You will find this refined restaurant also happens to be part of the Gluten Free Restaurant Awareness Program.My friends and I decided a couple years ago to forgo purchasing gifts for one another during the holidays. Instead we treat ourselves to a nice dinner that otherwise would be a splurge. It has turned into a great tradition. This year we decide to try Lumi. The food was fantastic and the ambiance was welcoming.

One of the gluten free appetizers on the menu is fresh buffalo mozzarella in a tomato basil cream sauce. It was exquisite.

The veal appetizer was served on a bed of mixed greens and topped with a reduction sauce of tuna, capers and parsley. I wasn’t expecting a cold dish, but it was still quite good.

They offer gluten free rice pastas, but I selected the halibut served on top of a beautifully flavored fennel and tomato mixture. It was cooked perfectly and the flavors were balanced and rich without overpowering one another.

They offer gluten free sorbets and gelato for dessert, though I was too full to try them on this trip.

Every dish we saw served to those around us made us want to try something else. I will definitely have to make it back to Lumi when I feel like splurging on a fine meal. (or when my parents come to visit – Hi Dad!)

Lumi is located at: 963 Lexington Ave, New York 10021 At 70th St Phone: 212-570-2335