Now we're cooking with gas!

So excited to have a gas stove!  Apparently fourth stove is the charm (ask JJ). $300 later we have a great looking Jen-Air down draft gas stove with electric convection (!) oven and lots of extra pieces like an indoor grill insert.  All it took was three stoves, a range top, many visits to the Rebuilding Center, and one otherworldly trip to deep south Portland a la craigslist.  Reduce, reuse, recycle, ragu!

Simple Summer Pleasures

Serves 1 to 100

As you may (or may not) have noticed, the blog has been on a bit of a vacation this summer, with the author being preoccupied with, among other things, a whole home energy upgrade, a ‘collateral damage’ reno of the master bedroom due to the former (working on paint and plaster as we speak), massive garage sale, and the usual summer guests & travel.  So I do apologize, dear readers, for the lack of posts.  But do not despair as food is always near the forefront of this gal’s brain, and I have been amassing photos and recipes for a deluge of posts now that things are settling down somewhat... (except for the start of The Grape Harvest, the plethora of which will undoubtedly produce its own deluge of recipes as we try to deal with a bumper crop this year…stay tuned for that one!).

In these last warm days of a beautiful summer, and the chilly march into fall, it is the simple pleasures of life that are most rewarding.  I was fortunate enough to spend two days on the edge of the Hood Canal, west of Olympia, WA, soaking up some of the best the Northwest offers: warm sun, lapping waters, a babbling brook, and the hummus-filled air of lush cedar forests. 

In this environment, one needs little more than le cose essenziali della vita – the essentials of life – the phrase that Italians use to refer to bread and cheese.  For those on a GF journey good bread can be very hard to come by, causing borderline obsession at times (this is especially true for me when seeing the simple act of swirling fresh bread in tangy-sweet balsamic vinegar and luscious olive oil).  And so with the addition of the sublimity of summer wrapped up in a garden-grown tomato (thanks Carol!) and a riff on gremolata, one need only sit back and savor the simple pleasures of life.

Making the gremolata ahead of time makes this simple meal easily portable to any of your favorite late-summer destinations, and a decadent yet easy repas for beach, trail or picnic -- a bonus when there is so much to explore and precious little time to do so.

The ‘Essentials of Summer’ Lunch

With so few ingredients, quality is key to a sublime experience: splurge on (or make!) good bread, good cheese, good olive oil, good aged balsamic and local sunkissed tomatoes.

For each person:

• Cut 2 to 4 pieces of GF bread (depending on size) – New Cascadia’s multigrain boule is my personal favorite, and pictured here
• Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil (such as Napa Valley Naturals ‘sweet and fruity’) and aged balsamic vinegar (such as Napa Valley Naturals balsamic grand reserve)
• Spread on a layer of gremolata (recipe follows)
• Add slices of your favorite cheese (Some definite winners include brie, fontina, fresh mozza, creamy chèvre…or a pungent blue for those of you that swing that way).
• Arrange slices from one medium-sized perfectly ripe tomato
• Add coarse salt and fresh-ground pepper
• Top with additional oil and vinegar if desired

(Arguably an equally sublime dish could be made without the cheese, making this vegan if you choose a vegan, GF bread like most available from New Cascadia Traditional http://www.newcascadiatraditional.com/ )

Parsley-Olive- Caper Gremolata

Makes ~ 1 cup

Gremolata is a traditional Italian condiment made of lemon zest, garlic and herbs that can vary widely in application and contents.  It has a bright green flavor that can enhance many dishes, whether added in the beginning and allowed to mellow, or at the end to provide added piquancy.  Anchovies are often used as well, and I’ve substituted them with capers and olives to mimic that umami flavor.  I’ve also added almond and flaxseed meals to help tighten this up to hold together better as a spread, but these can be easily omitted if you want a looser condiment.  The almond & flaxseed meals can easily be made in a coffee/spice grinder (more on why you should own one in an upcoming post) from whole almonds and flaxseed – any extra meal can be stored in an air-tight container in the freezer for later use.

In a small food processor or blender add the following:

• 1 large handful of flat-leaved parsley, large stems removed (~ 1 cup, packed)
• 8 oz of castelvetrano olives, pitted & drained
• 1 t capers, drained
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• Zest & juice of half a large lemon
• 1 T good extra virgin olive oil



First pass - chunky



Second pass - smoother with the meals added

• Drizzle of agave nectar, depending on the sweetness of the lemon

Pulse/blend until everything is chopped but still chunky.  Empty half into a bowl and to the remaining half in the processor/blender add:

• 2 T almond meal
• 1 t flaxseed meal

Blend until it is paste-like and incorporated.  Then transfer to the bowl with the chunky bits and stir together.  Of course, you can leave it all chunky or blend it all depending on your desired use.  This ‘half-and-half’ scenario work well for use as a spread.  If you want some zip, mix in:

• Red pepper flakes to taste (I used probably half a teaspoon for zippy yet approachable heat)

Creamy Coconut Buckwheat Bowl

Makes 3 to 4 cups | Easily doubled

The other morning I was yearning for a substantial breakfast, but trying to be mindful of healthy options at the same time.  I looked longingly at the jars & jars (& jars!) of whole grains, but as is usual for the breakfast hour was hungry NOW and didn’t want to wait 20 to 40 minutes for whole grained goodness, and quick oats held no appeal.  Then I spied the buckwheat - perfect! 

Contrary to what the name would suggest, buckwheat is not wheat at all – in fact, it’s not even a grain.  Like quinoa and amaranth, buckwheat is given the lackluster distinction of being a psuedograin, as none are actually part of the grass family that gives us common grains.  While buckwheat can be used like a grain, it contains no gluten and it’s actually related to rhubarb (!).  As a bonus it is a great source of all eight essential amino acids, most of the B vitamins, calcium and vitamin E.[i]

If you’ve got eastern European heritage, it’s likely that you’ve come across this little wonder before as a breakfast porridge, or the toasted buckwheat called kasha as a side dish.  Buckwheat flour is also a key ingredient in Japanese soba noodles, Russian blinis and savory French crêpe galettes.  

Breakfast really is an excellent time for buckwheat groats because they are so quick to cook up – only 10 – 15 minutes depending on how soft you like them.  Add some fun flavors to the cooking liquid and you have yourself a wonderful, healthful, quick & delicious bowl of goodness!  Even better, make up a batch and store it in the fridge – then add a little milk of your choice, and either warm briefly or eat cold with fresh fruit…. Either ways is delicious!

Add to a medium saucepot with a tight-fitting lid:

• 1 c whole buckwheat groats
• ½ c lite coconut milk (canned type – could also use the beverage type for something lighter)
• ½ c water
• 2 handfuls dried fruit (I used blueberries and currants, both unsweetened)
• 1 t warm spice(s) (singly or a combo of cinnamon, ginger, clove, star anise, and/or allspice)

Give it a quick stir, put on the lid and turn to hi.  Watch it as it can be a voracious bubbler!  Once it boils, turn the heat down to low and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and the grains are fluffy but not mushy.  Don’t worry, this isn’t as temperamental as rice – you can take off the lid and give it a quick stir and a taste to see where it’s at - I tend to err on the 10 minute side and then I can always go a couple minutes longer if needed.  It should in no way resemble ‘mush’ unless you prefer it that way.

When it’s ready, fluff it with a fork and then portion into bowls – about a cup per serving (this is very filling!). Top with any/all of the following:

• Milk of your choice (almond and coconut are nice)
• Fresh seasonal fruit
• Nuts & seeds (almonds and hemp hearts are favorites – shredded coconut is good too!)
• A drizzle of maple syrup, agave nectar, molasses or honey

Dig it to a tasty bowl of buckwheat for breakfast!

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[i] Wood, Rebecca. 1999. “Buckwheat” in The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia. Penguin: New York, NY. 47-9 p.

Marinated Butter Bean Salad

Makes about 3 cups | Easily doubled

These large, creamy beans are absolutely divine to marinate!  You can often find them canned in a rich tomato sauce in Mediterranean markets and they make great picnic food.  While the tomato plants are barely in the ground in Portland, this nice stretch of hot weather had me thinking of bean salad - so this is a late spring twist with radishes fresh from the garden, along with the first few basil leaves (!). 

It’s a nice, fresh accompaniment to a mezze spread that you can throw together with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry, or outside your back door.  The base is beans, celery, onion, and sweetened vinegar, and you can add to that whatever is on hand and in season.  It holds well, and like all things marinated, gets better with age.  No one will know that these are actually baby lima beans!  See, I shouldn’t have told you… just try it and be captivated by the deliciousness.

Combine in a medium bowl:

• 1 – 15 oz can of butter beans (or beans of your choice), drained and rinsed
• 1 celery heart, diced fairly finely (about a cup – leave and all)
• 1 handful of radishes (or other seasonal veggies), diced
• ¼ of a large sweet onion, such as Walla Walla or Mayan sweet, dice finely
• Small handful basil (or other fresh herbs), chiffonaded
• 5 or 6 pepperonchini[i], diced with seeds
• ¼ to ½ c of seasoned rice wine vinegar (low salt, low sugar), depending on how ‘briny’ you like it
• 1 T agave nectar
• Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, flavored is nice to complement your choice of herbs – I used basil infused evoo in this one
• Sea salt & lots of fresh cracked black pepper

Mix all together, taste and correct seasoning as needed.  Let sit for 20 minutes at least to let the flavors meld and permeate the beans.  Serve alongside appies, or with something hot off the grill. 

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[i] Pronounced pep-per-awn-CHEE-nee, these pickled peppers may also be labeled as Golden Greek peppers, or Tuscan peppers, and can be found in both sweet and medium-hot varieties. If you can’t find these, you can substitute pickled banana peppers, or pickled veggies of your choice and a little heat such as red pepper flakes or Tabasco – you get the idea.

May Day Violet Crème Soda

Serves 1

Being that it is the first of May, I was inspired to make something with sultry, mysterious, crème de violette.  This is one of those lovely things that have come into our life because our Kim discovered it and then blessed us with her knowledge (and a generous sample!).  I am seriously considering devoting a whole page to her ‘favorite things’ – she’s rivaling Oprah with some very fabulous finds. 

I then was intrigued by the recipe for a grasshopper, which evokes quasi late spring feelings in that it is green, but adding a whack of cream to anything alcoholic has never appealed to me (sorry paralyzer fans!).  And then my little mind went to summers when we would indulge in Italian sodas, with that optional splash of crème on top, and then it hit me – Violet Crème Soda.

Both the Crème de Violette and the Crème de Cacao are in the 20 – 25% range for alcohol, so with the addition of the soda this is a nice, light, refreshing soda.  However if your day has been especially trying, feel free to fortify it with some vodka.  Depending on how luxuriant you want it, or what is in your pantry, feel free to omit the splash of milk too.  I also think that a sprig of mint could be divine.

Fill a tall highball glass ¾ full with ice, add to that:

• 1.5 oz crème de violette
• 1 oz white crème de cacao (clear) – this can take over, you can always add more.
• 1.5 oz vodka (optional)

Top with

• 6 oz sparkling water (1/2 a regular 12 oz can)
• Splash of milk, cream, or milk substitute of your choice (also optional)

Serve with a long bar spoon or straw to let the imbibers witness the beautiful violet and mix it together for themselves.

105 Things to Try

I was recently surfing the web, following one idea to the next down some proverbial rabbit hole and ended up inspired a blogger (Brow-Eyed Baker) who had a tab entitled ‘My 100’.  It was a culinary bucket list of sorts that she had compiled, comprised of the many dishes she hoped to conquer in the kitchen.  And that got me thinking – why not put together a list of all the yummy things that aren't, by nature, vegetarian gluten-free that we could try to make that way?

Now most of the things on the list are already vegetarian OR gluten-free, so should not be too difficult to adapt.  Some dishes did rise to the top of the difficulty meter, by being neither veg nor gf (French onion soup, beef stroganoff, sausage & chard strata, grilled burgers, meatloaf, Chinese-style lemon chicken), by being very hard to substitute with gf products (fresh pasta, gnocchi, ravioli, a ‘real’ baguette, tiramisu, spanakopita, samosas), by being difficult to approximate with gf veggie protein (beef burgundy, paella, bacon, lardons), or by being just technically difficult (soy cheese,mozzarella, verjus). I’ve nicknames them ‘The Tricky Twenty” and they are highlighted in bold in the list below.

Observant types might have notice mozzarella – hey, that is vgf already, what gives? Well, that’s where the rest of the ‘bucket list’ comes in. I ended up with 75 items to adapt, but as the ideas were rolling in I started thinking of some culinary delights I would love to create, just for the joy of it.  These 25 loosely fall into fresh cheese making, pickling, and creating other things from scratch - like homemade mayo.

I’m sure this is just the tip of the iceburg, but it is a good start – and a way to inspire me in the kitchen when I’m thinking ‘what should I make today?’.  I’ve reposted it in its own tab too (without the commentary), where I will cross off dishes as they are developed and pass muster (along with the inevitable failures). See My 105. Bonus is that we have already made meatloaf and mac 'n' cheese - yay!  I want to know from you – what is on your 100?  What are you struggling to adapt to meet your needs?  Let me know and we can work at it together.

Italian Delights

1.       Fresh pasta - A quintessentially ridiculous dish to make gf.

2.       Gnocchi - We have tried, failed, and will try again.

3.       Lasagna - What could be more homey and delicious?

4.      Eggplant parmigiana – Successfully breading the eggplant may also lead to parmigiana sandwiches.

5.       Pasta e fagioli - Pasta and beans, traditionally favas.

6.      Stuffed zucchini blossoms - Usually dredged in flour and stuffed with breadcrumbs.

7.       Arancini - Risotto balls usually bound with breadcrumbs or panko.

8.      Ravioli - Once the pasta is figured out we can explore these beauties.

Bread! & Baked Things

9.      A ‘real’ baguette - A HUGE treat, yet to find one gf that passes muster.

10.    Biscuits - Almost as good as a baguette.

11.     Flatbread -  Pita, na’an, or chipatis, looking for whatever will work best.

12.    Good sandwich bread - Something that will hold up to mayo and all the fixin’s.

13.    Whole brown rice bread - A mythic, traditional Japanese loaf that sounds fabulous.

14.    Sprouted grain bread - Why can’t it be gf too?  Easier to digest than flour.

15.    Pizza dough - Enough said!  A craving for us gf folks.

16.    Quick bread - Something that can be adapted to sweet or savory ends

17.    Muffins - Would love to replicate my mom’s Pumpkin Crunch in gf!

18.    Cottage cheese bread - Have some very nostalgic memories of this, with lots of dill.

19.    Crackers - A must for all the fresh cheese further down the list.

Sweets

20.   Angel food cake – My absolute fav as a kid.

21.    Fruit galette - My absolute fav now.

22.   Broken glass dessert - A jello & whipped cream concoction of my Grandma’s with lots of memories J

23.   Cheesecake - Who doesn’t love a good cheesecake?

24.   Brownies - Hard to resist, even for us non-dessert types.

25.   Meyer lemon curd - The quintessential lemon indulgence, I have to try it.

26.   Vegan fruit crisp - Loooove fruit crisp, why not make it more inclusive?

27.   Tiramisu - Lots of gf hurdles with this one, homemade ladyfingers?

28.   Gingerbread cookies - Another sweet soft spot.

29.   Shortbread - We’re Scottish, after all!

30.   Chestnut flour cake - Intriguing traditional Italian confection.

31.    Decent tart shell - That can take a bunch of seasonal fruit & still behave.

Savory Pastries

32.   Gourgettes - French cheese puffs, would love to make these work out.

33.   Spanakopita - Miss this fantastic combination of feta & spinach.

34.   Samosas - One of the best, hearty snack foods I used to adore.

35.   Empanadas - Latin American handpies, maybe with maseca?

36.   Turnovers - Infinitely stuffable with goodness.

Soups & Stews

37.   French onion soup - Beef broth & bread slice make this a double hurdle.

38.   Mulligatawny soup - Creamy, curry chicken with surprises of apple.

39.   Naomi Pomeroy’s celery velouté - Looks divine, but started with a roux.

40.  Miso soup - Complete restorative; usually has bonito fish broth.

41.    Posole - Heartwarming soup with hominy, pork and chicken.

42.   Pho - The Vietnamese staple that hits all the right notes.

43.   Guinness stew - How to get that rich beefy goodness in veggies form?

Main Events

44.  Meatloaf - JJ’s favorite, especially for sandwiches

45.   Falafel - One of my favs, but often adulterated with wheat flour, and served in a pita.

46.  Beef burgundy - Julia Child might not be impressed, but I am determined!

47.   Beef stroganoff - A yummy classic that needs much VGF revision.

48.  Mac & Cheese - Oh yah!

49.  Sausage & Chard Strata - Found this bread-based recipe and just have to try it.

50.  Burgers that can be grilled - If only… without breadcrumbs they tend to fall apart.

51.    Beef burgers - Looking for depth of flavor and great texture

52.   Chicken burgers - Something lighter but still substantial with some zing.

53.   Lamb kofta - Trying to be like our friend Huseyin, who makes it best

54.   Soufflé - For those fancypants dinner parties, usually contain flour

55.   Shepherd’s pie - Rich and comforting even in VGF form

56.   Chicken wings - If it’s coated in good sauce, will you know that it’s tofu?

57.   Bacon - Working for that smoky somtin’ somtin’.

58.   Paella - How to make so many kinds of meat replacements?

59.   Dirty Rice - A New Orleans staple.

60.  Lion’s head meatballs - Pork-based Chinese wonders.

61.   Chinese-style lemon chicken - A guilty favorite.

62.   Carne asada - Gimme spice!

63.   Shredded beef - Love the texture, would love in more on a sandwich.

64.  Lardons - Pork belly cubes of saturated goodness, might be hard to make veggie style.

65.   Butter chicken - Love it! 

66.  Jerk chicken - Bring on the heat…

67.   Chili - A favorite of sporting events, sloppy sandwiches, & nachos

68.  Something tea-infused - Totally intrigued by the cover of Culinary Tea.

Faux Dairy

69.  Vegan “butter” - There has to be something healthier to dip my artichokes in.

70.   Vegan cheese sauce - Morbid curiosity.

71.    Vegan mayo - We use veganaise, but it is getting sooooo expensive!

72.   Almond milk - Homemade has to be better, right?

73.   Soy milk - Intrigued, because of the following two possibilities:

74.   Soy yogurt - Does this work or taste okay?

75.   Soy cheese - Is this possible at home?

{Onto those that are just for the fun of it….}

Fresh Cheese & Dairy Delights

76.   Mozzarella - Mmmm fresh mozza with tomatoes, basil & olive oil.

77.   Ricotta – Yummy.

78.   Ricotta salata - Double yummy.

79.   Mascarpone - Is seem some great dessert potential.

80.  Paneer - Then onto peas paneer, one of JJ’s fav Indian dishes.

81.    Queso blanco - A must for the Latin dishes.

82.   Quark - The oldest form of cheese in Europe, dates to 3 B.C.E!

83.   Feta - Can you imagine fresh feta at home?!?!?!

84.  Chèvre - Another big favorite – though JJ isn’t as fond of it as I am.

85.   Soft goat cheese - Apparently there is a difference between this and chèvre.

86.  Goats milk mozzarella - Interesting…

87.   Sour cream - I’ll try it at least once, just to see.

88.  Crème fraîche - And then onto Truffled Crème Fraiche!

89.  Butter - Looks too easy not to try.

90.  Ice cream - Saw a recipe for white chocolate ice cream, so have to try it.

91.    Paskha - An interesting looking Russian Easter ‘dessert’ made in clay flower pots! HAVE to try that!

Canned & Homemade

92.   Dill pickles - A classic, growing my own cucs this year too!

93.   Pickled eggs - Not as weird as you think, now I’m addicted!

94.  Pickled beets - Just for Kim J

95.   Picked asparagus or beans - I won’t lie, they're destined for Homemade bloody marys.

96.  Pickled hot peppers – Addictive! Thinking of you, Shelly!

97.   Giardiniera - A classic Italian picked veg medley that is delicious.

98.  Verjus - Vinegar made out of unripe grapes, and boy do we have grapes.

99.  Low-sugar fruit jam - Apricot, fig or blueberry? Decisions decisions.

100.   Pear or apple butter - Fruit purees that you spread like butter caught my interest.

101. Apple sauce - Just to try, probably destined for baking.

102.Homemade mayo - A must.

103. Homemade mustard - A cool looking Roman mustard recipe sparked this.

104.   Homemade ketchup - Because the stuff from the store is SCARY.

105.Own Montréal steak spice - One of our secret weapons, so why not make it our own?