Saturday, March 24, 2012

Week 13 - Pasta

Pasta is a staple that everyone loves in some form or fashion. Whether it be penne in a Cajun spiced Alfredo sauce, macaroni and cheese, or good ol' basic spaghetti. It's a natural comfort food. It's also an ingredient the average home cook takes for granted. I know I did. It always seemed like this magic and mystical thing you must buy from a box. Boy was I wrong. Not only is home made pasta fairly easy (I'm sure having some actual pasta equipment would help even more), it is delicious.

You need to have a stand mixer for this recipe. I would also recommend buying at the very least a pasta roller. I hand rolled everything. It was too thick, although the noodles would have been great in chicken soup!

You'll Need:
200g Sweet Rice Flour
150ml Rapidly Boiling Water
2 large Eggs
150g Millet Flour
50g Tapioca Flour
1tsp Salt
15ml Olive Oil

Put a paddle attachment on your stand mixer, if you have one of the fancy scraper ones I think it would work better than the original.

In the bowl for your mixer measure out your sweet rice flour.

In a SEPARATE bowl measure out your millet flour, tapioca flour and salt.

In yet another bowl slightly scramble your eggs.

Turn your mixer on at it's lowest speed (on the Kitchen Aid that is "stir") then pour your boiling water into your sweet rice flour. let that mix and mix and mix until the bowl is cool to the touch. (this does something to the starch and adds stability, I don't understand all the chemistry but it's called gelatinizing.)

Slowly add in your egg in three parts, wait for the eggs to fully incorporate before adding more.

In three parts add in your flour mixture.

Once completely incorporated add your olive oil. It should come together into a nice dough that will lift with your paddle.

Split your dough into four even pieces. Cover the three pieces your are not rolling out with a clean damp kitchen towel. Because there is no gluten in this dough there is no need to let it rest, so get rolling. If you are rolling by hand have parchment and extra sweet rice flour handy. You will get an arm work out. If you are using a pasta machine then follow the instructions provided until I can get my pasta attachment and play with it. Then I can give better instructions.

All that's left is cutting the pasta into the desired shapes. We made noodles and mezza luna ravioli. The cooking time is going to vary greatly depending on your pasta shape. Just make sure to salt your cooking water like the ocean.

Ravioli Filling: (All approximate)
15oz Ricotta Cheese
4oz Chavrie Goat Cheese
1/4c Parmesan
1/2c Shredded Mozzarella
1 clove of garlic minced and turned into paste (mince then sprinkle on 1/4 tsp salt. Let sit for 20min. Using the flat of the blade on a large chefs knife smoosh and scrape the garlic until it turns into a paste.)
1/2c Fresh chopped spinach

Use an egg wash to seal your ravioli. Make sure to press out all air bubbles or the pasta will burst and you will have very cheesy water.

Happy eating!
Tori

Friday, March 16, 2012

Week 12 - Corned Beef


Happy St. Patrick's Day! This week I tackled iconic St. Patrick's day fare, corned beef and cabbage. The cabbage part had me cringing as well, but have no fear it is beyond tasty. If you are wanting to make corned beef tomorrow then this is not the recipe for you. We get to start all the way from the beginning. With the brisket and some brine.

First You'll need:
2 quarts water
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cinnamon stick, broken
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
8 whole cloves
8 whole allspice berries
 2 bay leaves, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 pounds ice

Combine everything except the ice in a stock pot over medium heat. (If you want to have pink corned beef also add 2 Tbsp salt peter. I couldn't find any in time) Stir and simmer until all the sugar and salt have dissolved. Then pour over ice into a large bowl and stir until all the ice has melted. Put your brine in the fridge and then trim the fat off of a 4-5lb brisket while that cools even more.

Put your brisket in a large container and cover fully with the brine. Alternatively put it all in a large zip-top bag. Put in the fridge and let brine for 7-10 days. Check on your beef daily to make sure it stays covered with the brine, turn it if it floats slightly. This way the brine will be evenly distributed.

Then You'll Need:
Your Cured Meat
1 Large Onion Cut in Half then Sliced Thin
2 Carrots Chopped
1 Rib Celery Chopped
1/3 Head of Cabbage Sliced into Shreds

Remove your meat from the brine and rinse well under cold water. Place your meat in the bottom of a large stock pot. Add in your onion, carrots, celery, and cabbage. Then cover with water. (My water didn't make it over the cabbage. I need a bigger pot.)

Bring water to a rapid boil then cover and reduce heat to low and simmer for 3 hours. Remove the meat, let it rest, then cut portions against the grain.

This meal takes some forethought and prep work but it is definitely worth it. Even my picky little sister cleared her plate!

Happy Eating!
Tori

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Week 11 - Doughnuts


While these may not rival Krispy Kreme they are a delicious and decadent deep fried treat. The outside is just a tiny bit crisp and sugar laden while the inside is chewy, a little more airy than most GF treats, and moist. Look out sugary world, we have an excellent work in progress.

You'll Need:
20g Yeast
15g Sugar
250ml Warm Milk
250g Tapioca Starch
200g Potato Starch
150g Sweet Rice Flour
200g Cornstarch
50g Flax Meal
60g Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
3 Eggs (Beaten until frothy)
1 Stick Melted Butter
Canola oil for frying

Add your sugar and yeast to your warm milk. Set aside and let foam.

Combine all your dry ingredients and whisk to fully combine.

Make a well in your dry ingredients and add in your milk, eggs, and butter. Then mix with a spoon or your hands until a smooth dough forms. Transfer your dough to an oiled bowl and let rise for 25min.

Roll your dough out to 1/2" thick. Cut out your doughnuts with a large biscuit cutter and the middle out with a small cutter. Place your doughnut and doughnut holes on parchment to rise again for another 20min. (I turned my oven on for a few minutes, then turned it off. I then placed my doughnuts in the warm oven with a clean damp towel over them. They rose pretty well that way.)

Bring your oil to 350° (I used a pot on the stove on a thermometer. It's kind of a pain to keep the temperature steady so if you have a clean deep fryer or an electric skillet use one of those.)

CAREFULLY scrape the dough off the parchment (did I say carefully? They are VERY VERY delicate at this point. The dough will collapse or leave half the doughnut behind if you aren't careful. Maybe you should oil the parchment... See that bowl, those are my failed attempts at lifting the doughnuts.)

Fry the doughnut for about 2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Flip the doughnut using a fondue fork or tongs.

Place on cooling racks and then glaze.

To glaze use my sugar cookie icing recipe but add more water until it is thin and runny. You can find the recipe here. Give that glaze a minute to set and enjoy!

Happy eating!
Tori

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Cheesy Garlic Biscuits



Before I was diagnosed with severe gluten intolerance my husband loved to go to Red Lobster. I'm not really a huge fan. I don't like fish. I could always count on enjoying one menu item though. The biscuits. When I was pregnant we would go to Red Lobster JUST so I could eat those biscuits. They are delicious. If you have never had them, I'm sorry, because if you're reading my blog you probably can't just go grab some. But don't worry, you too can enjoy some pretty darn close cheesy garlicy goodness.

I have a new addiction. It's called pinterest. It's an addiction that is sweeping the blogger community and this past week it struck with it's gluteny recipe rearing head. One of my friends posted a recipe for copycat Red Lobster bread. Just when I thought that I had gotten over the cravings I see this gorgeous looking cheese bread pop up on my computer. So I looked at the recipe. I read about the process. I pouted. I thought about making something. I changed my mind. Then today I decided I needed those biscuits. So I whipped out my scale and just went for it. Sooooo tasty.

(This was a lazy quick recipe so I have not converted anything to grams yet, I will next time I make it.)

You'll need:
12oz Sweet Rice Flour
6oz Cornstarch
1 Tbsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1/8 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp Garlic Salt
4 oz Cheddar Cheese (The copycat recipe calls for little cubes, I used shredded)
3 Tbsp Ground Flax (binds everything together like xanthan gum, but healthier!)
1 1/4c Milk
3/4c Sour Cream
4 Tbsp Butter
1 Egg Beaten

Preheat your oven to 350

Stir your flax meal into your milk, allow it to rest and gel some.

Combine your sweet rice flour, cornstarch, baking powder, cayenne, black pepper, and garlic salt. You know the drill! (Whisk until the dry ingredients become one)

Add your cheese to your flour mix and fold it in until it is completely coated.

Combine your flax/milk mixture, sour cream, melted butter, and egg in a separate bowl. Whisk until fully incorporated.

Make a well in the middle of your dry ingredients and pour your wet ingredients in. Then combine with a spoon or spatula.

Drop biscuit size portions onto a parchment lined sheet pan

Top with a little more garlic salt (optional)

Bake for 25 minutes.

Let cool for 10 minutes then enjoy. Beware you can't eat just one of these!

Happy eating!
Tori


Monday, March 5, 2012

Week 10 - Chile con Queso



I know what you're thinking. The Tex-Mex in me has once again reared it's head. I'm not going to deny it. I love Tex-Mex food. If I could eat it every day I would. It's also nice that I can enjoy some chips and queso guilt free, and gluten free fairly often. It's not something that had to be fundamentally changed or manipulated. This is just a simple, flavorful, go to snack in our house. As I've said before, I am a Texas girl.

Note: I didn't say this for the pico but if you have sensitive skin wear gloves when handling peppers. The oils stick to your skin and it burns... alot... and it can for days.

You'll Need:
2 Tbsp Butter
1/2 Onion diced (I used a red onion because it's what was on hand.
2-3 Jalapeno Peppers - seeds and ribs removed diced
2-3 Serrano Peppers - seeds and ribs removed diced
4 Cloves of Garlic minced
2 Tbsp Cornstarch
8oz Milk
6c Shredded Cheese (I used 3c Mild Cheddar, 3c Monterrey Jack)
A Palm Full of Cilantro minced
1 Large Heirloom Tomato diced (or 2 Roma Tomatoes)
4oz Sour Cream

Melt your butter over medium heat. Then add in your onion and peppers. Cook for about 5 minutes or until your onions are see through.

Add in your minced garlic and cornstarch. Stir well until the cornstarch coats everything.

Add in your milk and stir continuously until bubbles start to form along the outer edge. (At this point I transferred the pot I was using, which can be used as a double boiler, over a pot of pre-heated water. You are less likely to burn the cheese over a double boiler.)

Add in your cheese 1c at a time, stirring until combined. Then add your cilantro, tomato, and sour cream. Mix well until fully incorporated.

Sit back, mix up a margarita, and enjoy!

Happy eating!
Tori