Four Course Gluten Free Meal
Overview
Recipes and techniques for gluten free cooking
Arugula and Fennel Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette Zucchini Fritters with Charmoula Sauce Roasted Chicken with a Sweet Potato, Poblano Gratin Chocolate Chestnut Truffle Cake
Arugula Fennel Salad with citrus, pumpkin seeds and a Dijon Vinaigrette
1-2 bunches arugula or a package of baby arugula
1 fennel bulb sliced thin
2 citrus (oranges, grapefruit) segmented as shown in class
Salt and pepper to taste
Vinaigrette (you’ll have enough for multiple salads)
In a jar mix together the following ingredients:
1 cup of grape seed oil
½ cup of your favorite light vinegar (champagne or apple cider vinegar works great)
¼ cup agave or maple syrup
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
Procedure:
In a large bowl spoon a few spoonfuls of vinaigrette and toss with arugula and fennel.
Zucchini Fritters
3 zucchini grated
3 sprigs green onions thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic minced
6-7 leaves of fresh herbs of your choice minced
3-4 Tbs rice flour
1 tsp baking powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Enough oil for frying (grapeseed or safflower oil works well)
1 egg, whisked to bind the fritter together
Procedure:
- Sprinkle the grated zucchini lightly with salt and let stand for a few minutes. Squeeze the excess water out in a strainer. Set aside.
- Combine the rest of the ingredients with the drained zucchini.
- Coat a sauté pan with enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan and heat up until the oil dances in the pan when you test with a wooden spoon.
- Spoon fritters into the pan, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Fry on each side until golden brown.
- Serve with Charmoula sauce.
Charmoula Sauce
½ bunch fresh cilantro chopped
½ bunch fresh Italian parsley chopped
5 garlic cloves
½ lemon juiced
2 tsp. salt
1 ½ tsp. ground cumin
¼ tsp. cayenne
½ cup Olive Oil
Procedure:
1.Purée all sauce ingredients except oil in a food processor or blender. With motor running, add oil in a slow stream. Serve over steamed fish.
Roasted Chicken
1 whole bird
2 Tbsp butter room temperature
3-4 sprigs of your favorite herbs minced and mixed into butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Grapeseed oil for spreading on bird
1 lemon quarted
1 onion quartered
Butcher twine
Procedure:
- Separate the skin from the breast meat gently and put herb butter under the skin of bird.
- Rub oil on outside of bird and salt and pepper, place lemon and onion in the body cavity.
- Truss the bird as shown in class.
- Place bird on a rack in a sheet pan and roast on 375 for about 1 ½ hours or until temperature reads 165 degrees in the thick part of the thigh.
Sweet Potato Gratin with Poblanos
2 large poblanos roasted
4-5 sweet potatoes peeled and sliced
½ cup grapeseed oil
6-7 sprigs fresh thyme, coarsely chopped
1 onion thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic minced
2 sprigs fresh oregano coarsely chopped
½ cup heavy cream
¾ cup sour cream
8 ounces goat cheese (optional)
Procedure:
- Roast poblanos over an open flame to char, then put in a metal bowl and cover with plastic wrap.
- On a sheet pan, oil the sliced sweet potatoes lightly and put in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. Set aside
- In a sauté pan, combine the onions, garlic, thyme and oregano and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally until the onions have softened. Add the poblanos and cook for about 5 more minutes. Add the heavy cream and let thicken slightly. Remove from heat and add the sour cream, salt and pepper.
- In a baking dish or casserole pan, layer cream mixture, dollops of goat cheese and sweet potato in layers. Finish with goat cheese on top.
- Put back in the oven and cook on 400 until bubbling…about 20 minutes.
Chestnut and Chocolate Truffle Cake
Serves 12-14
½ pound fresh peeled chestnuts (you can find frozen and vacuum packed)
1 cup whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ pound bittersweet chocolate, chopped
10 ounces (2 ¼ sticks) unsalted butter
½ cups superfine sugar
4 large eggs, separated
3 Tbsp brandy
Procedure:
- Simmer the chestnuts in the milk over low heat for about 10 minutes, until they are soft. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla
- Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler or in a heatproof bowl placed over a pan of gently boiling water.
- Blend the chestnuts and mild to a puree in a food processor. Add the sugar, melted chocolate and butter, egg yolks and brandy and blend until smooth.
- In a mixer, beat the egg whites in a large bowl until they form stiff peaks. Fold into the egg whites, the chocolate and chestnut mixture.
- Line a 9-inch spring form pan with foil and butter the foil, then pour in the batter.
- Bake in a pre-heated 325 oven for 30-35 minutes, until just set but still slightly wobbly in the center. The cake with firm as it cools
- Serve with whipped cream on top or with ice-cream.