Seared Pork Tenderloin with Cocoa Spice Rub Recipe

Spice Rubbed Pork Tenderloin, originally uploaded by A Gluten-Free Guide.

I am back from my trip, with great food stories and photos to come this week, but I want to tide you over with another winter recipe to warm your hearth during these cold days. After making this Three Bean Turkey Chili, a savory dish with the surprising ingredients of cinnamon and cocoa powder, I was intrigued. I wanted to find other ways to put these spices to use in unexpected dishes.

Pork tenderloin is a great lean cut of meat that I find easy to work with and more flavorful than a chicken breast. This spice rub is from Michael Chiarello. He’s one of those approachable chefs, someone you would hang out with. While the spice rub may take some effort to put together initially, it will keep in an airtight container for up to three months. Make it once and enjoy the fruits of your labors many times over.

I have made this a few times since putting together the spice rub. The first time I served it with roasted pumpkin seasoned with nutmeg and a little melted butter. Curried roasted butternut squash and rosemary roasted root vegetables both made great pairs as well.


Seared Pork Tenderloin with Cocoa Spice Rub

1 tablespoon whole white peppercorns
1 tablespoon whole coriander
4 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cloves
3 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
4 tablespoons sea salt, preferably gray
2 (2-pound) boneless pork tenderloins
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, toast white peppercorns and coriander seeds until they begin to pop. Remove from heat and grind to fine powder in a spice mill or coffee grinder. Mix the ground pepper and coriander with remaining spices, cocoa and salt.

Trim the pork tenderloins of fat and silver skin. Rub with a generous amount of the cocoa spice rub. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat until hot but not smoking. Sear each tenderloin on all sides until a rich brown color, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove tenderloins from heat and finish in the oven for about 10 minutes or until cooked through.

Let the tenderloins rest out of the oven for at least 10 minutes before carving.


The second time I made the rub, I couldn’t find the whole coriander and had to use pre-ground. It wasn’t quite as flavorful but no one else noticed!

Easy Chicken with Grapes and Crispy Bacon Recipe

Easy Chicken with Grapes and Crispy Bacon, originally uploaded by A Gluten-Free Guide.

After all of my incredible gluten-free dining experiences in Italy this October, I attempted to recreate one particularly memorable dish upon my return home. Katie and I enjoyed all of the dishes we ordered in Lucca, but the roasted guinea fowl with grapes and crisped prosciutto left us both craving more.

My version is not identical but it gets close. The flavors are rich and warm – perfect for a fall or winter evening. It's easy to prepare, and while recipes like my Three Bean Turkey Chili will serve a large group, I like this recipe because it’s just right for two people.

Chicken with Grapes and Crispy Bacon Recipe
Serves 2

Ingredients
4 slices of bacon
1 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 whole chicken breast with skin bone-in, halved
1 shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons gluten-free flour (I used sorghum flour)
1/3 cup riesling wine
1/2 cup gluten-free chicken broth
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup green seedless grapes, halved lengthwise

In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crisp, remove from pan, set aside and break into pieces. Heat the butter and oil over moderately high heat in the skillet with the bacon fat until the foam subsides. In the fat, brown the chicken on all sides for about 8 minutes, or until it's golden brown. Transfer it with tongs to a plate. Reduce the heat to moderately low and in the fat remaining in the skillet, cook the shallot and garlic for about 3 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook the roux, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Add the Riesling and cook the mixture, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the broth, lemon juice, thyme, and salt/pepper to taste and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring.

Return the chicken to the skillet with any juices from the plate and simmer the mixture, covered, for 15 minutes. Add the grapes and the bacon and simmer the mixture, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

Gluten-Free Three-Bean Turkey Chili Recipe

Healthy Turkey Three Bean Chili, originally uploaded by A Gluten-Free Guide.

My sister-in-law, Jenn, is becoming one of my favorite food confidants. She recently called me asking for advice on salads to make. While, I love this salad, I recommended that during winter she explore some warm and hearty soups and wait for warmer weather for her salad adventures. Since we are both looking for healthy everyday recipes, I decided to experiment with turkey chili and report back on the results. This healthy, heart-warming winter recipe is surprisingly rich and flavorful without a lot of fat or calories. While cinnamon and cocoa powder may usually be associated with sweet rather than savory recipes, they add a complexity to the flavors here that won't disappoint. If you are looking for another savory recipe that highlights chocolate, try my homemade gluten-free tamales recipe.

While there are a lot of ingredients in the turkey chili recipe, it's still pretty simple to prepare. Since I was cooking for just little ol’ me, I froze the leftovers in single serving containers and was able to enjoy the fruits of my labors for lunch or dinner for much longer, whenever the craving struck. The optional topping of cilantro and plain low-fat yogurt or light sour cream really highlights the spices. I hope Jenn enjoys the chili as much as I did.

Turkey Chili Prep, originally uploaded by A Gluten-Free Guide.

Gluten-Free Three Bean Turkey Chili Recipe (adapted from Epicurious)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 medium onions, chopped
2 seeded minced jalapenos
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 pounds lean ground turkey
1/4 cup chili powder
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes
3 cups chicken stock or canned gluten-free broth
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 15-ounce cans small white beans, rinsed, drained
1 15-ounce cans kidney beans, rinsed, drained
1 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed, drained

Chopped fresh cilantro
Plain low-fat yogurt or light sour cream

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onions; sauté until light brown and tender, about 10 minutes. Add oregano and cumin; stir 1 minute. Increase heat to medium-high. Add turkey; stir until no longer pink, breaking up with back of spoon. Stir in chili powder, bay leaves, cocoa powder, salt and cinnamon. Add tomatoes with their juices, breaking up with back of spoon. Mix in stock and tomato sauce. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add beans to chili and simmer until flavors blend, about 10 minutes longer. Discard bay leaves. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium-low heat before continuing.)

Ladle chili into bowls. Pass cilantro and yogurt separately.

Henrietta's Halibut - A Gluten-Free Guest

Henrietta's Halibut

My Mom is a wonderful cook, the problem is she doesn't enjoy it. To her, food is a waste of time, money, and energy. While we are similar in many respects, when it comes to food we are complete opposites. Lucky for me, her sweetheart, Victor, is a fellow foodie. We enjoy spending a day at the grocery store and in the kitchen working on projects, like southern-style BBQ or traditional Mexican tamales. Well, Victor has graciously volunteered to be an occasional guest-blogger for A Gluten-Free Guide. Not only is he a talented cook, but he's a published author as well. I hope this is the first of many gluten-free recipes he will share with us.

"My mother, Henrietta, always used this recipe. It kept the Halibut moist, tasty and ready to fold into delicious corn tortilla tacos with homemade salsa.

Henrietta's Halibut

1 pound Halibut

2-3 tablespoons lemon pepper w/ zest

1-2 tablespoons ground dill weed

1 cup gluten-free chicken broth

3-4 lemon slices (thinly cut)

Use one pound halibut steak.

Season halibut with lemon pepper (with zest) and dill weed.

Place in pan of simmering gluten-free chicken broth.

Cook 2 minutes on each side, or until flaky.

Remove from pan, add lemon slices, cut very thin.
Serve with or without corn tortillas and salsa. "

So simple and delicious, a perfect summer meal.

Tofu as a Gluten Free Canvas

Oven Roasted Tofu III, originally uploaded by A Gluten Free Guide.

My first experience with tofu was not a pleasant one. I found the taste bland and the texture uninviting. Fortunately, I gave tofu a second chance during college and discovered a crispy baked tofu at Whole Foods that stood up to any meat dish. Because I’m not vegetarian, I only eat tofu when the sauce and preparation warrant attention. The beauty of tofu is it's ability to truly absorb the flavors of whatever sauce you choose.

Recently it seemed I couldn’t escape discussions of tofu recipes and dishes. The final straw was watching an episode of Iron Chef with tofu as focus. I NEEDED to cook some tofu of my own.

I took a recipe that my friend Sean had recommended and adapted it to my own tastes. The final result pays homage to the original with the soy sauce and cilantro, but it’s a new creation. If you were turned-off by your first experience with tofu, you may want to give it a second look.

Oven-roasted Tofu with Gluten-Free Asian Ginger Marinade

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit

1 14 oz package firm or extra-firm tofu, cut into one-inch cubes
6 tablespoons gluten-free low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
4 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
4 teaspoons creamed honey
2 garlic cloves sliced
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Set aside the cubed tofu pieces and combine the remaining ingredients in a non-reactive bowl. Pour the sauce over the tofu and let marinate for 15-20 minutes. Spread the tofu cubes and sauce flat in a casserole dish or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 35-40 minutes at 400 degrees, stirring 2-3 times to get an even crisp on all sides.

I enjoyed this with some sautéed Broccoli Rabe and a mushroom quinoa, but the possibilities are endless. Please share any tofu tips you have with the rest of us.

A Gluten-Free Symphony

Lately it seems like everywhere I turn people are talking about a “symphony of flavors” when discussing food, the high and low notes, the way the food plays on your tongue. I decided to put together a dinner using ingredients I had on hand to see if I could create my own gluten-free symphony.

My friend Havilah and I have been discussing recipes for “fish en papillote” or fish baked in parchment paper. This technique seals in and heightens the flavor of the food, and as an added benefit it is a beautiful way to present your meal.

I had a Chilean Sea Bass filet in my fridge that I had planned on pan-searing but instead used it as the base for my fish en papillote. After pouring through my copy of Culinary Artistry for some flavor inspiration, I mixed low-sodium gluten-free soy sauce, crushed ginger, a touch of honey and a few slices of jalapenos to kick up the spice. I wrapped my filet in parchment and let it marinate in the sauce for 30 minutes before baking.

While the fish was marinating, I was faced with the question of what would best accompany it. I had a box of quinoa left over from this recipe so I prepared a mushroom quinoa pilaf using a marinated mushroom melody from Trader Joe’s. The garlic and bay seasoning in the mushrooms was infused into the quinoa without overpowering it.

The Chilean Sea Bass turned out beautifully. As I opened the parchment paper, the sauce oozed onto the plate to join the quinoa pilaf. The flavors married so well, I am looking forward to making it again. Because Chilean Sea Bass is a tender white fish and its flavor is quite subtle, this sauce was a little too strong. For future iterations I will try different white fish filets.

Spicy Fish en Papillote

2 6-8oz fish filets, skin removed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup low-sodium gluten-free soy sauce
1 tablespoon crushed ginger
2 teaspoons honey
10 slices of jalapeños

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit

After removing the skin from your fish filets, salt and pepper all sides of the filet. Combine the other ingredients in a separate bowl. Set two separate pieces of parchment paper on a baking sheet and place the filets on each. Pour the sauce on each filet and seal the paper (some recipes call for an egg wash to do this, I was able to fold it closed without the wash). Let marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Bake for 15 minutes at 375 degrees.

Remove from oven, let the paper deflate a bit and transfer to your serving plate. Be careful of the steam that will escape when tearing open the parchment paper.

I will be trying some of Havilah’s recipes soon, so stay tuned. Let me know if you have any tips using this technique.

Gluten Free Ravioli - Do my eyes deceive me?

I am a creature of habit. This has been true for as long as I can remember. When I was in grammar and junior high school my family would go to a local Italian restaurant called “Carmine's.” I always ordered the cheese ravioli served with butter, parmesan cheese and garnished with Italian parsley. The ricotta filling and delicious pasta never disappointed.

As I have traveled around the world and moved across the country, I have become much more adventurous with my food choices. (Celiac disease has even facilitated my experimentation.) But sometimes I still miss the “comfort food” of my childhood. I had written off ravioli as a food I would never enjoy again with my gluten free lifestyle. Sure, there were gluten free ravioli recipes that looked amazing, but I lacked the ambition to attempt such a project when there were so many other recipes to try.

Lucky for me, Everybody Eats, the bakery in Brooklyn who created the canvas for my garlic cheese spread, also makes gluten free ravioli! (And not just cheese, but chicken and beef ravioli too.) I decided to try the spinach-ricotta filling in order to hearken back to the Carmine’s ravioli I savored as a child.

Unlike most gluten free pastas that have a slightly different flavor or texture (not necessarily bad just distinctive), Everybody Eats’ ravioli is indistinguishable from “regular” pasta. It is expensive, but for those special occasions when you just need to feel normal, it’s a worthy splurge. You can top the pasta to your tastes, but the sauce below flattered the flavors perfectly.

(I also used this sauce on some brown rice spaghetti from Trader Joe’s. I wanted to make sure my guests had plenty to eat in case I devoured all of the ravioli by myself. The brown rice pasta was good. Some of the strands stuck together and had to be thrown out but all in all it is a great option for a low price.)

Kalamata Butter Sauce for Gluten Free Pasta (serves about 4)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves of garlic sliced
½ stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons chopped italian flat-leaf parsley
½ cup diced kalamata olives
1 cup roasted red peppers, torn into bite-sized pizza

Heat a skillet with the olive oil and add the garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes to infuse the oil with the garlic flavor. Add the butter, parsley, olives and red peppers. Cook until the butter melts and the olives and peppers are warm. Toss the sauce with your pasta and top with a good grated parmesan or romano cheese.

These amounts are approximate. Play with the ingredients and amounts to fit your tastes. It’s not low fat, and I certainly couldn’t eat such rich buttery goodness everyday, but I enjoyed every last bite!

Gluten Free Pizza Party - Dig in!

Gluten Free Pizza, originally uploaded by A Gluten Free Guide.

As previously announced, we are having a gluten free pizza party. With more than 20 recipes and tastings you will have a whole new set of skills and products to add to your gluten free pizza repertoire.

Gluten Free Pizza Recipes:

Shauna never fails us with her gluten free recipes, her crunchy, slightly nutty pizza crust will surely delight. Of course the chef also put his gluten free pizza skills on display with this slice embellished with heirloom tomatoes, caramelized onions and rosemary.

Jean in Washington, shares a whole grain pizza crust recipe that makes use of flax seeds.

Mike, a gluten free cookbook author and blogger extraordinaire, gives us a traditional thick crust recipe using teff and millet flours.

The Gluten-Free Gastro-Gnome specializes in putting sorghum flour to work, but her gluten free pizza crust uses bean and tapioca flour.

Ellen who has five kids to please with her cooking made a fantastic roasted vegetable gluten free pizza on her first try.

Gluten a Go Go in Westchester County, NY has two gluten free crust recipes to add to your lists, once again you have to trust a pizza that can stand up to the toughest critics - children.

Wheatless Bay tops her gluten free pizza with mushrooms, caramelized onions and canadian bacon.

Mrs. GF makes a foldable pizza crust - the NY-style pizza lovers will love this.

Sheri made a BBQ pizza for the round up and uses garlic and herb cheese spread instead of red sauce on another pizza creation.

The impossibly cute Suzi of Gluten Free Living gives us five versions including one with roast lamb to create a gourmet gluten free pizza.

The indomitable Lynn of Free to Eat puts her "Lovely Loaf" to the pizza test.

Flamenco Mom in NYC gives you the tools for making a gluten free/casein free pizza.

Julie in Boulder, CO tempts us with his and her pizza photos but doesn't share her recipe that is still being perfected.

Gluten Free Pizza Reviews:

Rob and Diana give top marks to the Glutino gluten free pizza but their reviews don't stop there.

Jennifer Ate gives us a taste of three different options when it has to be pizza.

Sheri gives her thumbs up to the Arrowhead Mills mix.

Gluten Free Pizza Fun:

David of Gluten Free NYC keeps us laughing with Gluten Free Pizza a la Sedaris.


My additions to the party include a Zucchini Crust Pizza and a round-up of other gluten free pizza resources.

Gluten Free Mixes and Crusts:

Gillians Foods frozen pizza dough was the canvas for the pizza pictured above. Kinnikinnick sells GF/CF pizza crusts and Chebe makes an OnTheGo Gluten Free Pizza Dough. And have you heard of Dad's Gluten Free Pizza Crusts?

Frozen Gluten Free Pizzas:

When you are too tired to do any of the work - there are a number of options available to satiate your gluten free pizza cravings. EveryBody Eats, a gluten-free bakery in Brooklyn makes three different styles of NY-style pizza that can be mailed directly to your door. If you have to have it that night look at your local grocery store for gluten pizza options from Amy's, Foods by George, or Glutino. (Van Harden is a new gluten free pizza to market, using a cheese crust similar to the currently unavailable Comfy Cuisine.)

Some of you may even live in areas lucky enough to have restaurants that serve gluten free pizza:

Arizona:
Picazzos, 7325 Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd (Scottsdale Promenade) (Cross Street: N Scottsdale Road) Scottsdale, AZ 85260 Phone: 480-990-2212

California:
Maurizio's Italian Restaurant, 135 North Maryland Avenue, Glendale Phone: 818-247-5600. Call a day ahead and order the gluten-free pizza

Connecticut:
Frascati Restaurant 581 Newfield AvenueStamford, Connecticut Phone: 203-353-8900

Illinois:
Lou Malnati's has multiple locations in the Chicago area that serve a crustless gluten free pizza (the "crust" is made from sausage)

Massachusetts:

Boynton Restaurant 117 Highland St Worcester, MA Phone: 508-756-5432

New York:
Cafe Baldo, 2849 Jerusalem Ave Wantagh, New York 11793 Phone: 516-785-4780
Mama's Italian Restaurant, 1352 Montauk Highway Oakdale, New York Phone: 631-567-0909

Mozzarelli's Pizza 38 E 23rd St, New York 10010 Btwn Park & Madison Ave Phone: 212-475-6777
Risotteria, 270 Bleecker St, New York 10014 Btwn 6th & 7th Ave Phone: 212-924-6664
Slice, 1413 2nd Ave, New York 10021 Btwn 73rd & 74th St Phone: 212-249-4353

Pennsylvania:
Jules Thin Crust, 78 South Main Street Doylestown, Pennsylvania 18901 Phone: 215-345-8537
Manny B's Pizzeria, 3820 Freemansburg Avenue Bethlehem Township, Pennsylvania Phone: 610-866-8864

Let me know if I missed any good recipes or pizza offerings!

Zucchini Crust Gluten Free Pizza

Zucchini Crust Pizza, originally uploaded by A Gluten Free Guide.

I was intrigued when I stumbled upon this pizza crust recipe made without a speck of flour. I decided to give it a try during my test run of recipes from Donna Klein’s new GF Cookbook. However, it was too big of a risk for me to rely solely on this for my dinner party. So as a backup, I prepared a second pizza using Gillian’s Foods gluten free pizza dough.

I was pleasantly surprised with how “crusty” the zucchini recipe turned out. I tasted a small piece after the first baking. Then topped it with a simple marinara sauce, fresh mozzarella and basil to make a classic Margherita style pizza – with a rather nontraditional gluten free crust. While it tasted good, next time I will use a shredded mozzarella with less moisture to keep the crust a little crispier.

After a rushed defrost of the Gillians frozen pizza dough (oops, I was supposed to put it in the fridge to defrost the night before…) I was also pleased with my “back-up” gluten free pizza. I used a basil marinara sauce, shredded mozzarella, grated parmesan, kalamata olives and roasted red peppers to top the pie.

All of the guest seemed to enjoy both pizzas. Since half of them were gluten eaters, these recipes and products truly passed the test.

I’ve had past success using the Gluten Free Pantry pizza dough mix. It’s thick and doughy – more of a Chicago style deep dish. As a third alternative I also had two frozen Nature’s Hilights Brown Rice Pizza Crusts. This was for a guest that was on a restricted fat diet. The only ingredients are rice and water. Unfortunately the flavor is quite bland and I wouldn’t recommend the product unless you absolutely can’t use any of the other alternatives.


Zucchini Pizza Crust (from Donna Klein's The Gluten-Free Vegetarian Kitchen)

2 to 2 ½ cups grated raw zucchini (about ¾ lb)
Salt
2 eggs
1 cup shredded gluten-free part-skim mozzarella cheese
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 375F (190C). Lightly grease a standard-size nonstick baking sheet with sides. Place the zucchini in a colander set in the sink and sprinkle liberally with salt; let drain for about 15 minutes. Rinse under cold-running water and drain well. Transfer to several layers of paper towels and squeeze to thoroughly dry. Transfer to a large bowl and add the eggs mozzarella, and pepper; toss well to thoroughly combine. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet, pressing mixture evenly into the sheet with your fingers. Bake in the center of the oven until light brown and crisp, 12 to 15 minutes. Use as directed in recipe.

(It’s really important to squeeze as much of the liquid out of the grated zucchini as possible before mixing with the other ingredients)

PS -- My round up of gluten free pizza across the blogosphere is now live.

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.

Roasting A Gluten Free Turkey

Turkey seems like something that should naturally be gluten free. Ah, if only it were that easy. Some turkeys are injected with fillers that could potentially contain gluten. That means you need to check the ingredients even when buying a fresh or frozen whole turkey.

This year we ordered a turkey from our local meat market. We called before picking it up to make sure that there were no additives. The meat market referred us to the manufacturer – Shelton’s. One phone call to Shelton’s was able to confirm that our bird was gluten free.

We picked up our 24 pound turkey the day before Thanksgiving. I am not a fan of turkey and would have preferred to cook ham for the special occasion but my family wanted to stick to tradition so I made sure to put just as much effort into the turkey as any other dish. Once we arrived back at the house I prepared a sugar and salt brine with thyme, rosemary, sliced oranges and bay leaves. Rather than use a brining bag that costs $10-15, I used an XXL Ziploc bag. We stored the turkey, while it was brining, in a large tub covered in ice. The next morning I prepared an herb rub, then removed the turkey from the brine, patted it dry and placed it in the roasting pan. I filled the cavity with chopped onions and herbs. This will make for more flavorful pan drippings rather than using traditional bread stuffing. I then applied the herb rub between the skin and the meat and seasoned the skin with salt and pepper. Finally, I basted the breast with bay butter (butter melted with two or three bay leaves), placed the pan in the preheated oven and began roasting at 325 degrees.

I tented the breast with foil to keep it from burning. After an hour, I removed the foil and put four pieces of bacon on the breast with toothpicks. It's a tradition I picked up from my Aunt Judy and Uncle Rick. In theory, it should flavor the turkey breast. I think it just gives you a tasty treat to fight over while the turkey “rests.” After the turkey is done cooking you should wait 30 minutes before slicing for the meat to reach it’s full juiciness.

Brine:
2 cups kosher salt
2 cups sugar
1 head of garlic peeled
6 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 branches of fresh rosemary
2 oranges quartered
Dissolve the salt and sugar in two quarts of boiling water. Add remaining ingredients and ice to cool down the mixture. Once the mixture is cool add to the brining bag with the turkey and enough additional water to keep the bird entirely covered once the bag is sealed and the air removed.

Herb Butter (adapted from Rachael Ray’s Herb Roasted Turkey Breast recipe)
1 large onion chopped
The zest of two lemons
24 fresh sage leaves
1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons of kosher salt

Place all of the ingredients into a food processor and chop until it forms a coarse paste.

Make adjustments to the brine and herb rub according to your taste. This turkey was given high marks by everyone at dinner – juicy and delicious with just a hint of the herbs. My favorite part was the incredible aroma that wafted throughout the house while the turkey was roasting.