ARTICHOKE CHEESE SQUARES, retro '80s - great holiday potluck or canape

This is a quick, easy, moderately priced dish that lends itself well to holiday potlucks, company canapes, and is easily portable and packable lunches. It also uses standard staples that you may have in your kitchen for quick fixing when necessary or desired.

2-6 1/2 oz. jars of marinated artichoke hearts
3/4 cups white onion, small dice
2 stripes of gluten-free bacon (crumbled) or 1/4 cup gluten free ham (minced)
1/4 gluten-free breadcrumbs
4 large omega-three eggs, well beaten
1 teaspoon gluten-free Italian seasoning (try Penzey's)
2 cups grated cheddar cheese, best quality you can afford
2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed and chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons fish sauce*
Salt and Pepper to taste

Drain the marinating liquid from the jars of artichokes. Pour it into a saute pan and saute the onion and garlic in it. Cool.

When the onions and garlic are cool. Mix them together with the rest of the ingredients and poor into a greased pan, 11" x 7".  Bake for half-an-hour in an 325 degree F oven that has been preheated for at least fifteen minutes. It should be firm, but don't let it dry out.  Cool. Cut into squares and serve cold or at room temperature.

*Originally this recipe called for Worcestershire Sauce, which is made with malt vinegar. Malt vinegar is made from barley and therefor unsuitable for people with Celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.  Since Worcestershire Sauce is made with anchovy, we thought Asian Fish Sauce might be a reasonable substitute. We found Thai Kitchen has a number of gluten-free products that are marked as such.

A gluten-free holiday recipe.

Actual product ingredients may be other than that which is shown or suggested on this blog. Please remember that you should not rely solely on the information presented here or anywhere online and that you always read package labels, warnings, and directions before purchasing and consuming a product. 

PINEAPPLE FRIED RICE

THAI PINEAPPLE FRIED RICE

The recipe

Serves 4

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 shallots, minced 
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons ginger, grated
• 1 red chili pepper, minced
• 1 small red bell pepper, minced
• 1 large omega-3 egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon of cold water
• 3 tablespoons gluten-free vegetable broth
• 3 tablespoons Thai Fish Sauce  or gluten-free tamari
• 3 cups cooked brown rice
• 1 cup of fresh pineapple, cut into medium dice
• 8 medium-sized fresh, raw shrimp, peeled and devained, leave the tail on
• 1 chicken breast, cut into large dice
• 1/4 cup frozen, organic baby peas
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced

Heat one tablespoon of the oil in a pan large enough for all the ingredients.  Add the shallots, garlic, peppers, and ginger and stir-fry until fragrant and tender, just a minute or two.  Set aside.

Heat the other tablespoon of oil in the pan and pour in the egg mixture.  Let it cook through.  Do not stir.  You can gently flip it to lightly brown both sides.  Slip it into a plate and cut it into slender lengths. Set aside.

Put the meat and seafood into the pan and cook gently until they are almost cooked through.  Then add the broth, fish sauce and other seasonings, reserving the cilantro until later.  Continue to stir fry.  Add the peas.

Next add the brown rice and the pineapple and continue to stir-fry to mix all and heat through.

Plate the Thai Pineapple Fried Rice and sprinkle it with the fresh cilantro before serving.

Actual product ingredients may be other than that which is shown or suggested on this blog. Please remember that you should not rely solely on the information presented here or anywhere online and that you always read package labels, warnings, and directions before purchasing and consuming a product. 

ORANGE & OLIVE SALAD, Portokalia me elies

Naxos Taverna, Wikipedia, license

This classic Greek salad is quickly and easily assembled and services four.

The recipe

2 large oranges, peeled and separated into slices, be sure to remove seeds and pith

20 pitted calamata olives

1/2 small red onion, sliced as thinly as possible

1 tablespoon finely minced fresh parsley

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (the best you can afford)

2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

spinach leaves, washed

Assemble the salad by mixing all the ingredients - with the exception of the spinach - in one bowl.  Cover and chill for at least two hours. Serve the salad on individual plates that have been lined with the spinach leaves.

Actual product ingredients may contain more and different information than that which is shown or suggested on this blog. Please remember that you should not rely solely on the information presented here or anywhere online and that you always read labels, warnings, and directions before purchasing and consuming a product. 

YOUVARLAKIA, Greek "porcupines" in egg and lemon sauce

Pamphaios, potter Wikipedia

Lamb meatballs made with rice, simmered in chicken broth, and served in an egg and lemon sauce (avgolemono) is wonderful peasant food that can be served for any occasion. A little salad with feta to go with it - and a Lebanese or Turkish Coffee after - makes quite a heavenly little feast.  It's not too expensive.  The rice helps stretch the meat.

"Porcupines" in Lemon Sauce, Youvarlakia, (Wheat-and-Gluten Free)

The recipe

Serves four

Prepare the meatballs:

• 1 pound of ground lamb
• 1 large onion, grated
• 1/4 cup Lundberg Brown Jasmine Rice
• 1/4 olive oil (does not have to be first press)
• 1 teaspoon fresh spearmint, very finely minced or crumbled
• Black pepper to taste
• Sea salt to taste
• 1 large omega-3 free-range egg
• 1/2 cup of fresh parsley, finely minced
• 1/2 cup Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose Gluten-Free Baking Flour

Prepare the sauce:

• 2 cups of homemade gluten-free chicken broth or 1 sixteen-ounce package of Imagine Organic Free Range Chicken Broth, gluten-free
• 5 tablespoons European butter, room temperature
• 3 large omega-3 range-free eggs, at room temperature and separate
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice, from Meyer lemons if you can get them

Combine the first eleven ingredients, which are listed under "prepare the meatballs" above. Keep working the mixture until it is like paste, then form into small balls just a bit larger than a ping-pong ball.  Roll the meatballs in the flour

Bring the broth to a boil in a large soup pot and add the meatballs, carefully one-by-one.  Break up the butter into small pieces with your hands and distribute it over the meatballs.  Cover the pot. Turn down the heat to simmer and let the meatballs cook for forty-five minutes.

Turn off the heat.  Separate out one cup of the broth.

Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks and then whip the egg whites with some salt until they are fluffy but not quite stiff. Slowly add the yolks and then the lemon juice. Continue whipping. (I do this by hand.)  Finally, slowly add the cup of broth that you set aside.

Pour the sauce over the meatballs.  Do not stir or the meatballs will break.  Do not cover the pot.  The sauce will curdle.  Just slowly shake the pot to incorporate the sauce with the meatballs.

Actual product ingredients may contain more and different information than that which is shown or suggested on this blog. Please remember that you should not rely solely on the information presented here or anywhere online and that you always read labels, warnings, and directions before purchasing and consuming a product. 

ROMAN EGG DROP SOUP, La Straciatella

Yet another luxurious farmers’ market haul with a few veggies from a friend’s garden, providing a wealth of vegetables to flavor the soup and nourish the body.

Picture it:  Brooklyn, New York, early 50s and my first intro to Roman Egg Drop Soup (La Stracciatella, i.e., torn or ragged, which is the way the eggs look) came courtesy of my Aunt Mildred, a world-class cook and a world-class lady.  Though she made all the usual Brooklyn Italian dishes from scratch and the best-ever meat sauce, for this particular recipe she actually used Lipton soup. It made an ersatz but quick and kid-friendly version.  The recipe that follows, though, is the real deal.

Note: If the broth is purchased not homemade, be sure that it’s gluten free.

Roman Egg  Drop Soup

Serves six

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large white onion, chopped
• 6 cloves of garlic, minced
• 6 cups of rich wheat-and-gluten free broth, vegetable or chicken, homemade or packaged
• 2 celery stalks including leaves, minced
• 2 small hot (mince) or sweet peppers (rough chop)
• 2 green squash, shredded
• 6 cups of baby spinach
• 1 cup of fresh parsley, minced
• 2 omega-3 eggs
• 1 tablespoon of water
• 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
• 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, best quality you can find and afford
• Sea salt and freshly grated black pepper to taste

Put the oil into the stock pot and then sauté the onion.  When it begins to get golden add the garlic.  Sauté both to golden brown, being careful not to burn the garlic or it will be bitter.  Add broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and add the celery, simmering for two or three minutes. Add the rest of vegetables, except the spinach and parsley. They can be added after about five minutes. Continue to simmer until the vegetables are almost tender, about ten minutes. Meanwhile, whip the two eggs with the tablespoon of water, the nutmeg, and the Parmesan cheese. When the vegetables are almost tender, bring the soup to a boil and slowly poor in the egg mixture while stirring the soup with a fork.  This will break up the egg mixture so that it cooks in pieces (i.e., little rags).

The finished product, La Stracciatella (Roman Egg Drop Soup), wheat-and-gluten free and chock full of vegetables.

This is a very free-form, very forgiving soup.  You can be quite creative with it.  You can use any combination of vegetables that appeals to you or added cooked diced, chicken or turkey or tofu. You can top each serving with a basil chiffonade or some pesto or pistou or even a dollop of top-quality extra virgin olive oil.

Actual product ingredients may differ from than that which is shown or suggested on this blog. Please remember that you should not rely solely on the information presented here or anywhere online and that you always read labels, warnings, and directions before purchasing and consuming a product. 

GARIDES SAGANAKI, Shrimp baked with feta and tomatoes

Photograph courtesy of Barbara Stone.

"How simple and frugal a thing is happiness: a glass of wine, a roast chestnut, a wretched little brazier, the sound of the sea. All that is required to feel that here and now is happiness, is a simple heart." Nikos Kazantzakis, Zorba the Greek

Ah, well . . . We can't hear the sea from my little apartment. We can catch its scent though in the plump, sweet shrimp I got on sale at Whole Foods. That's the only time I buy shrimp - if at all - when it's on sale. Sweet coral-colored shrimp, deep red tomatoes, and salty white feta. What could be better than this classic Greek dish, garides saganaki, a glass of cool white wine for my guest, some briny black olives, a simple salad, and a simple heart? Happiness. Heaven.

GARIDES SAGANAKI, Wheat-and-Gluten Free
This recipe
Serves 2-3 people

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, rough chop
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound of medium-to-large sized shrimp, shell and devein, rinse and pat dry
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 14 oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon dry oregano
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• 3/4 box of gluten-free pasta shells
• 3/4 pound of feta, crumble
• 1/4 fresh Italian parsley, minced

Brown the onions in the oil in the bottom of a Dutch oven. Add the garlic when the onions are almost ready and then add the shrimp. Stir to the shrimp begins to turn color and is almost cooked through. Pour on the brandy - carefully - light it and burn it off. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set it aside.

Add the crushed tomatoes, the tomato paste, white wine, the oregano, and red pepper flakes to the pan and stir to mix well.  Allow to simmer and thicken for about 25 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425° while the sauce is thickening. Prepare the pasta al dente and drain. Set aside. You can mix it with a bit of olive oil to keep it from sticking together.

When the sauce is ready, spoon some into the bottom of a 8" x 8" baking pan. Mix the shrimp and past and place the mixture in the pan. Top with the sauce and then the feta and sprinkle with the minced parsley.

Bake for 25 minutes until it is heated through. Allow to sit for five minutes or so before serving.

Actual product ingredients may differ from than that which is shown or suggested on this blog. Please remember that you should not rely solely on the information presented here or anywhere online and that you always read labels, warnings, and directions before purchasing and consuming a product. 

NY CHEESECAKE a la JUNIOR'S...made GF

 The World-Famous Junior's at Dusk

The traditional Juniors recipe calls for a sponge cake base. For this gluten-free version, I do a cookie and nut crust, which is my preference. The recommended products are wheat-and-gluten free at the time of this writing. However, if you have celiac disease, you should always double-check when making a purchase. Product formulations change frequently and without warning. No assumptions please.

The recipe

Serves 12

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

Prepare the cookie crust:

• 1 1/4 c gluten-free pecan shorties, or other gluten-free packaged or homemade cookie of your choice, made into crumbs
• 1/4 c granulated sugar
• ½ c finely chopped pecans
• 4 T unsalted butter, melted

Mix all four ingredients well and pour into the bottom of a nine-inch, non-stick spring-form pan.  Using the back of a tablespoon, pat the crust down firmly.  Bake for ten minutes. Remove the pan.  Wrap the bottom with foil. Place the pan on a cookie tray.  Leave the oven on.

The filling:

• Four 8 oz. pkgs. Organic Valley cream cheese, room temperature
• 2/3 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup Bob’s Red Mill corn starch
• 1 tablespoon Singing Dog Organic Vanilla Extract (gluten-free)
• 2 extra-large Omega-3 eggs, beaten
• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Mix, assemble, bake, and chill:

Put one 8-ounce package of the cream cheese, half of the sugar and the starch in a large mixing bowl. Beat at the lowest speed on your mixing, scraping the bowl from time to time to make sure that the ingredients mix well.  Beat in the remaining three package of cheese and the remaining sugar in increments.  Blend in the vanilla. Add the eggs in two increments.  Beat at high-speed for 2 minutes. Add the heavy cream, beating at low until just blended, taking care not to over mix the filling. 


Spoon the filling into the pan, gently. Place the spring-form pan in a bain Marie, a large shallow pan with enough hot water to come up one-inch on the spring-form pan.

Bake the cheesecake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Cool the cake on a wire rack for 1 hour/10 minutes. Do not open the oven when the cake is baking.  At the end of the baking time, the cheesecake should be firm around the edges and have a slight jiggle in the middle.  Remove it from the oven. Cool on a wire rack. Then cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Once chilled, remove the sides of the spring-form pan. You can leave the cake on the spring-form bottom and just place it on an attractive serving dish. Refrigerate left-overs . . . if there are any!

RETRO DESSERT RECIPE

Library of Congress photograph of Mamie Eisenhower.

Gelatin has been around for almost forever and used in both sweet and savory dishes. Apparently, though, the ubiquitous, jiggly dessert we now know, is relatively new culinary treat. When I was growing up, it was popular because it was sweet, cheap, and easy to make. Non-cooks like my mother loved it.
Apparently so did such prestigious homemakers as Mrs. Dwight Eisenhower. When the first lady’s recipe for “Frosted Mint Delight” was published in one of the women’s magazines, my mother decided that this pedestrian dessert was, in fact, quite elitist. By God, if it was good enough for Mamie, it was good enough for us.
So, that Christmas, we had Mamie's Frosted Mint Delight. Can you imagine? We were living on 90th and Fort Hamilton Parkway in Bay Ridge then, just one-half block from Louisa's Italian Restaurant and Louisa's fabulous Biscuit Tortoni. A short train-ride would have taken us to Junior's and N.Y. Cheesecake.  We were a twenty-minute walk from the Syrian Grocery and the honey-sweet delight of fresh baklava. But we had jello for Christmas dessert.
Mom was irritated when the recipe went missing and she was unable to make it ever again.  Well, she just didn’t look far enough for it.  It was in my junk box, which is why I can share it with you today. Sorry, Mom!
Click here for Mrs. Eisenhower’s so-called “Red Scare” Jello Dessert and background info. It’s a funny, but it does go to prove Mamie was famous for gelatin desserts.
If this old-time recipe appeals and you need to go gluten-free, you know the drill. Be sure to find the brands that are wheat-and-gluten free.

Mrs. Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Frosted Mint Delight
The recipe
Serves 10-12

• 2 1-lbs. cans of crushed pineapple
• 3/4 cup mint flavored apple jelly
• 1 pint whipping cream
• 2 teaspoons confection’s sugar
• 1 package unflavored gelatin

Have all the ingredients chilled.  Melt the jelly and mix the crushed pineapple into it. Dissolve the package of gelatin in one cup of the juice from the pineapple.  Mix the gelatin mixture into the jelly mixture.  Whip the cream, sweeten it with the sugar, and fold it into the mixture.  Put it into the freezer until firm.  Do not freeze solid.