The Chef’s Notes

We dialed down the heat a bit — the recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of chili paste, but we only used one tablespoon. That created enough heat in the dish for us, and it builds up slowly, while you eat it.

Also, the recipe calls for large shrimp, but we usually use medium sized frozen shrimp. It’s hard to find good quality fresh shrimp if you’re not on the coast!

We used Thai Kitchen Curry Paste, which was labeled as gluten free. As always, be sure to check all your ingredients, to make sure they’re safe for you to eat.

Tip: Mr. D usually cooks the rice earlier in the day, and stores it in the fridge until supper time.

Coconut Risotto With Chili Shrimp

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. of olive oil
• 1 pound of shrimp, deveined and peeled
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 Tsp. sea salt
• 1 Tbsp. chili paste (use 2 tbsp. for more heat)
• 1 14 ounce can of coconut milk
• 4 cups of jasmine rice, cooked
• 1 cup of bean sprouts
• 1 scallion thinly sliced
• 1 Tbsp. of fresh lime juice
• fresh basil leaves (garnish)

Directions

1. Remember to cook the rice ahead of time – follow the package instructions.
2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
3. Add the shrimp, garlic and salt and cook until the shrimp is pink and just cooked through, about 5 minutes.
4. Remove the shrimp and set it aside.
5. Add the chili paste and coconut milk to the frying pan and bring to a boil.
6. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thickened and reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
7. Add the cooked rice, bean sprouts, scallion, lime juice and shrimp
8. Cook until heated through, 3 to 4 minutes,
9. Garnish with basil leaves, and serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Prep and cooking  time is approximately 30 minutes.

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Here are the ingredients for our Coconut Risotto With Chili Shrimp

Here is the completed dish, with torn basil leaves as a garnish.

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The thyme was a little strong, so instead of 1/2 tablespoon, we’ve cut the recipe back to 1 teaspoon.

It’s the perfect time of year for plums, and we added blueberries to the salad too. They tasted great, and added a nice touch of colour to the salad, contrasting with the orange flesh of the plums. You can see a picture of our salad, below the recipe.

Honey Mustard Chicken With Arugula Plum Salad

• 1.5  tbsp honey
• 1  tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1  tsp chopped fresh thyme
• 2.5  tbsp olive oil
• 4  bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 1.25 pounds)
• salt and black pepper
• 1  tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1  bunch arugula, thick stems removed (3 cups)
• 1  plum, pitted and thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup fresh blueberries

Directions

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, mustard, thyme, and 1 tablespoon oil.
2. Heat grill to medium-low. Season the chicken with a dash of salt and pepper (about 1/4 teaspoon of each).
3. Grill, covered, turning occasionally, until cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes; brush frequently with the honey mixture during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
4. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, the remaining 1.5 tablespoons of oil, and a dash of salt and pepper.
5. Add the arugula, plums and blueberries, and toss to combine. Serve with the chicken.

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These days, I like to make the Swiss Steak in a slow cooker, where it can cook all day, without heating up the house. I have adapted the recipe, and you can follow the recipe, with step by step instructions, below.

I usually make half the recipe, which is just right for two people, with a little left over for lunch the next day. Below the recipe, you can see a picture of our delicious Swiss Steak meal, with a bit of parsley sprinkled on top.

You can use a gluten free flour for the browning step, such as Bob’s Red Mill. Or, skip that ingredient, and just brown the steak without a coating.

Slow Cooker Swiss Steak

• 2 lb round or chuck steak, ½” to 1″ thick
• ¼ c gluten free flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 1/2 cup red wine (optional)
• 2 c. canned diced tomatoes

1. Cut steak into serving pieces and dredge with combined flour and seasoning.
2. On the stove top, brown the meat in 1 tbsp oil, in a heavy frying pan, over medium-high heat, turning to brown each side (about 2 minutes per side).
3. Put meat into slow cooker, in a single layer, if possible.
4. Reduce the stove top heat to medium, and in the frying pan, add the remaining 1 tbsp oil, and the onion.
5. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are lightly browned.
6. Add the onions to the slow cooker, spreading them evenly over the steak.
7. If using wine, add to frying pan, and stir gently, to deglaze the pan.
8. Add wine to slow cooker.
9. Add tomatoes to slow cooker, over the meat and onions.
10. Cover slow cooker, and cook on high for 3-5 hours, or on low for 8-10 hours.
11. Adjust seasoning if necessary, and serve with rice or potatoes.

Makes 6 servings.

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We have tried Indian food before, while eating out or visiting friends, but have never made it at home. And we’re glad we did – we thoroughly enjoyed this dish — it was easy to make and tasted wonderful.

You can see our version of the dish in the picture below the recipe. There is a chicken mixture, which is served over rice, and a cucumber relish, which accompanies the dish.

As usual, check all your ingredients to make sure that they meet your dietary restrictions. I’ve read that some garam masala blends can contain flour, so be sure to get a gluten free brand, such as Simply Organic.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

Ingredients

• 1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 2 cloves of minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons garam masala (Indian spice blend)
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs ( about 8) ( We used a mixture of thighs and breasts
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup long grain rice such as basmati (We used sticky rice)
• 1/2  English cucumber halved and sliced thinly
• 1/4 cup  fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions

1. In a 6-quart slow cooker, combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, tomato paste, garam masala, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
2. Put the chicken on top of the vegetables, then cover, and cook until the chicken is tender – on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours.
3. In a small bowl, toss the cucumber and cilantro with the lemon juice and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for up to 8 hours.
4. Twenty minutes before serving, cook the rice according to its package directions.
5. Just before serving, stir the cream into the chicken tikka masala.
6. Serve the chicken over the rice, with the cucumber relish on the side.

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Here’s a delicious recipe that will help you enjoy that weekend luxury again! This gluten free pancake recipe is tasty, and has a good texture too.

The pancake recipe is also lactose free, so that’s an added bonus if you have that intolerance too.

The recipe is from a new cookbook – The Intolerant Gourmet: Glorious Food Without Gluten & Lactose – by award-winning cookbook author, Barbara Kafka. It’s a great cookbook, that just happens to be gluten- and lactose-free. There are about 300 recipes, so you should find lots of new treats to try.

Intolerant Gourmet Pancakes

• 3/4 cup white rice flour
• 1/2 cup chickpea flour
• 1/2 cup potato starch
• 1/4 cup tapioca flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp coarse kosher salt
• 1 cup well-stirred coconut milk
• 2 large eggs
• 6 tbsp safflower oil + more for frying

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk the flours, baking powder and salt.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the coconut milk, eggs, and 6 tbsp oil.
3. Whisk liquids into flour mixture, until well combined.
4. Heat a large, non-stick skillet over high heat (Lightly drizzle with oil, if desired)
5. Pour batter, 1/4 cup at a time, to fit the skillet
6. Reduce heat to medium.
7. Cook until edges are crisp and bubbles appear on the surface – about 2 minutes.
8. Flip pancakes with spatula, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until bottom is lightly browned (Pancakes will be quite white)
9. Remove pancakes to a plate, and cover with foil, to keep warm, while making the remaining pancakes.

Makes 12 pancakes.

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I usually pound the chicken breasts, to make them flatter, so they cook more evenly.

Crunchy Cornmeal Chili Chicken

• 3 tbsp cornmeal
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/8 tsp each salt and ground black pepper
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Directions

1. In a pie plate, combine the cornmeal, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper
2. Into this mixture, dip the chicken breasts, one at a time. Press firmly into the mixture, to get a good coating.
3. In a large frying pan, over medium-low, heat the oil.
4. Add chicken, and sauté until golden, and chicken feels springy – about 7-10 minutes per side.

Serve with salsa, and oven-fried potato wedges.

Makes 4 servings.

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Throw some fruit into the salad too, like a handful of dried cranberries, or a ripe pear, cut into thin wedges.

The recipe is adapted from The 250 Best 4-Ingredient Recipes. It’s not a gluten free cookbook, but many of its recipes have no gluten, or can be easily modified to be gluten free.

Maple Dijon Salad Dressing

• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup canola or olive oil
• 3 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. In a jar with tight-fitting lid, add the lemon juice, oil, maple syrup and mustard.
2. Cover the jar and shake until well blended
3. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Serve immediately, or store in the fridge, tightly covered, for up to 2 weeks.

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Usually it takes a couple of hours to make Coq au Vin, but with this quick version, you can have dinner ready in about 25 minutes. While the Coq au Vin is cooking, prepare some rice to serve with it.

Instant Coq au Vin

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp butter
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1/4 lb sliced mushrooms
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup white wine
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp white sugar
• 2 green onions, sliced

Directions

1. In a large frying pan, heat butter, over medium-high heat.
2. Add chicken to pan, and brown on one side, about 2 minutes.
3. Turn chicken over, and add mushrooms and garlic.
4. Continue cooking over medium-high heat for 2 minutes, stirring mushrooms occasionally.
5. Add wine, thyme and sugar.
6. Continue cooking over medium-high heat until wine is gently boiling, about 2 minutes.
7. Turn chicken and stir mushrooms.
8. Continue cooking, uncovered, until chicken feels springy, about 3 to 5 minutes.
9. Remove chicken to serving platter and place mushrooms on top of chicken.
10. Cover with foil, to keep chicken warm.
11. Turn heat to high, and add green onions to wine mixture.
12. Stir occasionally, until wine is reduced to about 1/2 cup.
13. Add salt and pepper to taste
14. Pour wine mixture over chicken and mushrooms, and serve with rice.

Makes 4 servings.

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The cookbook is filled with quick and easy recipes, and each recipe is accompanied by a full page colour picture, showing the finished dish. I find it much easier to make a new recipe, when I have an idea of what I’m aiming for!

The original recipe calls for fresh peaches and tomato, so I’d certainly use those in late summer, when local fresh produce is available. In the winter, I just use canned tomato, and a jar of peaches packed in juice. They have much more flavour than the fresh produce, at this time of year.

This dish is delicious, and perfect with rice or a simple green salad. If you like a bit of heat, add a few red pepper flakes to the salsa.

Cornmeal Chicken with Peach Salsa

Salsa

• 28 oz jar peaches in juice, drained and coarsely chopped
• 14 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp white vinegar
• 1/4 tsp salt

Chicken

• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1-1/4 lb)
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

Directions

1. In a large bowl, mix all the salsa ingredients
2. In a shallow bowl, mix the cornmeal, salt and pepper.
3. Coat the chicken with the cornmeal mixture.
4. Heat oil in a 10-inch skillet, over medium-high heat.
5. Cook the chicken in the skillet for 15 to 20 minutes, turning after 10 minutes, until the cooked through. (When centre of thickest part is cut, juice is no longer pink.)
6. Top with salsa, and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

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There’s been some controversy about whether blue cheese is gluten free, but I was confident that it’s okay to eat, after reading this article on the Canadian Celiac Association website: Blue Cheese in a Gluten Free Diet.

Tossed Salad with Roquefort Dressing

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp crumbled Roquefort
• pinches of salt and pepper
• 8 cups mixed salad greens

Instructions

1. Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, cheese, salt and pepper.
2. Toss with salad greens
3. Serve immediately.

Serves 6.

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