Monthly Archives: January 2015

Another Gnocchi Dish…

Posted by alicemwilkinson in Recipe, Tips and tagged with , , , , , ,

This time I made gnocchi with meatballs made from gluten-free sausages that I bought from Waitrose.  It’s the first time I’d seen them in a supermarket, so I was pretty excited.  They’re really lovely actually, quite spicy and peppery and very meaty, although they don’t hold their shape so well when you cook them.

I simply fried off some sliced garlic and some cherry tomatoes in some olive oil.  Then I added little chunks of sausage that I’d cut up.  I also removed the sausage skin but only because it was coming off anyway; no need to bother doing this otherwise.  Once the little balls of sausage meat were cooked through, I added my cooked gluten-free gnocchi to the pan and added a little extra extra-virgin olive oil and some torn fresh basil.  It was so quick to do but it looked and tasted like I’d spent ages on it.  Yumbo-scrumbo.

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Gluten-free Gnocchi.

Posted by alicemwilkinson in Recipe, Tips and tagged with , , , , , , , ,

I’m really liking this gluten-free gnocchi that I found in my local butcher/deli.  Gnocchi is made with potato anyway, so there isn’t a huge difference in texture between this and normal gnocchi.

I used this gnocchi to make a quick lunch: I simply fried some garlic and four cherry tomatoes, halved, in a tablespoon of olive oil.  The tomatoes will soften and mush down to create a small amount of sauce.  Then I added about five prawns and some seasoning, frying on a low-medium heat until the prawns were cooked through and pink.  Once the gnocchi was cooked (this takes about 2 minutes) I added it to the prawns with some fresh basil and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.  I cooked the gnocchi with the prawns and tomato sauce for 30 seconds before piling onto a plate.

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This is so fast and filling, and packed with fresh Italian flavours.  Enjoy!

Polenta.

Posted by alicemwilkinson in Recipe, Tips and tagged with , , , , , ,

Polenta is an excellent gluten-free alternative to bread crumbs; it has a lot more flavour, too.

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Try butterflying a chicken breast (or bashing it with a rolling pin until it’s evenly flattened) before coating it in lightly beaten egg.  Then mix a few handfuls of fine polenta with some finely grated Parmesan cheese and plenty of chopped parsley (you could whizz the cheese and parsley in a food processor and then mix with the polenta).  Use this cheesy crumb to coat the chicken, before frying in olive oil for about 4 minutes a side, depending on how thin your chicken is.  The result is crunchy and golden and perfect with a simple salad and boiled new potatoes.

Banana Tree: Review.

Posted by alicemwilkinson in Restaurants, Review and tagged with , , , , ,

Banana Tree is somewhat reminiscent of a canteen.  Perhaps it is the slightly distant staff, the minimal decor or the closely packed grey tables.  Nonetheless, walking into this small chain restaurant, one feels immediately as if one is at the centre of something.  The atmosphere is buzzy and vibrant and the air is filled with the sound of chatter and laughter: there are people on first dates, groups of girls giggling, trendy looking men in pork pie hats, discussing beards.

It’s a Thursday and we are seated immediately under a bizarre phallic looking light bulb dangling over our table.  It takes some time before anyone comes to take our drink orders: a lychee mojito, light on the rum, and a glass of underwhelming pinot grigio.

The menu, however, is promising.  As a coeliac, it is good to see that about half of the menu is gluten-free.  After much consideration of all the options, a real luxury, I settle on the sticky Thai chicken wings with chili and basil, to share between us, and the “Legendary” beef rendang with the palm leaf sticky rice.

The starter arrives fairly promptly.  I’m glad we decided to split the starter because there are loads of wings, piled high and looking spectacular in their glazed glory.  They do not disappoint: they’re sweet and tangy and the chili packs a punch but you can still taste the basil.  Chicken wings are always messy but I found myself swallowing these down with such wild abandon that I ended up covered, face and fingers, in sticky sauce.  Thankfully, we had been given wet wipes.

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My curry came in an individually sized frying pan with lots of coriander and crispy coconut on top, adding some much needed lift to an otherwise dull looking dish.  The taste, however, was fantastic.  The meat fell apart, a clear sign that it had been slow cooked, and it was beautifully tender to eat.  Although it was rich and, after a while, quite heavy, the meat was so well spiced, savoury and satisfying, that I just kept on eating.

The sticky rice was good too but, because my curry was quite dry, I wish I’d had one of the fried or steamed rice sides.  The sticky rice went far better with the stir-fried dish ordered by my partner.  The rice came in eight little parcels, which were cute but really annoying after a while: you had to unwrap the pandan leaf from around each parcel every time you wanted one, so we ended up with a ridiculous pile of curly leaves on the table.  And we had to order more because, though we were told one portion would be enough, it wasn’t.

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My partner’s meal was lovely too, he said, although I couldn’t taste it because he had thoughtlessly not ordered something gluten-free.  However, he reported that the sautéed beef with Karl Patta (whatever that is) and cashew nuts was fresh and zingy, with lots of different textures and plenty of heat; he also said it went really well with the sticky rice.

Overall, I think Banana Tree is a great place to go for a no-frills meal: there’s lots of choice if you’re eating gluten-free and the food is definitely exciting but don’t expect to be blown away.  You’re unlikely to have a lingering romantic meal there, but if you’re into spice and something a little exotic, this is a great place to grab a quick dinner.

Ribollita, or Italian Vegetable Soup.

Posted by alicemwilkinson in Recipe and tagged with , , , , , , ,

This soup makes Minestrone look like the runt of the litter.  Ribollita is the older, wiser, ruggedly handsome older brother of Minestrone.  Minestrone doesn’t stand a chance in an arm wrestle.

Ribollita is an Italian vegetable soup made with beans and, happily for me, no pasta.  It’s a great gluten-free meal because it doesn’t feel gluten-free, it just is.  In fact, I’ve been making this soup for a while now, long before I knew I was coeliac; in fact I got the recipe from one of the first non-baking recipe books I ever owned.  Just before, or shortly after, I started university my Mum gave me this little recipe book, called Hearty Soups (I’ve just had a look on Amazon and it seems you can only buy it in America, which is annoying, but it’s only one cent) and, though I’ve tried some of the other recipes, it’s the one for Robillita that I always return to.

It’s hard to put into words how great this soup is, partly, I think, because it seems to be a different beast every time I make it.  As a soup, it is in it’s nature to be adaptable, allowing me to add, for example, some kale if I’m feeling the need for superfoods, or to add more beans for a thicker texture.  However, there are some things about this soup which are always the same: the intense sweetness of the vegetables, particularly the carrots, that have been cooked slowly for a long time; the deeply appealing savouriness which comes from adding a Parmesan rind; the surprising heat from the chilli flakes, which I always forget that I’ve added.  And then, the texture, which is, for me, the reason why this soup is so superior to Minestrone (which will forever be, in my mind, the fake red, canned tomato flavoured water with floating “pasta” and one cube of courgette, that passed itself off as soup in the school canteen): Ribollita is thickened by pureeing a couple of ladles of soup (brilliant, actually, for coeliacs, as it means you don’t have to thicken with flour) which somehow makes me feel like I am eating an ancient food, something that has been made and eaten for centuries and not changed.

This soup is definitely better if cooked the day before you wish to eat it but this is not obligatory.  Do try to give it as much time as you can though: this is a slow cook and you have to embrace it.  If you try to rush it, you’ll get annoyed and it won’t taste nice.  So make it on a Sunday and reheat it on Monday night when you need some comforting (and then take it as lunch for the next few days: this recipe make a lot).  If you love it, it will love you right back.

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To serve 6:

1 onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

4 celery sticks, chopped

1 leek, chopped

3 courgettes, chopped

4 garlic cloves, crushed/chopped

1 tsp chilli flakes

3 sprigs worth of rosemary, leaves removed from stalks, chopped

3 sprigs of thyme, leaves removed from stalks

1 jar tomato passata (usually about 500ml)

2 knorr chicken stock pots (gluten-free, which is why I use them)

2 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed well

1 Parmesan rind

1 bag of cavolo nero, stalks removed then chopped/torn

1 bag of kale, stalks removed then chopped/torn (optional)

Start by heating some olive oil in a very large sauce or stock pan.  On a medium-low heat, cook the chopped onion, carrot and celery for about 5 minutes.

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Then add the chopped courgette and leek.  Cook for 5 minutes.

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Add the chopped garlic, chilli and chopped herbs (you could also use chopped sage) and fry on a medium-high heat for a few minutes, stirring to prevent anything from catching on the bottom of the pan.

Add the tomato passata, the stock pots (you can also use vegetable stock) and the drained and rinsed beans.  Fill the tomato passata jar with cold water and empty it into the soup, so as the vegetables and beans are well covered.

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Add the Parmesan rind.

Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 1hr 30mins, at least.

Turn off the soup and allow to cool.  Then either mash or puree, in a food processor, 3 ladles worth of soup; return the puree to the rest of the soup and stir to combine.

Reheat the soup and add the cavolo nero and kale, if using.  Allow to cook for 1hr.  Turn off and reheat when needed.

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NB: there’s a lot of stock in this soup, plus a Parmesan rind so go easy on the salt.  I wouldn’t add salt until near the end of cooking, once you’ve tasted the salt to confirm it needs it.

Quick Turkey Lunch.

Posted by alicemwilkinson in Recipe and tagged with , , , ,

If you, like me, miss Christmas, then this quick lunchtime (or dinnertime) dish is just the ticket.  But turkey is not just for Christmas: it’s a superfood, extremely lean and very versatile, like chicken.  Purely by chance, what I whipped up for lunch today did turn out more like a one-pan Christmas dinner than anything else, but it was yummy and filling and full of all things good for you.

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I started by frying some sliced garlic (wards off colds and some cancers, apparently), some chopped rosemary and thyme and some dried chilli flakes (just a pinch) in a large frying pan.  Then I added one breast of thinly sliced turkey meat.

Once the turkey was cooked through (this took about 5 minutes as the pieces were so thin) and starting to turn golden, I added some sprout flowers: these you can buy in Waitrose and Marks and Spencer.

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I think they’re pretty and, plus they, like the vegetables from which they were born (sprout flowers are, I believe, a cross between sprouts and kale), are so so good for you.

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I fried the sprout flowers for a few minutes until they were cooked.  Finally I added some halved and boiled red skinned new potatoes and some green beans (I had these left over from last night).  A final drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and some salt and pepper and my lunch was done!

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A little taste of Christmas without the hassle (or the food baby afterwards!).

Bean Mash.

Posted by alicemwilkinson in Recipe and tagged with , , , , , ,

Beans are fantastic.  They are high in protein, almost fat-free… They are, in fact, ridiculously good for you.   But they can be a little dull to eat sometimes.  This recipe, for bean mash, is a perfect accompaniment almost any roasted, grilled or pan fried meat and also goes very well with salmon and it is a very far cry from dull.  It can be as simple or as jazzy as you like, depending on your tastes or the accompanying flavours.  I usually make it with lots of garlic and rosemary (I’ve actually adapted this recipe over time to make it as effortless as possible; now I don’t even chop the garlic, I just leave the cloves whole!), but you could add tomatoes, chilli, bay, anchovies, you could make it with chicken stock or vegetable stock, you could mash it or leave the beans whole or semi-mashed; it’s entirely up to you.

Here’s how you make it:

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Start by heating some olive oil in a small sauce pan.  Then add whole garlic cloves (I use about three or four) and about three sprigs worth of chopped rosemary.  Then add one can of drained and well-rinsed butter beans (this will serve 2-3 people amply as a side dish).   Stir well.

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Now add enough gluten-free chicken or vegetable stock (I use the Knorr stock pots) to cover the beans.  Bring the beans to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until the stock has reduced right down and the beans look brown and caramelized.  This can take up to half an hour depending on the amount of stock you added (quantities, in this recipe, are not so important, as you might have noticed).  You will end up with something that looks like this…IMG_2354

At this point you can turn the heat off and leave the beans until you are ready to mash them.  You can see the whole garlic cloves here: they will be mashed into the beans creating a lovely, mellow, garlicky flavour.

Next, mash the beans.

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Admittedly, this dish is not the most glamorous or visually appealing, but it tastes brilliant so who cares.  Taste the mash and adjust for seasoning; the stock, which has also been reduced, and therefore concentrated, can be very salty so don’t add salt until this point.  I rarely find I need it.

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Finally add some chopped parsley and you’re ready to go.

This dish is simple and versatile and everyone I’ve ever made it for has wanted the recipe, and I bet you will too!

Courgette and Bacon Pasta… Without the Pasta.

Posted by alicemwilkinson in Recipe, Travel and tagged with , , ,

Having just returned from a post-Christmas, pre-January-panic holiday in Paris, I’m feeling a little starved of vegetables.  They don’t really serve vegetables as part of a main dish there, nor can you order vegetables as a side dish (or maybe you can but it’s not on the menu), so after three days and four nights of eating omelettes, roast meat and mashed potatoes, Sebastian and I have been feeling a little heavy.  Inevitably, my diet whilst in Paris was less varied than it would be home; rather than trying to explain what coeliac disease is to every blank -faced waiter, I opted to use my chef training and general restaurant-going experience to make educated guesses about the potential wheat content of my potential dinner (I chose roasted meat instead of anything pan fried which might have been coated in flour first; chose the salmon tartar instead of the fish bisque, a jus rather than a thickened sauce, etc).  This went well, but it did mean that I ate a lot of salmon sashimi at lunch times (Paris: great place for sushi… Who knew?) and a lot of red meat at dinner and not much else.

I returned a couple of days ago, at dinner time. Of course, the fridge was devoid of food so I nipped out to the shops to buy something I could make quickly.  Before, I would’ve immediately opted for pasta, which is obviously off the menu now.  I was thinking wistfully about my courgette and bacon pasta dish as I stood in the grocers staring at kale, when it occurred to me that this celebrity vegetable, crisped in the oven, would be a great replacement for pasta, in this instance anyway.

And I was right!  I’d bought extra courgettes (about four large ones) than I usually would but otherwise the quantities stayed exactly the same as they would have been were I making it as a pasta dish with actual pasta (so feel free to ignore the kale part and use corn pasta or whatever in it’s place).  First I fried six rashers of streaky bacon on a very low heat: this is how you get it to go really crispy.  Once they were dark brown and dramatically shrunken I drained the rashers on kitchen roll.  I turned up the heat on my frying pan a little and fried about four cloves of sliced garlic and half a chopped, fresh, red chilli (you can use more or less chilli depending on your tastes) until the garlic just started to colour.  Then I added my courgettes which I had washed, halved lengthways and sliced into semi-circles.

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I fired the courgettes on a high heat until they were cooked through and golden brown.

Then to the kale:  I spread the kale out evenly in a large roasting pan (if you pile it in, it was go soft, not crispy) and lightly drizzled olive oil over it with plenty of salt and pepper.  I cooked the kale for literally three minutes in an oven heated to 180°C.  And this is what I got…

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So that was it.  I added lots of freshly grated Parmesan and the crispy bacon to the courgettes and then topped my bowl of kale with the sauce.

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I’d made Sebastian pasta, which was once my favourite thing, but as he sat next to me, enjoying his supper, I wasn’t the slightest bit jealous!  Whatever, eat your pasta, I have kale crisps and they are excellent.