Remembering My Tia

This dish is a tribute to my Tia Elvira. Back-in-the-day, I was blessed to meet her even though we did not share the same language. My cousin had to translate our conversations. What my Tia and I did share was a love for good food. She was an amazing cook and I wish I inherited a fraction of her talent, but I did not. It doesn't stop me from trying to recreate one of my favourite dishes that she used to make, Portuguese Steak Sandwiches.  

I started with thinly sliced sweet onions, thinly sliced shallots, minced garlic and bay leaves.  

Add some red wine, olive oil, parsley, oregano, red pepper flakes, Portuguese pepper paste, and freshly cracked pepper.  

Toss in thinly sliced beef and mix well, leaving it to marinate.  

Add some lard to a roasting pan, add the marinated meat and roast until tender and desired doneness. Note:  adjust seasoning half way through, if desired, I added more salt, Creole Seasoning and lemon juice.  

These Portuguese crusty buns are not gluten-free so I won't be enjoying these ones. They are the type of buns that my Tia used to serve this dish. These ones will be for others. Hmmm, I wonder if there is a gluten-free version of Portuguese crusty buns?  

Happy Eats!  

  

Thai Chicken & Coconut Soup

I discovered the most aromatic and de-lish soup recipe. It is from Emeril's cookbook Sizzling Skillets and Other One Pot Wonders but you can also find the recipe on Emeril's website over here. 

You might want to print this recipe ASAP before it disappears because this one is a keeper. And it is gluten-free too!  

This is the second pot of Thai Chicken & Coconut Soup that I've made and I did tweak it a wee bit according to the ingredients that I had at home. Instead of vegetable oil, I used avocado oil.  I replaced the Thai chilies with a heaping teaspoon of Sambal Oelek. Mushroom stock replaced the chicken stock. And I used chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts. Even still with the changes this is still delicious. Thanks Emeril!  

Happy Eats!  

Paella

This picture was taken at the last leg of the cooking stage, just before it went into the oven until the clams and mussels opened up. If you don't own a paella pan, could I recommend that you invest in one--you won't be disappointed. I've made paella in a stock pot and it is not the same outcome.  

1 cup diced onion

1 cup diced green pepper

1 cup diced yellow pepper

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 teaspoons paprika

1/2 teaspoon of sea salt

4 ounces chorizo

1/2 cup green peas

2 cups short grain rice

4 chicken thighs

1 pound shrimp

1 pound mussels

1 pound clams

5 cups clam juice

Happy Cooking!  

Portuguese Cod Fish Dish

This is another favourite dish around here--a traditional Portuguese and gluten-free dish! Cod fish, potatoes and other goodness...

Layer par-boiled sliced potatoes, thinly sliced onions, thinly sliced roma tomatoes, cod fish and hot pepper paste oil (homemade pepper paste, garlic and seasonings). Repeat and Bake in a 350˚F oven.  

If you are not lucky enough to be born into a Portuguese family or have Portuguese friends willing to share their own homemade pepper paste, you can find this essential ingredient at your local Portuguese market.  

Happy Eating!  

Roasted Mushroom and Brie Soup

This soup is inspired by a recipe that I found online, I just tweaked it to make it a gluten-free version after being tempted by pre-made Mushroom and Brie Soup available at Costco but wasn't gluten free. I typically like cooking with sherry when making a mushroom soup but I didn't have any on hand. The white wine worked quite well.  

Super yummy creamy mushroom soup! Start with about 2 lbs of mushrooms, a tablespoon of olive oil, a cookie sheet and 400˚F oven.  

Roast the mushrooms for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile melt some butter (2 tablespoons) in a soup pot, and cook down onions for about 8 minutes.  

Add garlic and dried thyme.

Cook for about 1 minute more.

Add gluten free all-purpose flour blend. I like Cloud 9 gluten free flour, it is a cup for cup replacement for non-gluten-free recipes. Deglaze the pot with white wine.  

Add stock and roasted mushrooms, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and let it simmer away for about 20 minutes. Then add 1/2 cup of milk and brie cheese, skinned and cut into cubes. Stir until cheese is melted and milk has been blended.  

Puree the soup and serve.

Happy Eating!

Duck Fried Rice

Oh, what to do with left over roast duck? I usually make a fried rice dish when I have left over protein but I will have to say using duck is the best version of fried rice I think I have made.   

Sesame seed oil

Jasmine Rice

Celery, diced

Carrots, diced

Red bell pepper, diced

White onions, diced

Garlic, minced

Fresh ginger, diced

Roast duck, cut in bite-sized pieces

Gluten-free soya sauce

Corn and Crab Chowder

Olive Oil

Unsalted butter

Diced celery

Diced white onion

Minced garlic

Diced bell yellow bell pepper

Diced red potatoes

Vegetable or Chicken stock 

Cayenne Pepper

Gluten-free Creole Spice

Sea Salt

Freshly cracked black pepper

Milk

Gluten-free all-purpose flour

Corn

Crab meat

Green onions

Braised Red Cabbage

Thinly sliced onions

minced garlic

fresh thyme

bacon drippings

chopped granny smith apple

apple sauce

apple juice with equal amounts of water

red wine vinegar

brown sugar

red cabbage

parsley

cooked diced gluten-free bacon

Braised Short Ribs

Bison Short Ribs

Fresh Thyme

Minced Garlic

Olive Oil

Sea Salt

Freshly cracked black pepper

Fennel

Onions

Celery

Beef broth

Seared and then cooked slowly in a low oven for about four hours until the meat just falls off the bone...

Serve with braised red cabbage.  

Spicy Italian Lasagna

Start with spicy Italian Sausage, remove casings and break into small pieces. In a saucepan, add sausage, white onions and garlic. Cook until no more pink remains.

May I recommend the best gluten-free noodles that I have worked with, Le Veneziane pasta sheets. Worth every penny. And these noodles freeze well too. Found at Lorenzo's Specialty Foods Ltd.

And the star of this lasagna, red basil.

Okay, back to the sauce. Add a large can of diced undrained tomatoes, basil, oregano and freshly cracked black pepper.  Simmer for about twenty minutes.

While the sauce is simmering away into delicious goodness get your cheeses ready, mozzarella and a ricotta, spinach and parmesan cheese.

Start layering with the sauce.

Did I mention that the lasagna noodles do not need to be pre-cooked?

Bake covered in a 375 degree oven.  Remove foil and finish uncovered for the last fifteen minutes.

Cookbook Love

I made a tray of Ooo-la-la-sagna from one of my favourite cookbooks, The Looneyspoons Collection. I left out the red pepper flakes since I used hot Italian sausage in this recipe. Oh and I threw in some chopped sweet yellow peppers and shallots. I also used gluten-free lasagna noodles (corn and quinoa) that I didn't have to pre-cook--easy!  

Seriously, if you don't have this cookbook in your collection this is one that you should pick up and they have many gluten-free recipes in here too. The recipes that are not gluten-free are easily adaptable like the sweet potato crust on their Hungry Guy Chicken Pies recipe. I just substitute gluten-free flour for the regular flour they call for in the recipe and it worked out great.

I haven't found a recipe in this book that I don't love.

Portuguese Comfort Food

I love this dish!  

Sliced Potatoes

Thinly sliced onions

Salt Cod (rinsed and cooked)

Diced Tomato

Olive Oil

Portuguese Hot Pepper Paste

Minced Garlic

Sea Salt

Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

Creole Style Chicken-a-la-King

A basic Chicken-a-la-King recipe kicked up a whole bunch of notches!  

Butter

Celery

Red Peppers

Wild Mushrooms

Onions

Shallots

Garlic

Gluten-free flour (I used Cloud 9 all-purpose blend, available at Costco)
Thyme

Gluten-free Creole Spice 

Milk

Chicken Stock

Left-over Roast Chicken

Serving suggestions:  Serve on sprouted brown rice, quinao, or roasted spaghetti squash.  

Ham and Chorizo Jambalya

The start of a good Jambalya: bacon drippings, bell peppers, white onions, shallots, garlic, chorizo...

Melt the bacon dripping. Add the onions, bell peppers, shallots, garlic and celery. Cook for about 7 to 8 minutes until the vegetables start to soften. Then add chorizo and ham, cook for another 5 minutes.

Add jasmine rice that has been rinsed, chopped tomatoes and about 3 cups of beef stock. Season with gluten free creole spice and fresh cracked pepper.  

Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and this is the hard part...

Wait for about 30 to 45 minutes as the simmering goodness fills the kitchen with wonderful smells.

But it is so worth the wait!

Pumpkin Black Bean Chili

It is nippy outside and the weather report is calling for the chance of rain turning into snow flurries later today. I'm actually kind of excited to see the first snow fall. It really is a quietly beautiful sight.  And it makes for a perfect day for some chili!

Pumpkin Black Bean Chili

2 white onions, chopped

3 cloves of garlic, miniced

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 can of black beans, rinsed well

3/4 cup of beef broth

1 cup of pumpkin puree

1 cup of diced tomatoes

1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons of dried oregano

1 teaspoon of chili powder

2 tablespoons of honey

Saute onions and garlic with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add ground beef and cook until it starts to turn brown and season with cinnamon, oregano, chili powder.  Add black beans and tomatoes and mix. Add honey, beef broth, and pumpkin puree. When it comes to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  

Beef Fried Quinao

It is nippy outside. Perfect day to use up some left-overs and cook up something to take the autumn chill off.  

White onions, minced garlic, diced celery, carrots sauteed in a stir-fry pan with sesame seed oil. Add diced yellow peppers and roughly chopped exotic mushrooms. Cook a few minutes more.  Add cooked and cooled quinao, season with gluten-free soya sauce. Add left-over roast beef. Season with more gluten-free soya sauce if needed. 

And enjoy!  

Home-made Salsa

Salsa is easy to make, just take a look at what is available in the garden. Well, in this case I raided my parents' garden. I made this batch mild for my Mom and she loves it. Dad thinks it needs more black pepper. Mom's grand-sons think it needs more salt and garlic. Everyone is a critic. 

Cherry tomatoes, seeds removed and chopped by hand

White onions, diced

Yellow and Red peppers, diced
Garlic, minced

Zest of 2 limes

Juice of 2 limes

Cumin, toasted and then a toss in the grinder

Freshly cracked Sea Salt

Freshly cracked Black Pepper.  

Red Snapper Curry

Marinate in the fridge for at least an hour 2 lbs of cut red snapper, a handful green onions, 3 Tbsp. curry, 1 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper.

Meanwhile chop 2 large tomatoes, 2 cloves of garlic, 2 shallots, 2 white onions, 1 scotch bonnet pepper.

When you are ready to cook the red snapper, melt 2 Tbsp. of butter and 2 Tbsp. Olive oil in a deep wok.  Add red snapper and cook at medium heat for about 5 minutes.  Add chopped vegetables, along with 2 cup coconut milk.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes until snapper is cooked.  Finish with fresh cilantro.

Serve with Basmati rice.

White Bean Chicken Chilli

Peel and wash tomatillos, roast in 350 degree F oven for about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Meanwhile... 

saute 2 large onions and 6 cloves of garlic in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until soft. Add 2 peppers (green and red). Add 2 tbsp cumin and oregano.

Using a potato masher, mash the tomatillos. Add to the stock pot with the onions and garlic.

Add white beans.

with 3 cups of chicken stock, 3 chopped tomatoes, 1 cup of corn, green chillies, and 1 lb. chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces.

Added bonus, this freezes well!

Is it still Gumbo if I didn't add the Okra?

My friend Chris thinks I should call it "Gumb". He said the "o" in Gumbo stands for okra. And hense his logic. Works for me. Anyway, here is how it came together.

Cook onions, celery, red pepper, parsley, and garlic with 1 tbsp. olive oil for about 8 minutes. Add 1/4 cup gluten-free flour, stirring constantly. Add cumin, paprika and oregano.

Add Italian hot sausage, tomatoes and 6 cups of seafood stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and let cook until it thickens slightly.  

Add tiger shrimps. Season with salt, freshly cracked black pepper and cayenne pepper.