Spicy Beet Wasabi Substitute

2 cups mustard oil

beet schmoo (recipe follows)

- puree thoroughly in blender

Beet Schmoo

1 cup water

1/4 cup honey

2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp agar agar

3 cups sliced roasted beets

- bring water, honey and salt to a simmer

- whisk in agar agar and stir 2 minutes

- puree everything in blender and allow to cool

Stewed Onions

spanish onions, sliced
salt and white pepper as needed
mixture of 2 parts heavy cream and 1 part half & half as needed
chilled butter as needed

- bring 2 pots of salted water to a boil
- boil sliced onions in one pot for 5 minutes
- drain and rinse onions under cold water
- reboil onions in the second pot for 5 minutes
- drain and rinse under cold water
- add cream mixture to onions just to cover
- season and bring to simmer
- mount with chilled butter to thicken

Peas & Carrots

Peas

3 oz sliced spring bunch vidalia onions
1 oz canola oil
1 Tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
8 oz cooked peas
4 large basil leaves, torn
1 tsp sugar
2 oz water
4 oz water
1/4 cup half & half
1 tsp agar agar

- sweat onion in oil and butter over low to medium heat
- when onion softens add peas, basil and sugar and toss to coat
- add 2 ounces water and allow to cool
- puree with 4 ounces water in blender
- combine pea mixture with half & half in saucepan over high heat
- when mixture simmers, whisk in agar agar and stir constantly 2 minutes
- pass through chinois and set in desired form

Carrots

8 oz peeled, cored and chopped carrot
3 oz sliced spring bunch vidalia onion
1/4 oz peeled, thin-sliced ginger
1 oz canola oil
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp flaked Maldon sea salt
4 oz ginger ale
4 oz ginger ale again
4 oz water
3/4 cup half & half
1 tsp agar agar

- sweat the carrot, onion, ginger and salt in the oil and butter over low to medium heat for 5 minutes.
- add 4 ounces ginger ale and turn heat to high
- reduce until almost dry and repeat with remaining ginger ale
- reduce until almost dry and puree in blender with 4 ounces water
- combine carrot puree with half & half in heavy saucepan
- bring to a simmer and whisk in agar agar
- whisk constantly 2 minutes and pass through chinois
- set in desired form

Spanishy Tomato Stew

4 links (1/2 lb) chorizo, casing removed, cut into oblique
1/4 cup xv olive oil
1 1/2 lb spanish onion, large dice
1/2 tsp saffron steeped in 1/2 cup sherry

4 lbs tomatoes, peeled, seeded and guts strained and reserved, large dice
2 Tbsp pimenton dulce
salt as needed
1/4 cup sweet cabernet vinegar
picked leaves from 1 bunch parsley

- in large heavy saucepan, lightly brown chorizo in olive oil
- add onion, season with 1 Tbsp salt and cook until softened
- add saffron, sherry and reserved tomato liquid; cook 5 minutes
- add tomatoes, reduce heat to low and cook 1 hour, stirring often
- taste and adjust seasoning with salt
- add pimenton and vinegar; continue to stew 15 minutes
- allow to cool and fold in parsley leaves

Saturday Night chips and salsa

see title for link
Chips Ingredients:

1 tsp. paprika
3/4 tsp. cumin
1 Tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sucanat
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
8 small organic (gluten free) corn tortillas, quartered
peanut oil in a pump spray

Ingredients for Salsa:

1 avocado, diced
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
3 clementines, sectioned and chopped
1/2 cup raspberries, chopped
3 green onions. sliced into thin little slices
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced
1 Tbsp. honey
1/2 tsp. salt
1 jalapeno pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 500°.

2. To prepare chips, combine paprika, cumin, teaspoon salt, sugar, garlic powder, and onion powder in a small bowl. Arrange tortilla wedges in a single layer on 2 baking sheets; coat with cooking spray.

3. Bake at 500° for 4 or 5 minutes. Turn wedges over; coat with cooking spray. Sprinkle paprika mixture evenly over wedges. Bake an additional 1 or 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven; cool completely.

4. To prepare salsa, combine avocado and juice in a medium bowl; toss gently to coat. Add clementine sections and remaining ingredients; toss gently to combine.

Serve salsa with chips, organic (gluten free) refried beans, and some tofutti or sour cream if you eat dairy.

Waiting for Spring flourless chocolate cake

This was adapted from a cooks Illustrated recipe. You don't need to add the coffee. But I can't imagine why you wouldn't! This flourless chocolate cake is the ultimate treat for someone on a gluten free diet. We have used Green & Blacks dark chocolate as it is gluten free. This is not health food. Eat only one piece and then find other people to share with. haha

honestly, I thought I would make this just for the blog. The cake actually caused me a bit of pain due to the large amounts of fat and sugar. if you have IBS, just eat the tiniest slice. k?

Ingredients:

8 large eggs, cold

1 lb. organic dark baking chocolate, chopped

1/2 pound unsalted organic butter, cut into 1/2 inch chunks

1/4 cup strong coffee

Directions:

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Line bottom of 8-inch springform pan with parchment and grease pan sides. Cover pan underneath and along sides with sheet of heavy-duty foil and set in large roasting pan. Bring Kettle of water to boil.

2. Beat eggs with mixer at med/high speed until volume doubles to approximately 1 quart, about 5 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, melt chocolate and butter (adding coffee) in large heatproof bowl set over pan of almost simmering water, until smooth and very warm (about 115 degrees on an instant-read thermometer), stirring once or twice. (For the microwave, melt chocolate at 50 percent power for 2 minutes, stir, add butter, and continue heating at 50 percent power, stirring every minute, until chocolate and butter have melted and are smooth, another 2 to 3 minutes total.) Fold ⅓ of egg foam into chocolate mixture using large rubber spatula until only a few streaks of eggs are visible; fold in half of remaining foam, then last of remaining foam, until mixture is totally homogenous.

4. Scrape batter into prepared springform pan and smooth surface with rubber spatula. Set roasting pan on oven rack and pour in enough boiling water to come about halfway up side of springform pan. Bake until cake has risen slightly, edges are just beginning to set, a thin glazed crust (like a brownie) has formed on surface, and an instant-read thermometer inserted halfway through center of cake registers at 140 degrees, 22 to 25 minutes. Remove cake pan from water bath and set on wire rack; cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate overnight to mellow (can be covered and refrigerated for up to 4 days).

5. About 30 minutes before serving, remove springform pan sides, invert cake on sheet of waxed paper, peel off parchment pan liner, and turn cake right side up on serving platter. Sieve light sprinkling of confectioners' sugar or unsweetened cocoa powder over cake to decorate, if desired.

Gribiche-like sauce for Tuna Tartare, April, 2009

1 cup rough-chopped scallions
1 cup rough-chopped cornichons
1 cup rough-chopped peeled celery
1 cup rough-chopped hard cooked egg white
1/4 cup minced chervil
1/4 cup microplaned lemon zest
1 Tbsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 cups xv olive oil
1 cup aioli
1/4 cup whole grain mustard

- process first 4 ingredients in robot coupe
- whisk in remaining ingredients