Corn and Bacon Risotto

This gluten free risotto is delicious, using fresh corn, New England apple-smoked bacon and New England Hard Cider.

4 strips of apple wood smoked bacon, chopped and cooked in a pan or the microwave
5 cups homemade chicken stock (gluten free)
1/4-1/2 cup New England hard apple cider (like a dry white wine)
4 TB olive oil
2 TB butter
2 large shallots, minced
1 small onion, minced
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
Kernels from 2 ears of fresh corn
2 inch slice of a log of fresh goat cheese (even better, from a log of marinated fresh goat cheese)
1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Heat the chicken stock in a glass measure in the microwave until the temperature of hot coffee.

In a large non-stick skillet (12 inches is good), melt the butter with the olive oil. Add the shallots and onions and cook while stirring, until browned slightly. Add the rice and stir to coat with oil. Cook until it becomes slightly more opaque. Deglaze the pan with the cider. Add the stock about 1/3 cup at a time, stirring all the while over a low heat, for 10 minutes. When 10 minutes is up, you will still have stock left.

Add the corn and bacon to the rice mixture and continue adding the stock a little bit at a time and stirring, until all the stock is used up (about 10 more minutes). If the rice is cooked al dente, you are done; if not, add some more stock and cook further.

When the rice is al dente, add the goat cheese and the parmesan cheese and stir to completely mix. You may add chooped parsley, salt and the pepper to taste at this point. Serve immediately, with New England Hard Cider to drink.

Make sure that all your ingredients are gluten free!


© Gf-Zing! | Alice DeLuca

Gf-Zing! - a new home...

Welcome to the new home of Gf-Zing,
celebrating flavor in the gluten-free world since 2005

Microwave Chicken Wings

We acquired a new microwave oven and have been playing around with it - a new way to save energy resources while cooking.

For 1.5-2 pounds of chicken wings, mix the following sauce in a large bowl:

1/4 cup gluten free orange marmalade

1 tablespoon honey

1 clove of garlic, minced

1/4 cup gluten free soy sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 1/2 of a lime)

black pepper

Remove the wing tips from the wings, and cut each wing in to two pieces at the joint. Mix the sauce with the chicken wings. Place the wings and sauce in a glass pie plate (in a single layer) and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Microwave for 10 minutes. Remove plastic wrap and microwave for 5-10 more minutes, until cooked through. Preheat a broiler and broil the wings for 4-5 minutes to crisp up the skin.

If your microwave has an automatic sensor, follow the instructions for cooking chicken parts, remove the plastic wrap half way through the cooking time. When the wings are done, broil as above.

Use all gluten-free ingredients!

© Gf-Zing! | Alice DeLuca

Curried Tofu "Meatballs"

These gluten free "meatballs" from Gf-Zing! have the texture of gnocchi. The cream-based curry sauce is delicious with sweet potato fries.

Mix the following with your hands:

1 block (1 pound) firm tofu

1 egg

1 cup minced scallion (both the white and green)

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

2 tablespoons potato starch (katakuriko)

6-8 tablespoons sweet brown rice flour - this is like mochiko or sweet rice flour (also called glutinous rice flour even though it does not contain gluten) - it is made from sweet brown rice

1 tablespoon oil

1 tablespoon curry powder (make your own using Rebecca Reilly's recipe from Gluten Free Baking)

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix all these ingredients and as you mix you will notice that the liquid is taken up by the flours. Add sweet brown rice flour as needed to reach a consistency where "meatballs" can be formed. Make walnut sized balls.

Fry the balls in 1 tablespoon of oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat until they are golden. Remove the balls to a plate. To the oil remaining in the pan, add

2 tablespoons curry powder and fry briefly. Add

1 1/2 cups of New England hard cider (this is like white wine - it is not sweet).

Reduce the wine to 1/3 cup. Add the tofu balls back to the pan and add

1 cup heavy cream

2 cups chicken stock

Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. The sauce will thicken as the balls absorb the stock. Check from time to time and stir.

When cooked, serve with sweet potato fries.

Make sure all your ingredients are gluten free!.

© Gf-Zing! | Alice DeLuca

Sweet Potato Fries

Serve these awesome baked fries with any dish that has a curry sauce.

For every 2 pounds of sweet potatoes, place the following in a large bowl:

2 teaspoons of Kosher salt (or 1 teaspoon of table salt)

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)

2-4 TB olive oil

Cut peeled sweet potato in to french fry size - make 1/2 inch slices crosswise, then cut each slice in to 1/2 inch slices. Mix these fries with the oil and spices to distribute evenly. Place the spiced fries on a foil lined baking sheet in a single layer. Do not use a silpat mat because the baking temperature exceeds the tolerance of silpat.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Bake the fries on the top shelf for 15 minutes, stir, then bake an additional 5 minutes. Do not worry if some fries are slightly blackened. The flavor will be awesome.

Serve with any dish that has a rich curry sauce, or as an accompaniment to meat dishes.

© Gf-Zing! | Alice DeLuca