Lactose and Gluten Free Oreo’s!

For the cookies:
1 cup + 1 Tablespoon sweet rice flour
4 Tablespoons teff flour
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (we used Dagoba organic)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1 stick plus 2 tablespoons room-temperature, unsalted butter
1 large egg

For the creamy filling:
1/2 stick room-temperature, unsalted butter
4 tablespoons Organic vegetable shortening- from the health food store, NOT Crisco
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preparing to bake. Preheat the oven to 375°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat.

Making the cookie dough. Put the sweet rice flour and teff flour in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using a whisk, stir the flours together to combine and aerate them. Add the xanthan gum, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Turn the mixer on and let everything combine in motion. While the mixer is running on low speed, add large pieces of the butter until they are all incorporated. Add the egg and mix well. (At this point, you might think the dough will be too dry.  Keep mixing. It will come together.)

Baking the cookies. Scoop a rounded teaspoon of batter (literally. scoop just more than a teaspoon’s worth) and form a ball. Gently, flatten the dough in the palm of your hand. After you have flattened, smooth the edges of the cookie dough disk to make it evenly rounded. Place the dough disks onto the prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. (These will not spread, but you do not want them to touch each other.)

Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 5 minutes, then turn the baking sheet 180 degrees. Bake until the cookies are crisp on the edges with just a touch of softness in the center, about 5 more minutes. Take the cookies out of the oven. After a few moments, transfer the cookies to a cooling rack. Allow them to cool completely.

Repeat with the rest of the dough.

Making the creamy filling. Put the butter and vegetable shortening into the bowl of the stand mixer. Whip them up together, then add the sugar and vanilla extract. Beat the filling on high until it is fluffy frosting, about 5 minutes. (Be sure to turn off the stand mixer and scrape down the sides occasionally.)

Assembling the cookies. Use a butter knife to spread a teaspoon to spread the blob of creamy filling toward the edges but not entirely there. Gently, press the second cookie down onto the filling and watch the filling reach the edges.

Continue until all the cookies are little chocolate sandwiches with a creamy filling. Oreos.

Salt Preserved Lemons

I was gifted with a BUNCH of Meyer Lemons, so I made a citrus drink mix…and preserved some of them is salt.  I use them in Moroccan dishes, tagines and in other recipes I want a serious depth of flavor….like a salad dressing or in guacamole.  I also make preserved limes, my fave for guac and salsa!

You eat the whole lemon, rind and all.  Rinse them quickly under cool water to remove excess salt and then chop them up for your dish. Under the influence of salt, the intense bitterness of the rind and pith mellow out and develop a sunny lemony character. Try a piece of the preserved lemon on its own and you’ll understand what I mean!

8 to 10 lemons (I used Meyer, but you can use any regular lemon)
Kosher salt

1 quart-sized wide mouth jar with lid

1. Sterilize the jar in boiling water for 15 minutes.

2. Scrub the lemons under running water with a stiff brush to remove any dirt and impurities.

3. Slice off the stem end and the tip end of each lemon. Starting at one end, cut the lemons in half lengthwise, but stop about 1/2 an inch before you reach the bottom. Repeat the cut perpendicularly so you have cut each lemon lengthwise in a “X” formation, but not all the way through; they should still be attached at the bottom, about 1/2 an inch.

4. Liberally sprinkle salt on the inside and outside of the lemons. Hold them open with your fingers and really get the salt inside them.

5. Add about 2 tablespoons of salt to the bottom of the sterilized jar. Place each lemon in the jar, pushing down on them and squeezing them to release the juices. Fill the jar but leave about 3/4 an inch of headroom. The lemons should be completely submerged in juice. If you can’t get enough juice out of them, remove a lemon wedge or juice a lemon and add it to the jar. Add 2 more tablespoons of salt to the top. Seal the jar.

6. Let the jar sit at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. Each day, turn it upside down and shake it to distribute the salt and liquids.

7. Put the jar in the refrigerator and turn it upside down every other day or so.

8. The lemons will be ready in three weeks, when the rinds have softened. When using, rinse your lemon thoroughly in water to remove excess salt. Discard seeds.

9. These will keep in the refrigerator for six months.

Additional Notes:
You can add spices such as cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, coriander seeds, cloves, peppercorns, dried chiles, and cardamom pods.

Citrus Drink Mix

Fill a jar with slices of lemon or lime or both.  As you layer the fruit, add sugar, the sugar.

Press on the fruit as you layer it to start the release of juices.

Set a lid on the jar. But, do not screw the lid on. You want some air to be able to escape from the jar.

Keep the citrus-filled jar at room temperature. We kept it on the island where we usually fix our drinks.

After a day or so begin pouring a little of the citrus syrup into a glass of soda water. You do not need much of the syrup to make a cooling, refreshing drink. After a few days the syrup will begin to ferment, adding another dimension of flavor and interest to your drink.

As the syrup gets low in the jar, add more sugar and work it into the citrus slices. They still have plenty of flavor to release.

Use this way for about 3 weeks, then dicard.

Sautéed Mushrooms with Bacon and Pearl Onions

Overloading the skillet and extend the cooking time will allow the mushrooms to give up just enough liquid to eventually fit in a single layer without shrinking to nothing. They will brown nicely after you add a little butter. 

serves 4

Do not thaw pearl onions; they are added to the skillet still frozen.

4 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips (about 4 ounces)

½ pound frozen pearl onions (about 1 1/3 cups)

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

½ cup ruby port

1 ½ pounds white button mushrooms, cleaned, stems trimmed, quartered if medium or halved if small

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves

1. Cook bacon in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until beginning to render fat, about 1 minute. Add onions and sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until bacon is crisp and onions are light brown, about 8 minutes.

2. Using slotted spoon, transfer onions and bacon to medium bowl. Reserve 1 tablespoon bacon fat in small bowl; discard remaining fat. Add 1/4 cup port to now-empty skillet and return to medium-high heat; simmer about 30 seconds, scraping up any browned bits with wooden spoon. Pour port into bowl with bacon and onions; wipe out skillet with paper towels.

3. Heat reserved bacon fat in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms release liquid, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to high and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has completely evaporated and mushrooms start to brown, about 8 minutes longer.

4. Add butter, reduce heat to medium, and continue to cook, stirring once every minute, until mushrooms are dark brown, about 8 minutes longer. Add bacon/onion mixture and remaining 1/4 cup port; cook, stirring frequently, until liquid has evaporated and mushrooms are glazed, about 2 minutes. Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Pork Tenderloin with Date and Cilantro Relish

On the Meal Delivery Service week after next;

3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 pork tenderloin (about 2 lb.)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/3 cup Medjool dates (about 4 oz.), cut into small pieces
2 Tablespoons finely diced Vidalia onion
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro plus leaves for serving

1)   Preheat oven to 425°. Heat a large cast iron skillet, when it is medium hot, add 2 Tablespoon butter. 

2)   Season pork with salt and pepper and cook, turning, until browned on all sides, 6–8 minutes. Transfer skillet to oven and cook pork until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part registers 140°, 10–15 minutes. Transfer pork to a cutting board and let rest at least 5 minutes before slicing; set aside pan drippings.

3)  Toss dates, orange juice, , zest, onions, and reserved pan drippings, 3 Tbsp. chopped cilantro, with 1 Tablespoon melted butter in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper. Spoon relish over pork and top with cilantro leaves.

Asian Vegetable Slaw

Sweet and tangy, this recipe combines the delicious texture of thinly sliced vegetables with a great dressings.    Makes 8 servings

1 head Savoy cabbage, sliced very thin
5 carrots, thinly sliced in matchsticks
1 head red cabbage, sliced very thin
1 medium Spanish or Vidalia onion- sliced in 1/2 moons, paper thin

Dressing:

1/3 cup toasted tahini
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Coconut Amino Acids or Bragg’s
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/3 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 Tablespoon honey
1 Tablespoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
black pepper
salt
cayenne pepper, to taste

For finishing;
1/2 cup peanuts, toasted, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro- chopped

Preparation:
1)  Toss together the cabbage, carrots, onions; place them in a salad press or a colander. If using a colander, use one that has a flat bottom, such as a mesh one.  Salt the veggies heavily, then press, or put a plate and a heavy bowl of water or pot on it.  Let sit overnight, refrigerate if making in summer.

Mix the ingredients for the dressing together in blender, mix well.  Then add to cabbage, add chopped cilantro and peanuts, and pour them over the cabbage mixture. Adjust the seasoning as necessary with the cayenne pepper.

Eggplant Lasagna – No Pasta, Low Carb!

serves 8

2 medium or large eggplants
1/3 cup butter
5 teaspoons dried oregano
2 Tablespoons dried thyme
1 Tablespoon dried basil
1/2 cup packed Fresh Basil- chiffonade
2 Tablespoons minced garlic
kosher or sea salt
ground black pepper
5 cups Marinara sauce
1/2 cup tomato paste
1 1/2 Tablespoons Demi Glace
3 pounds grass fed hamburger or bison
1 large white or yellow onion – chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup red wine – optional
Rice Parmesan

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix melted butter 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Cut the ends off the eggplant and slice into ¼ inch slices. Brush eggplant slices with butter mixture. Grill on a hot, dry grill pan or broil under pre-heated broiler for about 4 – 5 minutes (until browned) and flip, cook on other side until browned and slightly soft about another 3 -4 minutes. It will cook more in the oven so slightly under cooked is ok. Set aside until layering the lasagna.

3. Heat a cast iron Dutch oven to medium hot, then add butter and crumble meat as you add it to the pot.  You want to brown the meat of high heat until it looks a little dry and liquid is almost gone from pot.  This develops the flavor in the meat.  

4)  Remove meat to bowl, set aside. Add chopped onion and cook until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another 30 seconds. Add demi glace and let it melt. Add Marinara sauce, wine if using and 2 Tablespoons of oregano, thyme and dried basil.   Let cook for about an hour. Add tomato paste.   Simmer 5 minutes, add fresh basil.

5. Brush a large lasagna dish with some melted butter. Ladle in a little bit of the tomato sauce and spread over bottom of dish.

6. Layer half the eggplant slices in the bottom. Sprinkle with Rice Parmesan.  Then layer sauce, continue until you end with sauce.

7. After it is cooked through, about an hour,top with top with Rice Parmesan.  Heat another 5 minutes.

Cuban-Style Ropa Vieja

This version of ropa vieja is made with beef and accented with olives and capers.

SERVES 6–8

6 oz. bacon, roughly chopped
2 lb. flank steak, cut into 1 ½″ strips
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced in half moons
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 green pepper, thinly sliced
6 oz. tomato paste
1 Tablespoon cumin
1 Tablespoon dried thyme
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
½ cup dry white wine
2 cups beef stock
1 (16-oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed
½ cup halved, pitted green olives
⅓ cup sliced jarred pimiento peppers
3 tbsp. capers, rinsed and drained
1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
¼ cup roughly chopped cilantro

1)  Render bacon in a 6-qt. Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Transfer to a plate, leaving fat in pot.

2)  Season steak with salt and pepper. Working in batches, cook until browned on both sides, about 6 minutes; transfer to plate. Add onion and peppers; cook until soft, about 4 minutes.

3)  Add tomato paste, cumin, thyme, oregano, garlic, and bay leaf; cook until lightly caramelized, about 3 minutes. Add wine; cook, scraping bottom of pot, for 1 minute. Return bacon and steak to pot with stock and tomatoes; boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, covered, until steak is very tender, 2–3 hours.

4)  Remove steak, and shred; return meat to pot with olives, pimientos, capers, and vinegar. Cook until sauce is slightly thickened, about 30 minutes. Stir in cilantro before serving.

Cider-Brined Pork Chops with Creamed Leeks and Apples

4 1/4 cups apple cider

3 tablespoon coarse salt

6 allspice berries

1 bay leaf

4 10-ounce bone-in center-cut pork rib chops

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter

5 large leeks (white and pale green parts only), thinly sliced

1 cup almond milk

1 Tablespoon arrowroot

1 1/2 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, halved, each half cut into 4 wedges

1 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup chicken stock

1/3 cup Calvados

3 Tablespoons butter

1. Bring 4 cups cider, salt, allspice, and bay leaf to boil in large saucepan, stirring to dissolve salt. Cool completely. Place pork in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Pour brine over. Cover; refrigerate overnight.

2. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium-low heat. Add leeks; sauté until tender, about 7 minutes. Mix arrowroot with almond milk and mix well. Add to pan and simmer until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in large iron skillet over medium heat. Add apples and sauté 10 minutes. Add sugar and sauté until apples are golden, about 6 minutes longer. Add stock, then Calvados and remaining 1/4 cup cider. Simmer until liquid thickens slightly and apples are tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

4. Drain pork. Rinse under cold water; pat dry. Brush pork with butter. Pan sear pork chops in a medium hot iron frying pan; Heat the pan first, then add butter, then add pork chops, after butter is sizzling

5. Meanwhile, re-warm leeks, thinning with 1 to 3 tablespoons water if necessary. Bring apples to simmer. Spoon leeks onto plates. Top with pork, then apples.