Gluten-Free Recipes for the Conscious Cook: A Seasonal, Vegetarian Cookbook (16 page)

Heat a wok or large skillet (one with a tight-fitting lid) over high heat. Add the oil, ginger, garlic, and chile flakes and stir-fry for about 1 minute, until fragrant. Add the daikon, celery, and carrots and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes to infuse the vegetables with flavor. Add the rice and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Lower the heat, then slowly, pour in the water. Add the tamari. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the water is absorbed. Stir in the scallions or use them as a garnish. Taste and adjust the seasonings if desired.

Sorghum has a light nutty, flavor and has a nicely chewy texture. The first time I tried it was in a delicious lemony marinated salad with fresh mint. As I researched other ways to cook it, I discovered that it is also pairs well with onions and garlic. Here, I’ve added summer squash and red bell pepper for a beautiful and tasty side dish. I recommend that you soak the sorghum overnight, to make it more tender and easily digestible once it’s cooked, so plan ahead.

Serves About 4

1 tablespoon sesame oil or
ghee

1 cup chopped red onion

2 cloves garlic, sliced

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1 cup sorghum, soaked at least 6 hours, rinsed, and drained

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon ground fenugreek seeds

3 cups boiling water

1 cup sliced summer squash, in half-moons

2/3 cup julienned red bell pepper

½ cup sliced carrot, in half-moons

1 cup chopped cilantro

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and sauté for about 5 minutes, until the onion softens. Stir in the sorghum and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes to infuse it with flavor. Stir in the salt and fenugreek. Lower the heat, then slowly pour in the water. Cover and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, until most of the water is absorbed.

Add the squash, bell pepper, and carrot. Continue simmering for about 15 minutes, until all of the water is absorbed and the sorghum is tender. Stir everything together, then taste and adjust the seasonings if desired. Stir in the cilantro or use it as a garnish.

Mint, oregano, olives, and capers combine to create a fabulous and festive rice salad that’s perfect summertime fare, especially when served alongside
Mediterranean White Bean Salad with Pine Nuts and Capers
. If you don’t have homemade
Marinated Dried Tomatoes
on hand, it’s fine to use store-bought. This is a great dish to make with leftover cooked rice, but you can also start by cooking the rice from scratch, using 1 1/3 cups rice, 2 2/3 cups water, and a pinch of sea salt (see page 27 for the method). Be sure to cool the rice to room temperature before mixing up the salad, or the mint and oregano will wilt.

Serves 4 to 6

4 cups cooked long-grain brown rice, brown basmati, or a combination of the two, at room temperature

½ cup fresh mint leaves, chopped

½ cup fresh oregano leaves, chopped

1 cup sliced red onion

Juice of 1 lemon

5
Marinated Dried Tomatoes
, sliced

2 tablespoons of marinade from the Marinated Dried Tomatoes

¼ cup pitted kalamata olives

¼ cup capers, rinsed

1 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced

Put all of the ingredients in a bowl and stir until thoroughly combined. Taste and adjust the seasonings if desired.

When I was growing up, the only whole grain my mother made was kasha, and she made it so well that I still consult her. Here’s a gluten-free variation of her kasha varnishkes, made with golden quinoa-corn elbows. Corn pasta provides great eye appeal, but you can use any type of gluten-free shaped pasta. Kasha is simply toasted buckwheat groats, so if you like, you can make your own. Just toast the buckwheat groats in a dry pan in a 375°F oven for about 20 minutes, and you’re good to go. For a warming meal on a cold winter night, serve this dish alongside
Hearty Greens and Tofu in Tahini Sauce
.

Serves 6 to 8

1½ cups quinoa-corn elbows

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

Sea salt

1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds,
presoaked if you like

1 1/3 cups kasha

2 2/3 cups boiling water

1 cup chopped parsley

Cook the pasta in a generous amount of boiling water until just tender. Drain and rinse in cold water.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, add the onions and a pinch of salt, and sauté for about 5 minutes, until the onion begins to soften.

Toast the sunflower seeds in a dry medium-size skillet over medium heat, stirring often, for 3 to 5 minutes, until they are aromatic and start to pop. Add the kasha and ½ teaspoon of salt and toast for about 1 minute to warm the kasha. (This will make it turn out lighter and fluffier.)

Stir the kasha and toasted sunflower seeds into the sautéed onions. Lower the heat, then slowly pour in the water. Cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until all of the water is absorbed.

Fluff the kasha with a fork, then add the pasta and chopped parsley and stir gently until evenly incorporated. Serve immediately.

Steamed beets lend sweetness to this tasty Asian salad, parsley and scallions add color and zest, and arame, a black, delicate, mineral-rich sea vegetable, contributes a slightly sweet taste and a texture like angel hair pasta. Remember, black goes with everything, so feel free to use whatever vegetables are in season and look appealing; carrots, radishes, or red or green cabbage would all be great choices. It’s important to cut the beets into large pieces, or they could fall through some steamer baskets. You could also cut them in half-moons.

Serves about 4

2 cups diced beets, in large cubes

4 ounces 100% buckwheat soba noodles

½ cup arame

2 cups chopped parsley

¾ cup chopped scallions (white and green parts)

1½ tablespoons sesame oil or toasted sesame oil

2½ tablespoons umeboshi vinegar or tamari

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

Steam the beets for 15 to 20 minutes, until tender to your liking. Save ½ cup of the steaming water.

Meanwhile, cook the noodles in a generous amount of boiling water until al dente. Drain, rinse in cold water, then set aside to drain.

Put the arame in a large mixing bowl. Pour the ½ cup of water from steaming the beets over the arame to rehydrate it, and put the beets on top. Let stand for about 5 minutes, until the arame softens.

Add the parsley, scallions, sesame oil, umeboshi vinegar, and rice vinegar and stir until well combined. Gently stir in the soba. Taste and adjust the seasonings if desired. Serve immediately as a warm salad, or at room temperature or even chilled.

Made with summer-sweet vegetables, fresh dill, and cooked beans, this main dish salad is an excellent warm-weather lunch. Bring along some Vegetarian Sushi from
chapter 5
for great picnic. Enjoy!

Serves 4 to 6

3 cups
cooked navy beans

5 cups thinly sliced red cabbage

1 cup chopped scallions (white and green parts)

1 cup minced fresh dill

¾ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

2/3 cup pine nuts,
presoaked if you like

½ cup capers, rinsed

Put all of the ingredients in a large bowl and stir until well combined. Taste and adjust the seasonings if desired.

Variations

You can substitute other cooked beans; try chickpeas, cannellini beans, or, for a twist on the Mediterranean theme, pinto beans.

As the end of summer approaches, take advantage of the bounty of tomatillos, juicy tomatoes, and peppers to make this colorful and fresh-tasting salad. Yellow tomatoes will add to the eye appeal, but you can use any type of heirloom or cherry tomatoes (except plum tomatoes) as long at they’re vine ripe and flavorful. To transform this salad into a main dish, scoop it up with quesadillas made with corn tortillas.

Serves 4 to 6

3 cups quartered tomatillos

1½ cups
cooked pinto beans

1½ cups chopped yellow tomatoes

1 cup diced red bell pepper

1 cup chopped cilantro

½ cup diced red onion

5 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

2 cloves garlic, pressed

½ teaspoon sea salt

Put all of the ingredients in a large bowl and stir gently until well combined. Taste and adjust the seasonings if desired.

Variations

Swap other cooked beans, such as kidney or black beans, for the pinto beans.

Think creamed spinach, but heartier and higher in calcium, without a speck of dairy. Serve with
Kasha Varnishkes
or simply beside or on top of cooked kasha.

Serves 4 to 6

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1½ cups chopped red onions or leeks (white and tender green parts)

6 cloves garlic, sliced, or 6 garlic scapes, sliced

3 tablespoons umeboshi vinegar

3 cups chopped broccoli

4 cups tightly packed chopped kale, in bite-size pieces

1 cup water

1 pound extra-firm tofu, cut into bite-size cubes

1/3 cup tahini

Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, and umeboshi vinegar and sauté for about 1 minute. Add the broccoli and sauté for about 3 minutes, until bright green. Add the kale and water and simmer, stirring often, for about 5 minutes, or until the kale is tender to your liking. Gently stir in the tofu.

Push tofu and vegetables off to the side of the wok. Add the tahini and mix it into the liquid in the pan until it forms a creamy sauce. Gently stir the vegetables and tofu into the sauce. Taste and adjust the seasonings if desired; you may want to add more umeboshi vinegar for a tangy, saltier flavor. For a creamier consistency, add more tahini and water.