A nephew’s wedding in Oslo, Norway, gave me the opportunity to spend time in Europe with my husband, Don, this winter.
We enjoyed the cuisine of different countries like Italy, Greece, France, Belgium, Norway, the Netherlands, Egypt and Jordan. We spent a weekend in Holland with friends Marc and Marianne Cammaert. Marianne loves to cook and served us these delicious dishes.
Shrimp Starter
Prepare this appetizer just before you serve it to guests.
2 avocados
1 onion
1/2 c. blue cheese (Roquefort) 125 mL
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Recipes for pork
1 orange
1 clove garlic (minced)
4 tbsp. shrimp 60 mL
2 tbsp. oil 30 mL
1 tbsp. lemon juice 15 mL
1/4 tsp. coriander 1 mL
salt and pepper to taste
pinch of brown sugar
Slice the avocado, onion, blue cheese and orange into bite-sized pieces. Stir with the minced garlic and shrimp. Top with the oil and lemon juice mixture and season with coriander, salt, pepper and a pinch of palm sugar.
Serve in decorative tall or long-stemmed glasses.
Sweet and Sour Beef
2 lb. stewing beef 1 kg
2 tbsp. oil 30 mL
2 onions
4 pieces garlic
4 bay leaves
10 cloves
mixture of 1/3 vinegar and 2/3 water (enough to cover the meat in the pan)
1/4 c. brown sugar (or palm sugar) 60 mL
1 tbsp. mustard 15 mL
pepper and salt to taste
Chop the onion and garlic. Place ingredients in a big bowl and marinate for at least 24 hours. Drain, but keep the marinade. Fry the meat, onions and garlic in oil for 10 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and let simmer for at least four hours.
Optional: If you can find Dutch spicy cake, add three slices to the pot before it simmers.
Red cabbage
2 tbsp. oil 30 mL
1 red cabbage
1 onion
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tbsp. vinegar mixed with 3 tbsp. water (15 mL of each)
2 cinnamon sticks
3 bay leaves
6 cloves
1 tsp. allspice 15 mL
3 tbsp. brown sugar 15 mL
3 tbsp. raspberry jam 15 mL
salt and pepper to taste
Pour the oil into the wok. Slice the cabbage and onion and mix with the minced garlic. Cook for five minutes. Add water and vinegar and the remaining ingredients and let simmer for approximately one hour. Serves four.
Gluten-free cooking
While exploring gluten-free recipes for our hired hands at seeding time this spring, I discovered a cookbook that may be helpful to those cooking for different diets. It includes dairy-free, egg-free and white sugar-free recipes.
Written by home economists Donna Washburn and Heather Butt, it includes information on whole grains, gluten-free baking ingredients, the nutrient content of gluten-free flours and starches and changes in product labelling. It reminds readers to read package labels on gluten-free products because manufacturers frequently change the contents. It also includes an ingredient and equipment glossary.
It is difficult to tell when gluten-free recipes are fully baked, so an instant read thermometer is useful. The authors suggest that the best thermometer for this purpose is a bimetallic stemmed thermometer. Both digital and dial versions are available. Gluten-free goods are baked when the temperature reaches 200 F (100 C).
It is more difficult for persons with celiac disease to eat the recommended amount of whole grains in their diets. Canada’s Food Guide (www.hc-sc.gc.ca), revised in 2007, recommends that children and adults eat three to eight servings of grain products group daily.
Females between 19 and 50 should eat six to seven servings, while males in the same age range should eat eight servings.
Health experts suggest that at least half should be whole grain products, especially those low in fat, sugar and salt. One serving is one slice of bread, one ounce (30 grams) of cold cereal, 3/4 cup (175 mL) of hot cereal or 1/2 cup (125 mL) of pasta or rice.
Many gluten-free flours are whole grains. These include amaranth, buckwheat, corn and cornmeal, millet, Montina (Indian rice grass), gluten-free oats and oatmeal, quinoa, brown and coloured rice, sorghum, and teff.
For more information, visit: www.wholegrainscouncil.org.
Washburn and Butt suggest preparing, baking and eating a variety or combination of these whole grains. Add millet and/or amaranth seeds to whole grain flours when baking.
Historic Grains Bread
1 c. sorghum flour 250 mL
3/4 c. amaranth flour 175 mL
1/4 c. quinoa flour 60 mL
1/3 c. cracked flaxseed 75 mL
1/4 c. millet seeds 60 mL
1/3 c. tapioca starch 75 mL
1 tbsp. xanthan gum 15 mL
2 tsp. bread machine or instant yeast 10 mL
1 1/4 tsp. salt 6 mL
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 c. water 250 mL
3 tbsp. liquid honey 45 mL
2 tbsp. vegetable oil 30 mL
1 tsp. cider vinegar 5 mL
In a large bowl or plastic bag, combine sorghum flour, amaranth flour, quinoa flour, flaxseed, millet seeds, tapioca starch, xanthan gum, yeast and salt. Mix well and set aside.
In a separate bowl, using an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, combine eggs, egg whites, water, honey, oil and vinegar until well blended. With the mixer on its lowest speed, slowly add the dry ingredients until combined. Stop the machine and scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. With the mixer on medium speed, beat for four minutes.
Spoon into 9 x 5 inch (23 x 12.5 cm) lightly greased loaf pan. Let rise, uncovered, in a warm, draft-free place for 60 to 75 minutes or until dough has risen to the top of the pan. Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until internal temperature of loaf registers 200 F (100 C) on an instant-read thermometer. Remove from pan immediately and let cool on a rack.
Variation: Substitute amaranth grain or whole flaxseed for millet seeds.
Source: 250 Gluten-Free Favourites by Donna Washburn and Heather Butt.
Barbara Sanderson is a home economist from Rosetown, Sask., and a member of Team Resources. Contact: team@producer.com.
