Portobello Mushrooms are like eating a thick juicy steak made out of vegetables. A good portobello mushroom recipe will soak up a nice marinade to accompany the rich mushroom flavor. These mushrooms marinate beautifully soaking up the flavor and grill (or broil) resulting in a satisfying flavor-full dinner. I add a little balsamic vinegar to my portobello mushroom recipe to give the flavor a little enhancement. Continue reading
The Jack Rose is a quintessentially American cocktail based on an historic ingredient: applejack. Applejack was one of the first spirits created in the New World by concentrating apple cider by freeze distillation. Today, applejack is produced primarily by the Laird family in New Jersey, under the eponymous brand. They’ve been making the stuff since they emigrated from Scotland in 1698, and still make it today in Scobeyville, NJ. The only ingredients in applejack are apple spirits and “neutral spirits,” which the Laird’s people assure me is made from corn. Harder to find is Laird’s “straight bonded” product, which is 100% apple spirits. Either way, applejack makes great gluten-free drinks, is historical, and delicious.
The Jack Rose cocktail has a dramatic history, recounted by cocktail guru and historian David Wondrich for Esquire: Jack Rose was a bald liar. In the early-morning hours of July 13, 1912, a mid-level gambler by the name of Herman Rosenthal was called away from the 2 a.m. ginger ale he was sipping in the bar of Times Square’s Hotel Metropole and shot four times in the head. Bald Jack Rose was the guy who handled the contract. Here’s the liar part: When Herbert Bayard Swope of the New York World and D.A. Charlie Whitman got together — for reasons too complex to go into in a drink essay — to pin the hit on a certain Lieutenant Charles Becker of the NYPD’s antigambling squad, Rose was their star witness. Perjured himself with enthusiasm and imagination (and, of course, saved his neck). It was the trial of the century; little did they know. Becker went to the chair, Whitman to the governor’s office, Swope to the executive editorship of the World, and Rose — well, he went into the catering business.
It’s even remotely possible that Rose himself invented this drink; he was somewhat of a celebrity (whatever became of that Kaelin fellow, anyway?) and not averse to cashing in on his ill-gotten fame. But whoever it was, he was a clever bugger — the drink is based on applejack, and it’s rose-pink. Play on words. In any case, the Jack Rose is an effective testament to its namesake: It’s smooth and sweetish and deeply deceptive. Sipping it, you can’t tell it contains liquor of any kind, let alone applejack. Ironic, that. The one classic cocktail to use New Jersey’s indigenous firewater, and you can’t even taste it.
Wondrich’s recipe is the one I prefer for its balance of flavors, though others recommend lemon instead of lime, or equal ratios of spirits and citrus.
Method – Shake all ingredients over lots of ice and serve up in a chilled cocktail glass.
To really get the most out of your Jack Rose, I strongly recommend making homemade grenadine. Here’s my recipe, adapted from Jeffrey Morgenthal’s. I prefer this recipe because it’s much easier than the cold process, but preserves the complexity of flavor from the hot process concentration step by incorporating pomegranate molasses. A note on ingredients: middle eastern markets are a great place to look for orange blossom water, pomegranate juice, and pomegranate molasses that are all gluten-free. Look for the ingredients in the latter to contain only 100% pomegranate juice. Note that if you double the recipe, you should not double the orange blossom water. Rain brand vodka is a corn vodka that makes excellent gluten-free drinks.
Method
The flavor is certainly sweet, but is also complex: tart and floral. Homemade grenadine stands so far above the HFCS and red-dye concoctions available at the liquor store, it’s not even a fair comparison. If you manage to exercise restraint and not to drink up all your grenadine in Jack Roses, I recommend it over pancakes or waffles in place of maple syrup, over vanilla ice cream, or as a part of a salad dressing with balsamic vinegar.
Getting to eat a nice fish gluten-free dinner is rare. Fish takes time to prepare and needs either a marinade or a sauce. This gluten-free dinner of trout, quinoa and hot pepper oil is easy to make and delicious to eat. Pair the meal with a light green salad or steamed broccoli and you have a well rounded gluten-free dinner in under 30 minutes.
Last night, we had a little dinner party that called for a fun grain, so I whipped up a batch of cheesy polenta, threw it under the broiler and vuala, a delicious side dish. My experience with polenta has been mixed. The first few times I had it, I thought it was the least inspiring grain that I had ever tasted. Polenta needs assistance and thus, I bring you cheesy polenta flavored with garlic and thrown under the broiler. The garlic butter flavor brings this grain to life and the broiler crisps the outside transforming the traditional slippery polenta consistency. Cheesy polenta requires little prep work and can be made 24 hours ahead of time.
Cheesy Polenta Recipe (serves eight)
Butter a ceramic casserole dish or Pyrex bowl. In a large pot, bring the water and salt to a boil. Add the cornmeal and whisk continuously over low heat until thick. Once thick, but still mixable, add the butter, pepper and 1 teaspoon of garlic powder . Continue stirring. Once the water is completely absorbed, add the cheese and stir to mix. Pour the cheesy polenta in the buttered dish and allow it to cool on the counter. If eating immediately, flip the cheesy polenta onto a dish or cutting board and slice into wedges. Place the slices on a buttered jelly role pan and sprinkle with additional parmesan cheese. Place under the broiler keeping careful watch until the cheesy polenta is lightly browned (about 8 minutes). Serve with steak, a saucy chicken or salsa and enjoy.
Living gluten-free and too busy to cook? I’m there with you. This easy, gluten-free chicken parmesan recipe can be made in 3o minutes after work. It taste’s delicious and the clean up is minimal. Throw in some steamed broccoli or veggies into the sauce and you have a balanced dinner that feels like a nice home cooked meal.
I recently came into a few packages of Bell&Evans Gluten-Free Breaded Chicken Breast Tenders. While they are tasty on their own, it occurred to me that they could be used to make an easy gluten-free chicken parmesan dinner. I arrived home at 7 pm and dinner was ready by 7:45pm. Easy, delicious and we had leftovers for a second night. The chicken is wonderful. It cooks easily in the oven and doesn’t dry out. Also, all Bell & Evans chickens are raised without antibiotics throughout their life. They receive no antibiotics and no growth hormones so you are eating quality chicken, when you buy these gluten-free chicken tenders.
Prepare the gluten-free chicken tenders according to the package. When the tenders are golden brown, cover with sauce and top with the mozzarella cheese. Bake until the cheese is bubbling. While the chicken cooks, prepare the pasta and pasta sauce. When the sauce is hot, add the mushrooms if desired. Serve the gluten-free chicken parmesan and enjoy. Do you have easy gluten-free meals like this that you love? Please share in the comments below.