FOLLOW ME ON MY NEW SITE!!

Hi everyone! I decided to grow this project so please follow me now on my new site.

HERE: https://igan-grrrl.squarespace.com

Viking Feast!

      I am completely addicted to the show Vikings on History Channel. It made me think about their culture and of course the food that they eat. Though the thought of roasting a felled beast on a spit that I have killed with my bare hands seems tempting enough. The legality of carrying weapons and hunting in Fairmount park may be questionable. However, I did find an interesting Scandinavian recipe in Food & Wine. Since I have no idea where to buy elderflower cordial and wanted to keep it simple I read you can substitute it for elderflower syrup found at Ikea. I also felt that the pork would benefit from brining. Also, fried baby potatoes with dill and fennel fronds with go really well with this dish.

 Pork Tenderloin braised with Elderflower and Fennel

2 tablespoons canola oil
2 pork tenderloins (12 ounces each), sliced crosswise 1 1/2 inches thick and lightly pounded
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, chopped
1 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns
Salt
2 fennel bulbs—cored and thinly sliced
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1/2 cup elderflower cordial
5 thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves

*I think this will actually be better with a whole tenderloin and sliced after cooking. Brown it first then bake wrapped in foil for 15-20 minutes a pound @ 400 degrees. It should be around 137 degrees at the thickest part. It will continue cooking as it rests.  Allow to rest for 15 minutes still wrapped in foil.

Brine Pork

Brine 1 quart per pound.

2 cups water

¼ cup Salt

2 Tbs sugar

1 Tbs peppercorns

1 Sprig of Thyme

1 Bayleaf

2 cups orange juice

Bring water, salt, sugar, peppercorns, sugar, thyme, and bayleaf to a boil. Stir until salt dissolves and cool to room temperature. Pour mixture and orange juice into a liquid tight container with the meat. Refrigerate 1 hour. DO NOT OVER BRINE!

Rinse meat under cold water after brine.

Dry meat with paper towels.

 Coarsely grind or crush peppercorns,
fennel seeds and salt.

Sprinkle the pork with the fennel seeds and peppercorns and season with salt.

In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil.

Add the pork to the skillet and cook over high heat, turning once, until lightly browned, 5 minutes.

Transfer the pork to a plate.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add the sliced fennel and onion;

scrap up the bottom. cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 7 minutes.

Add the wine, cordial and herbs and cook until the liquid is reduced by half, 5 minutes.

Return the pork and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Cover and simmer over low heat until the pork is cooked through, 10 minutes.

Discard the herbs and serve w/ potatoes and a nice iced mug of elderflower cordial in seltzer water. YUM!

Baby Potatoes w/ dill and fennel fronds

Boil potatoes in salted water until you can pierce with fork.

 

Drain potatoes.

 

Fry potatoes on medium in half butter and half olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Added chopped up dill and fennel fronds when potatoes are browned. 

Gluten-Free Flours

      The thought of using gluten-free flour can be intimidating especially when you see all the types of flours available out there. What to use? Well it depends on your taste. The reason I got into making my own gluten-free foods is because the products out there use the same flavorless, unpalatable and boring “all purpose” gluten-free flour mix that results in a weird texture. The same cheap mix of tapioca, rice flour, potato starch and xanthum gum. Not only does this mix result in everything tasting the same, but it tastes nothing like the real thing. 

      After a year and a half of trying every over-priced gluten-free product, I decided to try making my own. I began researching different flours and I found this site tealightfullyyours really helpful in getting me started.  For my recipes, I usually like taking regular recipes and tweaking it. 

      This waffle recipe is based off of Martha Stewart's Buttermilk Waffles and after a bit of experimenting I have created the tastiest gluten-free waffle. 

      One of the flours that I really enjoy is buckwheat flour because of its strong earthy taste. It should be cut with a neutral flour like sorghum flour or brown rice flour. Buckwheat flour is also a bit dense so it’s important to sift it. The flavor of coconut really brings out the sweetness and compliments buckwheat really well. After planning to make waffles, we decided we should pair it with fried chicken and collards greens with bacon.

Coconut Buckwheat Waffles

Ingredients

 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) melted unsalted butter, plus more for waffle iron

 4 tablespoons coconut oil

 2 ½  cups Sifted Gluten-free flour mix (see Below)

 1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar or maple syrup ( I like doing 50/50)

 1 teaspoon baking soda

 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

 1/2 teaspoon salt

 3 large eggs, separated, room temperature

 2 cups buttermilk, room temperature

 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

 1 teaspoon of coconut extract

Directions

1. Grease waffle iron with a small amount of melted butter, and heat. In a large bowl (I like using parchment paper because it's a little easier), sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolks, buttermilk, melted butter, melted coconut oil coconut and vanilla extract.

3. Pour dry mix into wet mix and combine.

4. In a medium bowl, beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. 

5. Fold whites into batter. Let the batter for 5 minutes. (This helps the batter thicken up a little)

6. Ladle about 1/3 cup batter (this depends on the size of your waffle iron. You may need more or less) into each section of the waffle grid; spread batter almost to the edges. Close lid, and bake 3 to 5 minutes, until no steam emerges from waffle iron.

7. Transfer cooked waffles to a baking sheet; place in an oven set to low heat, about 200 degrees, while using remaining batter.

Gluten-Free Waffle Flour Mix

Makes 3 cups

1 cup Buckwheat flour

½ Sorghum flour

½ Millet flour

½ Potato starch

½ Tapioca starch

Combine flours. Mix thoroughly and sift.

Steve DeSilva's Fried Chicken and Collards

      What better to compliment waffles, but fried chicken and collards with bacon? It is called gluten free bacon after-all. 

Something he discovered at the store. 

Fried Chicken

3 cups buttermilk

1 Tablespoon Howard's onion juice (substitute 1 Tblsp. dry onion powder)

3 pounds boneless chicken breast cut into strips

1/3 cup Buckwheat flour

1/3 cup millet

1/3 cup gluten free all purpose

¼ almond flour

3 Tablespoons of Lawry’s seasoned salt

Directions

1. Combine buttermilk, onion juice and chicken into a dish and refrigerate for 4 hours.

2. Combine the rest of the dry ingredients in a wide dish and set aside.

3. Take chicken out ½ hour before frying.

4. Preheat oven to 325˚

5. Heat frying oil 350˚

6. Dredge chicken in flour mixture and carefully drop into oil.

7. Cook for about 4-5 minutes.

8. Remove and place on wired wracks.

9. Finish in the oven for 10 minutes.

Collard Greens

½ pound of bacon (cut into ½ inch pieces)

2 pounds of collards (washed and cut into 1 inch ribbons)

2 Tbsps. butter

3 Cloves Garlic chopped

Red pepper to taste

1 Tbsps. of onion juice

1 cup low sodium chicken broth

Directions

1. Sautéed bacon pieces until cooked but not crispy. Remove bacon and drain fat.

2. Melt butter and sautéed garlic for a minute then add the onion juice, pepper flakes,bacon 

    and collards. Cook until wilted.

3. Add chicken broth and boil for 15 minutes. 

HELLO WORLD!!!

            Food is my true passion in life because it represents so much and it tells a story of who we are. Every ingredient has a history and when we bring it all together we make something beautiful that can be shared with others. After finding out I had a sensitivity to gluten I found that I had to find the a way to recreate gluten free versions of the comfort foods I loved and missed. It's called Gluten free Bacon because I found many recipes out there geared towards very strict diets and I love bacon.