Have you ever de-boned a fish? Yeah, I hadn't either. Turns out it's not something to do "on the fly" or on an occasion where you are feeding strangers for a dinner party. I turned to this preparation because I found it photographically interesting and I heard it is THE WAY to cook fish for ultimate moisture. Not to mention, this recipe is unbelievably simple. The salt does all the work for you.
The de-boning I mentioned is actually not that difficult, but maybe requires more patience than I had that night and watching some Youtube videos. For the next round I got it down and the fish was even better the second time. Take it from me and get some help from the professionals at the fish counter because bones or not, this recipe is a sure crowd-pleaser.
SALT-ROASTED BLACK SEABASS WITH CREME FRAICHE, TOASTED PISTACHIOS & FENNEL (serves 2)
3 egg whites
2 cups coarse salt
1 bunch thyme
1 bunch rosemary
1 lemon, sliced
1 leek, sliced
sprinkle of fennel seeds
1 black sea bass, 2 lbs.
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup pistachios. shelled
Frisee for serving
1. Whisk eggs into stiff peaks before folding in the salt. Set aside. Add clean, scaled & de-boned fish to baking sheet.
2. Stuff thyme, rosemary, leek, lemon and garlic into fish cavity. Reserve some slices of lemon for to top fish. Rub fish with olive oil, fennel seeds and more thyme.
3. Pack salt mixture and cover fish completely. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 450 degrees. Let fish sit for 5-10 minutes before breaking and removing crust.
4. While fish cooks, toast pistachios on low heat in a skillet until browned and nutty. Chop pistachios and set aside.
5. Serve fish with frisee, dollop of creme fraiche and crushed pistachios. Squeeze remaining lemon juice atop and sprinkle sea salt.
GLUTEN-FREE THANKSGIVING
How was your Thanksgiving? Mine was filled with the usual binge-baking and food-hoarding, just as I like it. Never have I purchased so much food all measured in pounds. Two pies, six dishes and 7 guest later, we had Thanksgiving.
WILD MUSHROOM GRAVY (Gluten-free)
1 1/2 cups shiitake mushrooms, diced
3 cups cremini mushrooms, diced
2 cups baby bella mushrooms, diced
1 1/2 cups porcini mushrooms, diced
1 1/2 cups oyster mushrooms, diced
3 shallots, minced
2 tablespoons marsala wine
1 tablespoons butter (reserve 1T)
3 springs thyme, de-stemmed
3 sage springs, minced
3 cups vegetable broth
3 tablespoons sorghum flour
1/3 cup tapioca starch
1 teaspoon maldon sea salt
1. Combine butter, mushrooms and shallots in a large skillet. Cook on medium heat for 7-10 minutes before adding the marsala wine and herbs. Continue cooking this mixture until reduced. Set aside.
2. In a large saucepan, add tablespoon of buter and flour. Whisk together for 2-3 minutes before adding broth and salt. Once broth heats up, add mushroom mixture.
3. Add tapioca starch in small amounts and stir well. Cook over low-medium heat and reduce for 15-20 minutes. Once mixture thickens, either serve warm or puree using a hand blender until desired texture.
ROSEMARY AND CHESTNUT STUFFING WITH LEEK, FENNEL AND MUSHROOM (Gluten-free)
1 carton baby bella mushrooms, diced
1 leek, sliced thin
1/4 cup fennel, diced
6 slices millet bread, cubed
6 slices other gluten-free bread (see note*)
2 large carrots, diced
6 celery stalks, diced
5 shallots, minced
1 cup chestnuts, halved
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup vegetable broth
4 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 sage leaves, minced
4 sprigs rosemary, minced
4 sprigs thyme, de-stemmed and minced
Maldon sea salt to taste
1. Add cubed bread to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle bread with olive oil and bake at 400 degrees until golden and toasted.
2. While bread toasts, combine butter, garlic, shallots and leek until softened. Then, add carrots, celery, fennel and mushrooms to the mixture. Cook over medium heat until tender.
3. In a large bowl. combine toasted bread and vegetable mixture with chestnuts, broth and seasoning. Mix well and add to deep baking dish. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden and tender.
*I used Gluten-free Girl’s homemade brad with rosemary for the 2nd bread in this stuffing. I would also recommend something from Udi’s Ancient Grains line.
ROASTED BRUSSEL SPROUTS WITH WHOLE-GRAIN MUSTARD, GARLIC AND TOASTED HAZELNUTS
(Gluten-free / Vegan)
7-8 cups brussel sprouts, sliced thin
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup Maille Old-style Mustard (or other whole-grain mustard)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 lemons, juice and zest
3/4 cup hazelnuts, chopped
1 teaspoon maldon sea salt
1. To make the dressing: combine garlic, lemon, oil, salt, mustard and vinegar in a mason jar and shake well. In a large bowl, combine dressing with sliced brussels. Mix well and spread evenly on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 400 degrees for 45-55 minutes or until crispy and browned.
ROASTED ROOT VEGETABLES WITH BROWN BUTTER, SAGE, ROSEMARY AND THYME
(Gluten-free)
1 celeriac, skinned and cubed
1 large bunch of carrots, diced
3-4 parsnips, cubed
4 cups pumpkin or kabocha, cubed
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 sprigs rosemary, de-stemmed and chopped
4 sprigs of thyme, de-stemmed and chopped
4-5 sage leaves, minced
4-5 tablespoons of butter
Maldon sea salt, to taste
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add butter to saucepan and cook over low-medium heat. Cook until the butter smells nutty with brown flecks.
2. Add all prepared vegetables to extra-large baking sheet. Drizzle brown butter evenly (make sure to scrape all the brown bits out!) and top with fresh herbs. Season with sea salt and bake for 45-50 minutes or until softened and tender.
MAPLE, CRANBERRY & SWEET CHERRY PIE WITH WALNUT, OAT CRUMBLE (Gluten-free)
Crust (Adapted from Artisanal Gluten-free Cooking):
2 1/4 cup gluten-free all purpose flour (I used Bob’s)
6 tablespoons butter, frozen
2 teaspoons apple cider vineegar
1/3 cup cold water
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon maldon sea salt
Whisk together flour and salt before grating 1 stick of butter into the mixture. In another bowl, mix together egg, water and vinegar. Make a well in the flour and pour in the wet ingredients. Mix by hand until dough forms. Divide into 2 pieces and chill for 30 minutes.
Filling:
3 cups cranberries, whole
4 cups frozen sweet cherries, thawed and drained
1/3 cup tapioca or arrowroot starch
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Combine cranberries, cherries, vanilla and maple syrup in a large bowl. Add starch, brown sugar and cinnamon until well combined. Take dough out of the oven. Roll out and form crust into a greased pie dish. Add filling to pie crust and set aside.
Topping:
1/2 cup gluten-free oats
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup almond meal
1/4 cup gluten-free flour (I used sorghum)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Freshly grated nutmeg
6 tablespoons butter, frozen
2 tablespoons maple syrup
Combine walnuts, oats, almond meal and flour in a large bowl. Whisk in sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Grate in frozen stick of butter. Drizzle in maple syrup and combine until crumbly. Add mixture to the top of pie and bake for 45-50 minutes at 375 or until crust is browned and fruit is bubbling.
SALTED CARAMEL APPLE AND PEAR PIE WITH ALMOND CRUST (Gluten-free)
Crust: (Adapted from La Tartine Gourmand)
2/3 cup sorghum flour
1/3 cup tapioca starch
1/3 cup almond meal
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons xanthum gum
6 1/2 tablespoons cold butter, diced
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
Pulse first five ingredients together in a food processor. Add butter and pulse until crumbs form. Then, add egg and water until dough comes away from the bowl. Divide into 4 flour-dusted balls, cover in syran wrap and chill for 2 hours.
Filling:
2-3 large honeycrisp apples, sliced thin
2 large bosc pears, sliced thin
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Freshly grated nutmeg
Once dough is chilled, roll out and for crust in a greased pie pan. Fan out pears and apples in an overlapping “galette style”. Brush melted butter as you set the fruit, drizzling in granulated sugar evenly over each layer. Reserve a small amount of butter for the crust and coat with brown sugar. Bake the pie at 400 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until crust is browned and fruit is bubbling.
Caramel:
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoon maldon sea salt
Cook the sugar and water together over low heat until dissolved. Add butter and bring to a low boil. Continue cooking at a low boil until mixture turns a deep, brown color. It may take a while, but be sure the heat isn’t too high as it will be ruined if it begins smoking. Stir is sea salt. Once pie is baked, drizzle caramel topping over pie and top with more sea salt.
BUTTERSCOTCH, CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES WITH SEA SALT
One of my first memories in the kitchen was of baking cookies. Even though my baking endeavors often involved a Betty Crocker box mix, I was always proud of the achievement. Despite not doing any "real" baking, it was my first experience with the accomplishment that comes from cooking. I know I'm not the only one who feels like a more legitimate and powerful human being after making a pie or conquering an especially difficult recipe. This is why failed recipes hurt...so bad.
The challenges of the kitchen are my favorite kind. Although I've had failures (many) and infamous defeats (bagels), I believe the gluten-free battlefield is one that makes us stronger. We can try to avoid mistakes, but sometimes the dough doesn't rise. So, when I experience those baking-disasters or recipe heart-ache, I turn to this fail-safe recipe that never lets me down. There's nothing butterscotch and sea salt can't fix.
BUTTERSCOTCH CHOCOLATE CHUNK SEA SALT COOKIES (Gluten-free)
1 cup all purpose gluten-free flour (I used Bob’s)
2/3 cup oat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon xanthum gum
1 teaspoon maldon sea salt (and more for topping)
1/2 cup hazelnuts, chopped
6 tablespoons butter, melted
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons agave nectar or maple syrup
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or 8 oz. chopped bittersweet chocolate
1/3 cup butterscotch chips, chopped
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together both flours, baking soda, and xanthum gum. Once mixture is combined well, add the sugar, salt, chocolate chips, nuts and butterscotch. Mix well.
2. In another bowl, combine agave, butter, egg and vanilla extract. Mix well before combining with dry mixture.
3. Since there are so many “chunks” in this recipe, you may find it a little dry, but don’t panic. Mixture should be moist enough to pack into shape and bake. Use a measuring spoon or your hands to shape cookies and add to baking sheet lined with parchment paper . Bake cookies for 12-14 minutes or until they are golden brown and hold their shape. This recipe makes approximately 24 cookies.