Tomato Sauce #glutenfree #homemade #fresh

There are many gluten-free ingredients and products in the market place nowadays but, some of these ingredients are not easy to find in the shop. Some of these products include gluten-free cooking/seasoning sauces. Today, I will teach you how to make the gluten-free tomato sauce at home. The colour may not be as red (due to food colouring additives) as the commercial products available, but this sauce is  of rich natural tomato flavour...

Ingredients:

1.5 kg ripe Tomatos - cut into pieces.
5 cloves Garlic - peeled
2 tablespoons Lemon Juice
1 cup Water
1/2 cup white Sugar*
1 teaspoon Salt
Pepper - ground, if necessary
1 tablespoon Glutinous Rice Flour or 1 teaspoon gluten-free Corn Flour
2 tablespoons Water, extra

Method:

Place tomatoes and garlic into a large saucepan, cover with lid. 
Cook on high heat until boiling. Lower to medium-low heat, cook another 1 hour. 
Stir 2-3 times during the cooking time.
Blend the tomato and garlic mixture till fine and smooth with a stick blender.  A food processor can be used to blend the sauce but be sure to cool the mixture first as otherwise it will leak out of the processor.
Add water, sugar, lemon juice, salt and pepper in the mixture, cook another half hour on medium heat.
Mix rice flour and extra water in a bowl till well mixed.  
Pour flour mixture into the sauce and stir with an egg whisk till combined. 
Cook another half hour on the low heat.
Dispense into bottles or containers and refrigerate after cooling.
Makes about 500ml bottle.

*Extra or less sugar may be required depending upon the sweetness of the tomatoes used. Sweeten to taste! 

Tips:

• If unable to consume in 2-3 weeks, dispense the sauce put into smaller containers or ice cubes trays and freeze. Defrostt and heat in the microwave as needed.

• This tomato sauce is ideal for cooking, especially Pasta Marinara and Chicken Parmagiana.

• I use the glutinous rice flour as it will make the sauce thicken but it remains smooth even when cold. If you unable find the rice flour, you can use 50% corn flour or potato stratch.

• If you are interested in our gluten-free Barbeque Sauce recipe, double the ingredients as this tomato sauce forms the basis of that sauce.

Contact: lee.leehocklai@gmail.com

Chocolate Tarts #glutenfree #glutenfreerecipe #pastry #chocolate

This is an easy classic sweet dish. I used the leftover pastry dough from the Bacon Ricotta Pie to make the pastry bases 2 days ahead. This meant I only spent 10 minutes preparing the filling 1-2 hours before serving. If you not have leftover pastry dough,  make a batch from the previous recipe - Remember, try to make extra pastry shells to keep in the freezer or airtight container so you have some on hand to whip up a quick dessert or snack. I am pleased to share my recipes and experiences with you, please keep check our blog, more to come...

Pastry Dough

Please check our Bacon Ricotta Pie blog for the pastry recipe. You can use any size pie plate or baking tins you wish. As this dessert filling does not require baking in the oven, the pie shells need to be completely cooked before filling. 
The cooking times are as follows - small: bake in 180C for 15 minutes. 
Large: cover the base with baking paper, fill with rice or baking beads, bake 10 minutes in 180C.
Remove the paper, rice or beads, bake another 10-15 minutes or light brown in the center. 

Filling

Ingredients:

180g gluten-free Dark/Milk Cooking Chocolate
2/3 cup Thickened Cream
20g Butter

Method:

Bring water to the boil in a saucepan. Do not overfill as this is to be used as a double boiler to make the chocolate filling.
Place chocolate and butter into a bowl.
Place the bowl into the saucepan 2 minutes - the water level should be sufficient to come halfway up the outside of the bowl. 
Stir until chocolate and butter have melted.
Pour in thickened cream and stir until smooth. 
Do not let the chocolate boil, heat only until it has melted and mixed to a smooth consistency with the other ingredients.
Pour the chocolate filling into the tart base, let it cool and set at the room temperature for 1-2 hours. If you are in a hurry, set them in the fridge.
Sprinkle with icing sugar and decorate with thickened cream and fresh berries.

Tips:

• Buy a good brand chocolate, it may little more expensive but will give you a better result and a full rich chocolate flavour.

Contact: lee.leehocklai@gmail.com 

**** Our next recipes will be a series of 'How to make your own Homemade Sauces' which includes the forever favourites of Tomato, Barbeque and so on! Look for our next post on Sunday! Why not click on our 'Follow by email Button' in the sidebar and pop in your email address so our recipes simply pop into your inbox whenever we post. That way you will be sure not to miss out on any of them as they come on line.

Bacon and Ricotta Quiche #glutenfree #glutenfreerecipe #glutenfreecooking #quiche

This is an easy, homemade, savoury dish where you can simply use leftovers from your fridge.. Today I am using mushrooms, chard and ricotta cheese. You can replace  these with baby spinach, blue cheese, zucchini, or anything else you may find in your fridge. This quiche can be served hot or cold and the leftovers are great to pop into a lunch box with a small salad. Why not make some extra dough as it can be used to make desserts as well. (Please check for more recipes to come)

Pastry

Ingredients:

180g Butter
2 cups gluten-free Plain Flour
1 Egg, lightly beaten 
1/4 cup Iced Water
1 teaspoon Sugar
Pinch of Salt 

Place flour, salt, sugar and butter into a large bowl.
Rub butter into the dry ingredients with your fingers until mixture resembles crumbles. 
Pour the beaten egg and iced water into the mixture. 
Mix well with the wooden spoon, then knead gently until smooth. 
Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for about 20 minutes.
Spray a 24cm round loose-base flan tin (4-5cm depth) with oil spray. 
Roll the pastry dough between 2 sheets of baking paper. 
Lift pastry into the tin and ease the pastry into the side of the pan, trim edge. Use fork prick the base. Refrigerate about 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 180C.

Filling

Ingredients:

2 Rashers Bacon, de-rind and diced
1 cup Mushrooms - sliced
1 cup Chard 9Rainbow Spinach) - sliced
1 Onion - sliced
2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
1/3 cup White Wine
3 Eggs
1 cup Milk
2 tablespoons gluten-free Self Raising Flour
1/3 cup grated Cheddar Cheese
1/2 cup Ricotta cheese - crumbled
1/2 cup crispy gluten-free Bread Crumbs*
30g Butter
1 tablespoon Flat Parsley - chopped
Salt, Pepper

Topping

1/3 cup crispy gluten free bread crumb, extra*
1/3 cup grated cheddar cheese, extra

Heat the butter in a pan. 
Add onion, garlic, bacon, mushroom and chard.
Stir fry until caramalised. 
Add white wine and cook for 2 minutes. 
Remove from the heat and keep aside.

Take the pastry base from the fridge and put into the oven for 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, lightly beat eggs and milk. 
Add the cooked ingredients to the egg mixture (Do not worry if they are still hot). 
Add ricotta, cheddar cheese, bread crumbs, parsley, seasoning and flour. 
Combine well. *Remember that the bacon and cheese are salty so don't add too much salt.
Pour the mixture into the pastry shell.
Top with extra cheese and bread crumbs. 
Put back to the oven and bake in 170C for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.
Serve hot or cold with the tomato sauce, sour cream or yoghurt.

* This is same as gluten-free bread crumbs we have shown you on our blog - use the food processor to  make the gluten-free crumbs. Do not crumb too finely, bake in oven until crispy. 

Contact: lee.leehocklai@gmail.com

Pineapple Meringue Tart #glutenfree #glutenfreerecipe #meringue

Did you made the pineapple filling from the recipe on the blog? I have used the filling which I cooked about 1 month ago,kept in the fridge, to make this dessert. This saves a lot of time and lets you serve a special dessert after dinner, at a morning tea, or for an after school treat for your children.

Pastry

Ingredients:

Use baking paper to place the pastry into the dish

160g Butter, room temperature
200g gluten-free Plain Flour
50g Rice Flour
1 Egg - beaten
1 tablespoon Sugar
1 tablespoon Ice Water
Pinch salt
Extra Plain Flour

Method:

Place all dry ingredients into a large bowl.
Add butter, rub with your fingers until crumbles form.
Add egg and water combined.
Mix together and knead with your hand until smooth. If too dry/wet, please extra little water/plain flour.
Gently roll the pasty between two sheets of baking papers to about 2.5mm thick, then ease into a lightly greased, loose-base fluted flan tin.
Refrigerate about 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 180C.
Line the pastry with greaseproof or baking paper and fill with rice or baking beads.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Remove the baking paper and rice or beads.
Bake another 12-15 minutes or until the centre begins to colour.
Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Filling

1.5 cup Pineapple Filling, cold. (Please check our recipe)

Topping

4 Egg Whites
150-200g Caster Sugar (the filling may sweet so you can decide amount of sugar for the meringue)

In a clean bowl, whisk egg whites 2 minutes, add sugar and continue whisk until sugar dissolved and firm peaks form.

To Assemble the Tart

Spread the pineapple jam filling in the pasty case.
Top with meringue.
Bake in 170C for 5 minutes or until lightly brown.
Remove from the oven and stand for about 15 minutes before cutting to serve.
For the best result, refrigerate for about an hour.

Tips:

This is a gluten free recipe, the pastry may easily be broken without gluten in the flour which gives it the stretch. So please handle gently when placing into the flan tin. You can fix the pastry by pressing together with your fingers if it breaks.
If you have leftover pastry dough, roll out to 2mm thick. Then use round cookie cutter to cut into shapes, bake at 180C for 15 minutes. Keep in airtight container after allowing to cool. We will show you some finger food to make from these shortly.
Why not make an extra pastry shell to save time later.
The pastry base can be frozen or you can keep up to 1.5 months in an airtight container.

Contact: lee.leehocklai@gmail.com

Aubergine Ricotta Penne Pasta #glutenfree #glutenfreerecipe #italiancooking #pasta

This vegetarian dish, cooked using our homemade Napoli Sauce, is quick and easy to prepare and a perfect meal for those busy week nights. The homemade Napoli Sauce makes this dish rich in tomato flavour which combines beautifully with the aubergine and ricotta.

Ingredients:

2 cups gluten-free Dry Penne Pasta
1 Aubergine (Eggplant) - cut into pieces
150g Ricotta Cheese, break them little
1.5 cup home-made Napoli Sauce (Please check our recipe)
1/3 cup fresh Basil
1/3 cup White Wine
2 cloves Garlic, chopped finely
1/2 teaspoon Chilli - chopped finely.
Salt, Pepper
2 tablespoons gluten-free Plain Flour
Shaved/grated Parmesan Cheese

Method:

Bring water to the boil in a large saucepan.
Add salt !teaspoon of olive oil and Penne Pasta.
Cook pasta till al dente.
Salt the aubergine (eggplant0 and let it bleed. then rinse with clean water and dry with a clean tea towel.
In a large pan, heat a cup of oil with high heat.
Toss aubergine (eggplant) pieces in some flour.
Deep fry them until soft inside. Place them on paper towel.
Drain the oil from the pan.
Add little olive oil into the same pan (You do not need very much oil in this dish as the eggplant is already oily after deep frying.)
Add eggplant, garlic, and chilli.
Stir fry for some minutes.
Add white wine and cook for 1 minute.
Add napoli sauce and penne.
Cook for another few minutes until combined.
Add seasonings, ricotta and half the basil (roughly chopped).
Cook for 1 minute.
Plate up and place remaining basil and parmesan on top.
Serves 3-4  people

Contact: lee.leehocklai@gmail.com

Teriyaki Pork Balls #glutenfree #starter #fingerfood #party

You can make this dish as an entree or finger food for your next party. Or, simply eat when having a cold beer. Cook using the teriyaki sauce you made from the recipe that was previously posted on the blog. For the best result, grill them on the barbeque, but you can cook in the frying pan if you wish.

Pork Balls

Ingredients :

250g Pork Mince (or Chicken Mince )
1 medium Onion, finely diced
1 Egg
1/3 cup gluten-free Bread Crumbs
2 tablespoons gluten-free Corn Flour
1 teaspoon Ginger - minced
1 tablespoon Rice Wine
1 tablespoon Sesame Oil
1/4 cup Milk or Water
Salt, Pepper 

Method:

Place saucepan on stove with sufficient water and bring to the boil.
Mix all ingredients in the food processor for 2-3 minutes. If you not have a food processor, mix by hand until all ingredients are well mixed.
With wet hands, take mince mixture and press to form balls about the size of table tennis ball. 
When complete, place in boiling water and cook.
When the meat balls come up to the top, cook for another 2 minutes.
Remove them and immediately place in ICE water- This is important step as the ice water will make the balls tender and stop them being rubbery.

 Skewers

Ingredients:
20-25 Bamboo Tooth Picks or Skewers (If you cook on the barbeque, please soak them in the water overnight to prevent them burning.)
2 Red Capsicums - cut into small pieces
Spring Onion Bulbs - cut 2cm long
1/2 -2/3 cup Teriyaki Sauce

Method:

After meat balls are cold - drain, dry, and thread onto tooth pick or kebab stick with capsicum and spring onion bulb.
Place them in a pan pan and cook with teriyaki sauce on high heat until reduced and the  sauce is sticky.
Turn the meatballs during cooking to ensure they are completely covered in sauce.
If cooking on the barbeque, brush the teriyaki sauce onto the pork balls 2-3 times.
 
Tips:

• To save time, you can simply serve these as meat balls (do not thread them as a kebab). Place them on iceberg lettuce or salad greens to serve.

•  Make the meat balls 1-2 days early and refrigerate after initial  cooking. Cook in the teriyaki sauce just before serving. This is a great time saver when preparing for a party.

Contact: lee.leehocklai@gmail.com

Chicken Alla Veneziana #glutenfree #Italiancooking

This classic Italian dish is full of bacon and mushrooms in a beautiful creamy, sweet cherry wine sauce. You can serve with any side dish, like mash, crispy chips, steamed vegetables, baby spinach... And don't forget to provide a crispy loaf of bread on the table - you will use it to clean your plate when you have finished...

Ingredients:

2 Chicken Breast Fillets (serve for 2)
2 Bacon Rashers - cut into strips
4-6 Flat Mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup Spring Onion, sliced
1/4 cup White Wine
2 tablespoons Cherry Wine (or any sweet wine like Marsala or Port..)
1/2 cup Thickened Cream
1 teaspoon Flat Parsley - chopped
1/2 teaspoon Lemon Juice
30g Butter
1 tablespoon gluten-free Plain Flour
Salt, Pepper.

Method:

Sprinkle some salt and pepper on the fillets, toss in a little flour on both sides - if the fillets are too thick, you can use  mallet to make them thinner. But I prefer cooking with whole fillets as they are not as dry even though it may take extra time to cook.
Place a large pan with butter on high heat.
Place the chicken breasts on the pan and for 3 minutes or until dark brown, turn! 
Add bacon and mushroom at the side of chicken breasts.
Cook for another 4 minutes.
Pour both wines into the pan and bring to the boil. 
Add lemon juice, thickened cream, salt and pepper.
Cook until the sauce is reduced and thickened. 
Add spring onion and parsley before plating up.