Pasta with Smoked Salmon and Broccoli

This is a one-pot wonder meal that I really like because it is so quick and tasty. It is also surprisingly light.

Makes 1 fairly large serve.

• 3/4 cup of brocolli small broccoli florets*
• 1 cup GF pasta spirals
• 1/2 tbsp of capers finely chopped
• 1 tsp of finely chopped chives
• 1/2 tsp of lemon zest
• juice of half a lemon
• 1 tbsp of grated parmesan
• 1 tbsp of creme fraiche or cream
• 50g of smoked salmon ripped into smaller pieces (you could use either the cold smoked or hot smoked kind)

1. Put a large pot of water on to boil. Add the GF pasta. When about 1-2 minutes from cooked add the broccoli.
2. When pasta is cooked, drain the pasta/broccoli it and add the remaining ingredients except the salmon. Put on a low heat. Stir.
3. When the creme fraiche, juice and cheese have combined to make a sauce, remove the pot from the heat and stir in the salmon. Serve.

Alternatives: Substitute the basil or dill for the chives.

* I have recently heard that broccoli can be a problem for people with fructose malabsorption. If this is you use rocket or green beans instead of the broccoli. If using rocket, add it at step 3 when adding the salmon.

Beef Chilli

Serves 4

• 500g blade steak - cut into 2cm cubes
• 1 carrot - finely diced
• 2 sticks celery - finely diced
• 1/2 jar Masterfoods Mexican Spices (a mixture of cummin, sweet paprika, chilli, tumeric)
• 1tsp smoked paprika
• 1tsp hot sauce (I use tabasco sauce)
• 2 capsicums, diced
• 1 cup of canned kidney beans
• 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 500 ml beef stock (I use Massell brand)
• 250 ml crushed tomatoes
• 1 bunch Coriander, ripped up
• 1 lime, juiced
• greek yogurt/sour cream to serve

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Sautee the carrot and celery. Reduce heat and sweat until soft.

2. Add meat and the spices. Stir until combined and meat a little brown. Add tomatoes, hot sauce, beef stock and beans.

3. Bring to boil, and then reduce heat to simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add extra water if needed.

4. When meat is falling apart, add capsicums. Cook for a further 20 minutes on low.

5. The dish can be set aside at this point if needed.

6. Just before serving add coriander and lime. Serve with rice and Greek yogurt on the side. 

Alternatives: you could use this mixture in tacos or burritos (using corn tortillas).

Gluten Free Chocolate Brownies

Makes about 20 brownies
Cooking time: 1 hour

• 150g butter
• 100g walnuts, coarsely chopped (you could use any type of nuts really)
• 150g dark chocolate buds
• 150g white chocolate buds
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup hot water
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup almond meal
• 1/3 cup rice flour
• 1/3 cup gluten free plain flour
• 4 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line the base and sides of a square 23cm (base measurement) cake pan with non-stick baking paper, allowing it to overhang. Spread the nuts over a baking tray and bake in oven for 5 minutes or until toasted. Set aside to cool.
2. Combine margarine, dark chocolate, cocoa and water in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 30 secs at a time, stirring in between (it only needs about 1.5 mins in the microwave total). When all melted and combined move on to next step. 
3. Add the nuts, white chocolate, sugar, almond meal and combined flours, and stir until well combined.
4. Use an electric beater to beat the eggs in a bowl for 5 minutes or until thick and pale. Use a metal spoon to gently fold half the egg into the chocolate mixture until just combined. Repeat with the remaining egg. Pour the chocolate mixture into the prepared pan and bake in oven for 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Set aside to cool on a rack.

This recipe is a modified version of one by Nadia French in Good Taste, Feb, 2006, p. 80 available here.

Minestrone Soup

Serves 6-8


Cooking Time: 45 minutes

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 stalks of celery, diced
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 cup pumpkin, diced
• 100g smoked bacon, finely diced (omit for vegetarian version)
• 1 bunch basil, stalks finely chopped, leaves torn
• 1/2 cup red wine 
• 400g can of chopped tomatoes
• 2 small courgettes, diced
• 400g can of borlotti beans
• 1 medium bunch, silverbeet, stalks diced, leaves chopped roughly
• 1 cup of GF pasta (I used Orgran Animal Shapes)
• 750ml FF chicken or vegetable stock
• Parmesan cheese/basil pesto to serve

1. Heat oil in large saucepan. Add celery, carrot, pumpkin, basil stalks and bacon. Reduce heat, cover pan with lid just ajar and sweat vegetables for 10-15 minutes or until just soft.
2. Add courgettes, tomatoes and wine. Simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Add silverbeet, beans, stock and pasta. Simmer until pasta is cooked (10 minutes). If at any point the soup is too thick for your liking, add a little water.
4. Serve with fresh basil leaves on top and some grated parmesan or a tablespoon of basil pesto.

(Modified version of recipe in Jamie Oliver, Jamie's Italy, Penguin, 2010)

This recipe is suitable for freezing but beware the gluten free pasta will not hold up well to this. It may be worth omitting it and adding it when reheating. I usually blend the soup for freezing anyway as the veggies loose a bit of their texture in freezing. 

Kedgeree

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

• 1 red capsicum, diced
• 100g smoked salmon or trout (hot smoked fillet style) finely shredded and deboned
• 1 cup long grain rice
• 1.5 cups FF chicken stock
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1/2 tbsp ghee
• 1 tbsp FF curry paste (you could substitute this for 1 tbsp of FF curry powder mixed in water to a paste)
• 1 tbsp flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 2 eggs

1. Boil the eggs for 7 minutes. Remove from heat and sit in cold water to cool.
2. Heat ghee in a medium saucepan. Fry curry paste until fragrant.
3. Add capsicum and rice to paste. Stir. Add stock. Stir.
4. Leave to simmer on a very low heat until rice is cooked and stock largely absorbed.
5. Remove from heat. Add the fish. Add lemon juice and parsley to taste. Season.
6. Peel the boiled eggs and slice into quarters.
7. Serve the kedgeree with sliced egg on top and garnished with parsley.