CUISINE
Gluten Free and Loving It
By Lisa C. Belcastro
Gluten-free. The idea always sounded intimidating and tasteless to me. Gluten is the common name for the proteins found in wheat as well as rye, barley and triticale. Gluten-free, I thought, would mean a life without every day staples such as pasta, bread, crackers, sauces, and cookies – um, boring.
That said, one would be crazy to turn down an invitation to the kitchen of Dee Smith, chef extraordinaire, owner of A Savory Pie, Tea Lane Caterers and The Phantom Chef and her newest concept – GlutenfreeonMV.com. I accepted the invite, though I confess to traveling to Chilmark with slightly depressed taste buds. As an avid fan of Dee’s Savory Pies, I wasn’t so sure about a lunchtime repast of gluten-free foods.
Gluten-free is not a fad. For every 1 in 133 U.S. residents with celiac disease, an autoimmune condition where the consumption of gluten creates a toxic reaction and damages the small intestine, a gluten-free diet is the only way to alleviate symptoms and heal the small intestines.
Many people, like Dee, do not have celiac disease but are gluten intolerant. Others are choosing to reduce or remove gluten from their diets to battle everything from bloating and sluggishness to Type 1 diabetes to ADD/ADHD.
An avid runner, I confessed to Dee that the thought of life without pasta was near to terrifying. She assured me she had once felt the same way. “I was a pasta head. Pasta was my favorite food,” she said. “I eat a lot of rice noodles now. And there are good gluten-free pastas in the Vineyard Grocer and Cronig’s.”
Dee assures me that gluten-free living is easy once you make the conversion. “There’s no reason to reinvent the wheel. Buy different products and find what you like.“
She’s found great pretzels for her crunchy snack cravings, her cupboards are stocked with pasta alternatives, flour substitutes and a healthy assortment of store-bought gluten-free products.
“Gluten-free takes time and thought, but it’s not intimidating. The average household can experiment with what’s on the shelf in the local store. Just be careful to read the ingredient labels. Look for stabilizers, which probably contain gluten, like those in soy sauce,” she said.
Three years ago Dee decided to make some dietary changes. She wanted to feel healthier, gain energy and loose weight. She gave up gluten, modified her lifestyle, and is down sixty-three pounds. Today, her home pantry and kitchen are completely gluten-free, including the dishes, stove and toaster oven.
Her next undertaking is a gluten-free commercial kitchen. Dee schedules one day a week to Gluten Free baking and cooking. All ovens, pans, refrigeration, freezer equipment and products will be contaminant free (no wheat, rye or triticale flour particles in sight – or air). She’s creating and taste-testing new piecrusts, sauces, desserts and entrees to promote the gluten-free lifestyle she now advocates.
Last spring, Dee, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, went back to campus to take a gluten-free baking seminar with Chef Richard Coppedge. “I was amazed. I learned how to make gluten-free scones, biscuits, muffins, breads and pizza.”
Biscuits and muffins are taking a back seat at the moment as Dee works on a line of gluten-free Savory Pies, as well as adding more gluten-free items to her catering menus. “More people are requesting it now. Some people want a few gluten-free choices; others want a completely gluten-free affair. I’m doing a gluten-free southern barbeque wedding.”
One aspect Dee is adamant about, living gluten-free hasn’t altered her basic approach to cooking. “I’m all about variety and simplicity. Add something to the pot to make it different. Change an ingredient to change the flavor.”
A call from the kitchen let us know lunch was ready. What’s on the menu? None other than Dee’s seafood pie and her mac & cheese pie – gluten-free! The crusts were flaky, I couldn’t distinguish even a slight difference in the texture or taste of the pasta in the mac & cheese pie and the seafood pie was as divine as ever. My taste buds were in heaven.
Whether you’re gluten-free or ready to give it a try, Chef Dee has created a few fabulous recipes to share with Vineyard Style that prove Dee’s new slogan: “They’ll never know it’s gluten-freeâ„¢ ”
Tea Lane Caterers is famous for their fried chicken, something Dee used to love. “All summer long I see and smell chicken cooking and could never touch it. Now, after many attempts, I have mastered the art of a gluten-free fried chicken. This recipe is crunchy, golden and delicious. It stays crunchy and is reheat-able.”
Dee has also used the recipe to deep fry zucchini, mushrooms and onion rings. “My all-time favorite is fish ‘n’ chips. The fish, too, can be done using this method. Play with the seasoning of the flour by adding your favorite flavor profile.”
One of Chef Dee’s favorite gluten-free foods is Brazilian cheese bread made from cassava flour. Her friend, Dimas, joined her one Sunday afternoon with his wife, Theresa and friend, Carlos, and they showed Chef Dee the way to good cheese bread. “It’s a very versatile dough and is very forgiving. You can handle it several times without over working it. However, the less working the lighter the end product will be.
“I have experimented with all types of cheeses mixed in and find my favorite is straight Parmesan. However, Monterey pepper jack, sharp cheddar & Swiss are up there on my yummy list, too. Mix it up and create your own family favorite.”
PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES WITH A CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE
Yields 16 cookies
These cookies are so yummy and so easy you probably have all the ingredients in your pantry to whip up a batch right now, which is what I did in 2005 when I saw them baked on Paula Dean’s cooking show. I make a double batch and share them with all my friends.
From start to finish - 20 minutes at best.
Ingredients
1-cup peanut butter (replace PB with almond butter & coconut, almond extract for a different flavor)
1 cup of sugar
1 egg
1tsp vanilla
Mix it all up in a hand mixer until lumpy like dough. Scoop on to lined baking sheet, about 16 1inch balls, Spray your hands with GF pan spray. Roll in to balls. Spray the tinges of a fork & press the fork in the cookie in a criss cross pattern (just like my mom did)
Bake 350 degrees for 12 -15 minutes. Cool on the pans! The trick is to not over bake them. The longer the bake, the harder the cookie. Like nuts do not leave them in the oven unattended No more than 12 - 15 minutes
Drizzled chocolate
1 Cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Place in a glass bowl. Microwave for about one and a half minutes. Check ½ way, stir with a fork, splash the chocolate on to the tops of your cookies.
I made a chocolate & peanut butter sundae and used the cookie as a garnish.
For more great gluten free recipes check out the current issue of Vineyard Style Magazine on newsstands now.
That said, one would be crazy to turn down an invitation to the kitchen of Dee Smith, chef extraordinaire, owner of A Savory Pie, Tea Lane Caterers and The Phantom Chef and her newest concept – GlutenfreeonMV.com. I accepted the invite, though I confess to traveling to Chilmark with slightly depressed taste buds. As an avid fan of Dee’s Savory Pies, I wasn’t so sure about a lunchtime repast of gluten-free foods.
Gluten-free is not a fad. For every 1 in 133 U.S. residents with celiac disease, an autoimmune condition where the consumption of gluten creates a toxic reaction and damages the small intestine, a gluten-free diet is the only way to alleviate symptoms and heal the small intestines.
Many people, like Dee, do not have celiac disease but are gluten intolerant. Others are choosing to reduce or remove gluten from their diets to battle everything from bloating and sluggishness to Type 1 diabetes to ADD/ADHD.
An avid runner, I confessed to Dee that the thought of life without pasta was near to terrifying. She assured me she had once felt the same way. “I was a pasta head. Pasta was my favorite food,” she said. “I eat a lot of rice noodles now. And there are good gluten-free pastas in the Vineyard Grocer and Cronig’s.”
Dee assures me that gluten-free living is easy once you make the conversion. “There’s no reason to reinvent the wheel. Buy different products and find what you like.“
She’s found great pretzels for her crunchy snack cravings, her cupboards are stocked with pasta alternatives, flour substitutes and a healthy assortment of store-bought gluten-free products.
“Gluten-free takes time and thought, but it’s not intimidating. The average household can experiment with what’s on the shelf in the local store. Just be careful to read the ingredient labels. Look for stabilizers, which probably contain gluten, like those in soy sauce,” she said.
Three years ago Dee decided to make some dietary changes. She wanted to feel healthier, gain energy and loose weight. She gave up gluten, modified her lifestyle, and is down sixty-three pounds. Today, her home pantry and kitchen are completely gluten-free, including the dishes, stove and toaster oven.
Her next undertaking is a gluten-free commercial kitchen. Dee schedules one day a week to Gluten Free baking and cooking. All ovens, pans, refrigeration, freezer equipment and products will be contaminant free (no wheat, rye or triticale flour particles in sight – or air). She’s creating and taste-testing new piecrusts, sauces, desserts and entrees to promote the gluten-free lifestyle she now advocates.
Last spring, Dee, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, went back to campus to take a gluten-free baking seminar with Chef Richard Coppedge. “I was amazed. I learned how to make gluten-free scones, biscuits, muffins, breads and pizza.”
Biscuits and muffins are taking a back seat at the moment as Dee works on a line of gluten-free Savory Pies, as well as adding more gluten-free items to her catering menus. “More people are requesting it now. Some people want a few gluten-free choices; others want a completely gluten-free affair. I’m doing a gluten-free southern barbeque wedding.”
One aspect Dee is adamant about, living gluten-free hasn’t altered her basic approach to cooking. “I’m all about variety and simplicity. Add something to the pot to make it different. Change an ingredient to change the flavor.”
A call from the kitchen let us know lunch was ready. What’s on the menu? None other than Dee’s seafood pie and her mac & cheese pie – gluten-free! The crusts were flaky, I couldn’t distinguish even a slight difference in the texture or taste of the pasta in the mac & cheese pie and the seafood pie was as divine as ever. My taste buds were in heaven.
Whether you’re gluten-free or ready to give it a try, Chef Dee has created a few fabulous recipes to share with Vineyard Style that prove Dee’s new slogan: “They’ll never know it’s gluten-freeâ„¢ ”
Tea Lane Caterers is famous for their fried chicken, something Dee used to love. “All summer long I see and smell chicken cooking and could never touch it. Now, after many attempts, I have mastered the art of a gluten-free fried chicken. This recipe is crunchy, golden and delicious. It stays crunchy and is reheat-able.”
Dee has also used the recipe to deep fry zucchini, mushrooms and onion rings. “My all-time favorite is fish ‘n’ chips. The fish, too, can be done using this method. Play with the seasoning of the flour by adding your favorite flavor profile.”
One of Chef Dee’s favorite gluten-free foods is Brazilian cheese bread made from cassava flour. Her friend, Dimas, joined her one Sunday afternoon with his wife, Theresa and friend, Carlos, and they showed Chef Dee the way to good cheese bread. “It’s a very versatile dough and is very forgiving. You can handle it several times without over working it. However, the less working the lighter the end product will be.
“I have experimented with all types of cheeses mixed in and find my favorite is straight Parmesan. However, Monterey pepper jack, sharp cheddar & Swiss are up there on my yummy list, too. Mix it up and create your own family favorite.”
PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES WITH A CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE
Yields 16 cookies
These cookies are so yummy and so easy you probably have all the ingredients in your pantry to whip up a batch right now, which is what I did in 2005 when I saw them baked on Paula Dean’s cooking show. I make a double batch and share them with all my friends.
From start to finish - 20 minutes at best.
Ingredients
1-cup peanut butter (replace PB with almond butter & coconut, almond extract for a different flavor)
1 cup of sugar
1 egg
1tsp vanilla
Mix it all up in a hand mixer until lumpy like dough. Scoop on to lined baking sheet, about 16 1inch balls, Spray your hands with GF pan spray. Roll in to balls. Spray the tinges of a fork & press the fork in the cookie in a criss cross pattern (just like my mom did)
Bake 350 degrees for 12 -15 minutes. Cool on the pans! The trick is to not over bake them. The longer the bake, the harder the cookie. Like nuts do not leave them in the oven unattended No more than 12 - 15 minutes
Drizzled chocolate
1 Cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Place in a glass bowl. Microwave for about one and a half minutes. Check ½ way, stir with a fork, splash the chocolate on to the tops of your cookies.
I made a chocolate & peanut butter sundae and used the cookie as a garnish.
For more great gluten free recipes check out the current issue of Vineyard Style Magazine on newsstands now.