Posted on 11/11/2016 4:18:00 PM PST by Jamestown1630
Thanksgiving is coming up, and I've seen many versions of this Pineapple Spread recipe, which would be a very attractive appetizer for your feast:
http://cooklime.com/Recipes/Directions/238152-pineapple-cream-cheese-spread#.WCZQjDylxOJ
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When Liz mentioned gluten sensitivity a while back, I got to thinking about Quinoa, which I had eaten plain before, but had never tried in a recipe. I enjoy Tabbouleh very much, and found a recipe for a Quinoa version which actually turned out very well. It's not exactly like traditional Tabbouleh, especially as the Quinoa doesn't really soak up the dressing the way that bulgur does; but it was surprisingly good - the husband really liked it - and it's something that I will make routinely.
This recipe is adapted from the book ‘Quinoa: The Everyday Superfood: 150 Gluten-Free Recipes to Delight Every Kind of Eater’, which is available now as a Kindle book for very low cost, and contains a lot of interesting recipes for using this unusual, high-protein food.
(I adapted the recipe mainly by adding garlic, and quantifying the salt.)
4 cups cooked Quinoa
2 cups chopped fresh Parsley
2 large Tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 medium Cucumbers, peeled, seeded, diced
1 medium red Onion, diced finely
½ cup chopped Mint
½ cup extra-virgin Olive Oil
½ cup Lemon Juice
1-1/2 tsps. Salt (more to taste)
1-1/2 tsps. Minced Garlic (or to taste).
Cook the Quinoa according to package directions (and if you buy it in bulk at a health food store, be sure to rinse very well. Quinoa can be bitter, especially if it isn't polished, and rinsing removes that.)
In a large bowl, toss together the quinoa, parsley, mint, onion, tomato, cuke and garlic. Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, and salt, pour over the quinoa mixture, and mix well. Adjust for salt, chill, and serve. This is a very forgiving recipe – you can decrease the parsley and mint, if you want.
If you are not familiar with Quinoa, which is technically a seed, Wikipedia is a good place to start:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinoa
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With the election of our new President, I got to thinking about Inaugural party food. I seem to recall a dot gov site that had all of the Inaugural menus, and can’t find it now; but I did find a menu for our first Republican President, Abraham Lincoln, and there was quite a spread for his second inauguration, which reports tell us devolved into something of a 'food fight':
http://www.npr.org/2013/01/20/169840120/an-inaugural-memory-president-lincolns-food-fight
-JT
This week: A very hospitable appetizer, an unusual seed, and some culinary history!
(If you would like to be on or off of this weekly cooking thread ping list, please send a private message.)
-JT
Quinoa does not need to be capitalized unless at the beginning of a sentence.
Thanks very much. I try to remember to always capitalize ingredients in my posts and recipes. I think I picked it up from a very old cookbook.
So...is this a party thread or a Thanksgiving thread? :-)
Let’s party first, as I’m so happy to have a President Trump!
Shrimp Stuffed Mushrooms
8 ounces fresh mushrooms
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
½ cup onion, finely chopped
¼ lb raw shrimp, cleaned & finely chopped
4 tbsp butter, divided
1 cup fine dry bread crumbs
Lemon juice
Clean mushrooms & remove stems. Place mushroom caps stem-side up in baking dish. Drizzle lemon juice in each cap. Chop mushroom stems. Melt 2 tbsp. butter in skillet; add stems, celery & onions. Sauté vegetables until soft. Add shrimp & sauté until shrimp are done. Add bread crumbs & mix well. Spoon this mixture into prepared caps. Melt 2 tbsp. butter & drizzle over the filled mushrooms. Bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees.
A couple gluten-free tips.
<><> Make a rich Béchamel for Italian dishes using cr/cheese/parm/milk.
<><> Make a pesto using sunflower seeds (the seeds are also a good nut substitute for those allergic to nuts).
<><> Try thickening sauces and gravies w/ dry potato flakes.
We’ll make it both - We’re all partying this week, and we’re very Thankful!
Your recipe combines two of my favorite things.
The dry potato flakes is something we also learned from Jacques Pepin. Very useful!
Missed you JT! Long day, just lit some candles, going to do some odds & ends & then pour a glass of wine. Your thread is perfect for a chilly night.
The pineapple spread is pretty impressive. Love this thread : )
I love the pineapple as a motif, and that really tickled me.
It’s gotten chilly here, too. Have to clean out the fireplace: we’ve had a lot of up-and-down, temp wise, but tomorrow night is supposed to be COLD!
Warm Duck Salad
Roast two duck breasts; set aside 15 min.
DRESSING Ol/oil, sherry vinegar, chp shallots, orange zest.
ASSEMBLY Mix in server, mache, endive slices, supremed oranges, raspberries, toasted nuts, Dressing.
SERVE just before service, top w/ warm duck fat, trimmed duck slices.
Jacques is still the king of everyday cooking
He’s our favorite of all the TV chefs. It’s not just the food - he’s such a lovely, down-to-earth person, and a joy to watch.
:)
Those stuffed mushrooms sound delicious! I think I will add them to our Thanksgiving day menu
I think the little one is a lot bigger, now! Maybe she’ll follow in Grandpa’s footsteps.
I love how Jacques cooks with love
Great idea for a thickener, thanks. I have never purchased potato flakes. Do they last indefinitely? I have been using cornstarch lately for my stir fry sauces & I really love how easy it is compared to flour. Amazingly simple.
Tonight our VFW post put on a great smothered pork chop feed for all the VETs
We fed young and old, had a pile of young Marines in uniform.
Band at 8:00
It was love and pride all around
Just buy a small box.....then if you use a bit of it, and have to toss the rest, it’s no great loss. Flavors do tend to deteriorate after a time.
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