Marinated Artichokes

 

     Marinated artichokes are delicious. If you're avoiding vinegar (whether because it's made from corn or because it's fermented and could contain traces of yeast), or if you're worried what might be lurking in the "spices," you may want to make your own. 

     juice of 1/2 lemon (See Juice in the Glossary)

     1/4 c. olive oil (See Oil in the Glossary)

     1/2 tsp. salt (See Salt in the Glossary)

     pinch of mint (See Spices in the Glossary)

     pinch of oregano (See Spices in the Glossary)

     pinch of black pepper (See Spices in the Glossary)

     4-6 large artichokes

  A. Prep the artichokes. For this you have a few choices: 

1. Trim raw artichokes as desired. At a minimum, peel off all the outer, hard, spiky leaves. I prefer peeling off all the leaves and all the fuzz. Keep the stems, but peel them. This method is time-consuming.
2. Precook the artichokes (boil for 45 minutes or so, until the inside is tender: poke with a skewer to check). Let them cool down; then trim them. (BTW, the tender parts of the leaves are good to eat.)
3. Start with a can or two of artichoke hearts; drain. Canned artichokes come packed with water containing citric acid, which is likely to be a corn product. Most of this should be removed by the next step, but be aware that this method may not be 100% corn-free.

     B. Whisk all ingredients other than the artichokes together in medium bowl. 

     

     C. Put the artichokes into a pot of boiling water; bring it back to a boil; cook: 

• Raw, thoroughly trimmed artichokes: 20 minutes or so, until tender.
• Precooked artichokes: 3-5 minutes, until hot throughout.
• Canned artichokes: 3 minutes.

     D. Drain.

   

     E. Stir the artichokes into the marinade. Stir a few times over the next half 

          hour.  

     F. Refrigerate.

Marinated Cabbage

Nothing else tastes exactly like sauerkraut, but marinated cabbage is similar and is surprisingly tasty. Try it, especially if you need to avoid fermented foods because of a yeast allergy!

     2 cloves of garlic, minced
     1/3 c. lemon juice (See Juice in the Glossary)
     1/3 c. olive oil (See Oil in the Glossary)
     1 tsp. black pepper (See Spices in the Glossary)
     1 tsp. dried dill weed (or 2 Tb. chopped fresh dill weed)

          (See Spices or Produce in the Glossary)
     salt (See Salt in the Glossary)

     1 lb. of cabbage, shredded
     2 sliced green onions
     1 grated carrot
     

In a medium bowl, stir together the garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, black pepper, dill weed and 1 tsp. of salt. Bring a large potful of water to a boil, add the cabbage to the pot, and bring it back to a boil. Simmer until tender but still crisp; this should only take a couple of minutes or so. Drain thoroughly; stir into the marinade and add the green onions and grated carrot. Add salt to taste. Allow to steep a few minutes before serving.

Corn-Free, Yeast-Free Marinated Onions

   Most of the relishes and other condiments at the grocery store contain a lot of white vinegar. This can be a problem if you are allergic to the corn that most white vinegar is made from. It's also a problem if you are seriously allergic to yeast, as traces of yeast are likely to remain in vinegar. These marinated onions, besides being vinegar-free, have a citrusy tang and a tamed onion flavor that make them an excellent all-purpose relish.

     
     1/4 c. fresh squeezed grapefruit juice (See Juice in the Glossary)
     1/4 c. fresh squeezed lime juice (See Juice in the Glossary)
     1 large mild red onion 
     salt (See Salt in the Glossary)

     Stir the grapefruit juice, lime juice and 1 tsp. of salt together in a bowl. Slice the onion into very thin strips (see the illustration below).  Move the onion to the bowl; stir. Allow to steep at room temperature for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust salt to taste. Refrigerate.

Corn-Free, Yeast-Free Marinated Daikon

     Pickles, being fermented, are likely to contain traces of yeast. What's more, they are generally packed in vinegar, which is also a fermentation product likely to contain traces of yeast. White vinegar, of course, is made from corn.  This quick vinegar-free recipe produces a daikon "pickle" that has a good crunch and actually tastes a lot like conventional pickled daikon. The turmeric, besides complementing the taste of the daikon, turns it a conventional, pretty yellow. (Commercial pickled daikon is dyed yellow.) This marinated daikon is also ready to be put in the middle of a sushi roll.

     1/4 c. freshly squeezed lime juice (See Juice in the Glossary)
     1-1/4 tsp. salt (See Salt in the Glossary)
     1/4 tsp. turmeric (See Spices in the Glossary)
     1 lb. of daikon, peeled and sliced into long thin strips (1/8" or so 

          across)

     Stir the lime juice, salt and turmeric together in a mixing bowl.  Stir in the daikon. Give it another stir every few minutes for half an hour or so. Refrigerate.

Corn-Free, Yeast-Free, Marinated Turnip

     

     1/4 c. freshly squeezed lime juice (See Juice in the Glossary)
     1-1/4 tsp. salt (See Salt in the Glossary)
     (optional) 1/4 tsp. turmeric (See Spices in the Glossary)

     1 lb. of turnips, peeled and sliced thin (1/8" or so across)

   Stir the lime juice, salt and turmeric together in a mixing bowl.  Bring a pot of water to a boil. Briefly boil the turnip. It needs to become tender, but it should still have some crunch. Drain, and stir the turnip into the marinating mixture. Give it a stir every few minutes for half an hour or so. Refrigerate.

Corn-Free, Yeast-Free Marinated Roasted Peppers

     Marinated peppers are usually made with vinegar, which contains traces of yeast. White vinegar is made from corn, so it can also be a problem for someone with a corn allergy. The following recipe makes excellent marinated peppers using lemon juice and garlic.  Remember that grocery store peppers are coated with wax which may contain corn, soy or dairy products, so peel them meticulously after they're roasted.

     3 lb. peppers (any variety) (See Produce in the Glossary)
     4 cloves garlic
     salt (See Salt in the Glossary)
     1/2 c. fresh squeezed lemon juice (See Juice in the Glossary)
     1/4 c. water
     1/4 cup olive or other vegetable oil (See Oil in the Glossary)

     The first step is to roast the peppers on all sides until their peels are very dark and bubbling up without overcooking the flesh. I recommend doing this on a barbecue or a few inches under a broiler. Leaving the oven door ajar can help prevent peppers from getting overcooked (because they cook entirely from direct heat rather than getting baked). Obviously this is a safety hazard, so kick any pets or small children out of the kitchen while you do this. Put the peppers on a roasting pan and place a few inches under the broiler. Keep an eye on the peppers and rotate them when the tops turn black and the peel bubbles up. Once the peppers are cooked on all sides, take them out of the oven and cover them with a lid or a damp cloth: steam from the peppers will help further loosen the peels. Once they cool down, pull off the peels, discard any seeds and slice the peppers into strips.

Meanwhile, crush the garlic cloves with a garlic press, put the crushed garlic in a large bowl with 2 tsp. of salt and pulverize thoroughly with the back of a spoon (or use a mortar and pestle if you have one).  Add the lemon juice, water and oil and stir.  Stir the sliced peppers directly into the marinating mixture.  Adjust salt to taste. Stir periodically for half an hour or so, until marinated. Refrigerate.

Spicy Green Tomato Relish

     Your tomato garden has been prolific and produced a bumper crop--but the weather's turned cold and you've had to pick all the green tomatoes before they could freeze. Now what? 

     Tomatoes can ripen sitting on a window sill or wrapped in newspaper, but cooked green tomatoes are a tart, tasty vegetable in their own right. This relish has an intense flavor but contains no common allergens, yeast or, once the pepper is peeled, corn.

     1 red bell pepper (or hotter peppers if you want some heat) (See Produce 

          in the Glossary)
     4-6 cloves garlic
     2 tsp. salt (See Salt in the Glossary)
     2/3 c. fresh squeezed lemon juice (See Juice in the Glossary)
     1/4 c. olive or other oil (See Oil in the Glossary)
     1/4 c. water
     1 Tb. chopped fresh dill leaves (See Produce in the Glossary)
     1-1/2 lb. green tomatoes, cut into 1/4" slices (or in half in the case of 

          cherry tomatoes)
     1 medium onion, quartered vertically (i.e. cut through the stem end) 

          and sliced thin

     First char the pepper thoroughly on all sides, either on a grill or a few inches under a broiler. Cover and set aside to cool.

     Crush the garlic in a garlic press. Put the crushed garlic on a small plate, add the salt to it and mash it thoroughly with the back of a spoon until it makes a smooth, creamy paste with no visible chunks (or use a mortar and pestle). Combine the crushed garlic with the lemon juice, oil, water and dill in a medium-sized mixing bowl.

     Peel, seed and chop the pepper. Set aside.

     Steam the green tomatoes until they they are tenderized but still crisp (this only takes a few minutes). Stir into the lemon juice mixture. Steam the onion just until it is turning tender (this too takes only a few minutes). Add the pepper to the steamer and give it a minute or so to heat up (it is already cooked). Stir the onion and pepper into the green tomatoes. Stir a few more times over the next half hour.  Drain.

Marinated Brussels Sprouts

     Here is one brussel sprouts recipe that involves neither a dairy product nor vinegar. These sprouts are tart and well-seasoned, and the mustard accentuates their flavor.

     1 lb. brussel sprouts, trimmed and cut vertically in half  (so that each 

          half is held together by part of the stem)

     2 cloves garlic, crushed

     1/2 Tb. salt (See Salt in the Glossary)

     sprinkle of black pepper (See Spices in the Glossary)
     2 Tb. oil (See Oil in the Glossary)
     the leaves from a couple sprigs of dill, washed and chopped

     2 Tb. corn-free, yeast-free mustard  

     1/3 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice (See Juice in the Glossary)

     Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the brussel sprouts, bring back to a boil and simmer until the sprouts are tender but not mushy, about 10 min. Meanwhile,  mix all the remaining ingredients together in a large bowl. When the sprouts are cooked, drain them and immediately stir them into the marinade.  Allow to marinate for half an hour, stirring every few minutes.  Chill.

Marinated Cauliflower

     Oh, those jars of pickled cauliflower at the grocery store: tasty, but fermented (yeast, mold) and packed in white vinegar (yeast, corn).  Try marinating cauliflower with lemon juice: you can make it as tart and as spicy as you like, and it will still keep a lively, fresh flavor.

     Note that grocery store peppers are often coated with wax containing corn, soy, or dairy derivatives. Fortunately, the peppers are not essential to this dish.

     1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (See Juice in the Glossary)

     1/4 c. water

     1/4 c. oil (See Oil in the Glossary)

     2 cloves garlic, sliced thin

     2 tsp. salt (See Salt in the Glossary)

     1 tsp.  dried mint (See Spices in the Glossary)

     (optional) 2 jalapenos, halved, seeded and sliced thin (See Produce in 

          the Glossary)

     1 large cauliflower, cut into chunks

     2 carrots, peeled and cut into thick slices

     Combine the lemon juice, water, oil, garlic, salt, mint and jalapeno in a large mixing bowl.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the cauliflower. Bring back to a boil and simmer until the cauliflower is tender. Do not overcook: the cauliflower should still be crisp.  Remove with a slotted spoon and stir into the lemon juice mixture.  Add the carrots to the boiling water and cook them just until until they are tender. Drain the carrots and stir them into the lemon juice mixture too. Give the mixture a stir every few minutes for 20-30 minutes. Refrigerate.

Marinated Carrots

     Pickles are delicious; sometimes they are truly the condiment that makes the meal. Unfortunately, they are fermented (yeast, mold) and packed in vinegar (yeast, corn), which means they are taboo for some of us. Fortunately, many vegetables can be marinated using citrus or other fruit juice to be as tart, as spicy and as pickle-like as you would like. I wouldn't use these marinated carrots in a cheeseburger, but that's mostly because I can't eat cheeseburgers.

     1/3 c. freshly squeezed lime juice (See Juice in the Glossary)

     1/4 c. water

     2 tsp. salt (See Salt in the Glossary)

     2 tsp. coriander (See Spices in the Glossary)

     2 sprigs of peppermint (See Produce in the Glossary)

     4 sprigs of cilantro (See Produce in the Glossary)

     2 lb. carrots, peeled and cut into 1/3-inch-thick slices

     Mix the lime juice, water, salt, and coriander together. Add the mint and cilantro. Pour the carrots into a pot of boiling water, bring back to a boil and simmer until the carrots are tender but still crisp, probably 4 or 5 minutes. Drain and immediately stir into the lime juice mixture. Give them a stir every few minutes for 20-30 minutes. Remove the mint and cilantro. Refrigerate.

Hypoallergenic Beet Salad

     Red beets and leafy greens are very beautiful together. Also, the slight sweetness of beets and the slight heat of green onions complement each other perfectly. 

     The conventional garnish to put on top of beet salad is crumbled feta.  If you can eat cheese, that's a good way to go.  I find toasted pine nuts bring a lot of flavor and texture  to this salad too, though, making them an excellent alternative.  If you are allergic to both cheese and pine nuts, just skip them: this is still a delicious salad. 

     leafy greens (See Produce in the Glossary)

     1 batch of marinated beets (Recipe below)

     3 green onions, sliced or cut into very thin 3-inch-long strips

     olive oil (See Oil in the Glossary)

     salt (See Salt in the Glossary)

     ¼ c. pine nuts (See Pine Nuts in the Glossary)

     oil (See Oil in the Glossary)

     Put this salad together in layers.  First cover the bottom of a serving dish with some loosely chopped greens:  I find greens with a bold, savory flavor, such as beet greens or arugula, contrast perfectly with the slightly bland, sweet beets, but  use whatever greens you like. Drizzle a bit of olive oil onto the greens. Distribute the beets on top of the greens.  On medium heat, lightly brown the pine nuts in a smidge of oil with a pinch of salt. Remove immediately from the hot pan to cool so they do not have an opportunity to scorch.  Distribute over the salad. Garnish with the green onions.

Marinated beets

     1 lb. beets (about 2 large), peeled, quartered, and sliced thin (1/4" or less)

     1/4 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice (See Juice in the Glossary)

     1 tsp. salt (See Salt in the Glossary)

     (optional) sprinkle of chopped fresh dill weed (See Produce in the

          Glossary) or pinch of dry dill weed (See Spices in the Glossary)

     (optional) sprinkle of chopped fresh mint (See Produce in the 

          Glossary) or pinch of dried mint (See Spices in the Glossary)

     Stir salt and any herbs into the lemon juice. Throw beets into boiling water, and simmer until they are thoroughly cooked but still firm, 10-12 min. Drain beets and immediately stir into the lemon juice.  Allow to steep, stirring frequently, for half an hour or so.  Chill.