Mushroom Spread (Duxelles) and Eggplant Spread

Mushroom Spread

Minimalist canapes of mushroom spread and cress on rice crackers

     Here is a classic, simple recipe that delivers an intense, savory flavor. This spread contains no common allergens; if you're not allergic to mushrooms or onions you should be able to enjoy it. It is good spread on bread, on canapes, on pasta, or in omelettes.

     1/2 lb. finely minced fresh mushrooms
     2 Tb. finely minced shallots
     2 Tb. oil (See Oil in the Glossary)
     salt (See Salt in the Glossary)
     black pepper (See Spices in the Glossary)

     In 2 or 3 batches, place minced mushrooms in a cloth, then twist and squeeze out as much moisture as possible.  Heat the oil in a skillet and saute the mushrooms and shallots in the oil on medium heat for 6-8 minutes, until the mushroom bits have separated and browned slightly. Remove from heat and add salt and pepper to taste.

Eggplant Spread

     A similarly intense, savory spread can be made using eggplant.  It turns out somewhat more crumbly than duxelles. 

     I think this is a particularly good condiment for dressing up a baked potato with or without sour cream.

     1 lb. peeled, finely minced eggplant
     1/4 c. finely minced shallots
     1/4 c. oil (See Oil in the Glossary)
     salt (See Salt in the Glossary)
     black pepper (See Spices in the Glossary)

     Place minced eggplant in a cloth, a handful at a time, then twist and squeeze out as much moisture as possible.  Heat the oil in a skillet and saute the eggplant and shallots in the oil on medium heat for 10 minutes or so, until the eggplant bits are nicely browned and have lost that "raw eggplant" taste. Remove from heat and add salt and pepper to taste.

Egg-Free, Wheat-Free, Bean-Free Falafel

   

     Most falafel is made with garbanzo beans. There are, however, authentic Middle Eastern recipes that rely on fava beans, and that is what we are going to use here. Favas are a vetch, not a true bean. Allergies to beans do not necessarily mean an allergy to favas. My grandson, who used to get sick from the amount of soy lecithin in a chocolate bar or the bit of soybean oil in a handful of candy corn and was unable to eat any kind of peas, lentils or beans, could gobble favas with impunity. 

     Note that there is a rare genetic enzyme deficiency (not a true allergy) that gives some people, especially of Middle Eastern or African descent, gastrointestinal distress when they eat favas.

     crispy unsweetened cereal (See Bread Crumbs in the Glossary) 

     salt   (See Salt in the Glossary) 

     2 c. soaked split favas (To soak the favas, cover them, in a large pot, with 

          enough water that they will remain immersed after they expand. Bring to 

          a boil; cover tightly and remove from heat. Wait one hour and 

          drain. Note that soaked favas can be kept in the freezer. You may find it 

          efficient to soak a large potful, portion it out into 2-cup units, and freeze.)

     1 Tb. fresh squeezed lemon juice (See Juice in the Glossary)

     2 Tb. chopped onion

     3 cloves of garlic, sliced

     1/4 c. fresh parsley leaves (See Produce in the Glossary)

     2 Tb. fresh mint leaves (See Produce in the Glossary)

     1 Tb. olive or other oil (See Oil in the Glossary) 

     2 Tb. buckwheat flour

     1/4 tsp. baking soda

     1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (See Spices in the Glossary)  

     2 tsp. cumin seeds, toasted and ground (To toast, put the seeds in a 

          small pan over medium high heat. Stir constantly until they 

          become fragrant and start to brown. Immediately pour into a 

          coffee/spice grinder: they may be scorched if left sitting in the 

          heated pan. Grind.)

     3 tsp. coriander seeds, toasted and ground (same as for cumin seeds)

     flaxseed meal

     oil for frying (See Oil in the Glossary) 

     

     First, make "bread crumbs" from the cereal. Pour some onto a plate, stir in a sprinkling of salt, and set aside.

        Stir 1-1/2 Tb. flaxseed meal into 1/2 cup of water and set aside.

     Put the favas, lemon juice, chopped onion, garlic, parsley, mint, and olive oil in a food-processor and run it until they are thoroughly ground up.

     Stir together the buckwheat flour, baking soda, cayenne pepper, 3/4 tsp. of salt and 2 Tb. of flaxseed meal. Mix this into the fava mixture. 

    Form 1/3-inch-thick patties from the fava mixture. Dip each patty into the flaxseed mixture so that it is thoroughly coated, and roll it in the "bread crumb" mixture so that it is coated with crumbs. Cover the inside of a skillet with a thin layer of oil and heat to a medium temperature. Put the patties in the oil and fry until golden brown on one side, flip, and brown the other side.  Serve with lettuce, tomato, and regular or sunflower seed tarator.

You can fry falafel patties without the flaxseed meal/"bread crumb"
coating.  They're still tasty and contain less fat, but they have no crunch.

Hypoallergenic Lahmacun

     Lahmacun, often described as "Turkish pizza" or "Turkish burritos," is one classic Turkish food that requires very little adjustment to be made free of major allergens.  Usually it has a very flexible crust made of a thin layer of wheat dough. This is topped by a spicy meat mixture.  After lahmacun is baked it is sometimes garnished with roasted eggplant mixed with a bit of freshly squeezed lemon juice and salt, chopped parsley and green onion dusted with a bit of sumac, parsley leaves, thin-sliced tomatoes and/or a squeeze of lemon juice.  Often it is folded up and eaten like a sandwich.
   
     In terms of allergens, the crust is the main complication. I use a Food for Life rice tortilla, which allows me to avoid both wheat and yeast. (It does contain xanthan gum, which may have a corn-based source, and the individual tortillas are separated by sheets of paper which also may contain corn products. It does not contain corn ingredients as such, and I tolerate it well enough in spite of my allergy to corn. This is, of course, no guarantee for other corn allergy sufferers.)  Unfortunately, rice tortillas are rather dry, break easily and tend to scorch.  The solution is to wet them before they go into the oven. This sounds like an odd thing to do, but it works like a charm. 

Topping: enough for about a dozen lahmacuns
     2 Tb. oil  (See Oil in the Glossary)
     2 onions, chopped small
     1 tsp. salt  (See Salt in the Glossary)
     6 cloves garlic, minced
     2 medium vine-ripened tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped  

          (See Produce in the Glossary)
     1 tsp. red pepper for a slight amount of heat; 1 tsp. paprika for mild 

           lahmacun (See Spices in the Glossary)
     1 tsp. black pepper (See Spices in the Glossary)
     1 c. firmly packed mint leaves, chopped fine (See Produce in the 

          Glossary) 
     1 c. firmly packed parsley leaves, chopped fine (See Produce in the 

          Glossary)
     1 lb. ground beef and/or lamb

Rice tortillas 

      Place a cooky sheet in the middle of your oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

     Heat the oil on medium heat; add the onions and saute gently until the onions are soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, taking care not to brown either the onions or the garlic. Set aside to cool while you measure all the other ingredients into a medium bowl. Add the onions and thoroughly knead the mixture together. 

     For each lahmacun: Thoroughly wet one rice tortilla and shake off the excess moisture. Scoop topping mixture onto the tortilla and spread it evenly (about 1/3 c. of topping mixture for a 9-inch tortilla). Take the cooky sheet out of the oven; depending on your cooky sheet, you may need to grease it lightly. Immediately transfer the lahmacun to the cooky sheet and put it back in the oven. Bake until the meat is cooked, about 8 minutes. 

     Alternatively, you can cook a lahmacun on top of a preheated griddle (350 F or so).

Raw                                                            Cooked                                                                  Rolled up

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

     Freshly roasted pumpkin seeds are delicious and are one snack food that doesn't contain multiple allergens. Do note that some people are allergic to pumpkin seeds and pumpkin seed allergy is even likelier among people allergic to nuts and/or peanuts. If you're not sure whether you are allergic to them or not, talk with your allergist. 

     2 cups raw pumpkin seeds in the shell

     2 c. cold water

     1/4 c. salt (See Salt in the Glossary)

     (optional) 2 Tb. red pepper (See Spices in the Glossary)

     Dissolve the salt in the water, and stir in the pumpkin seeds and the red pepper if desired.  Allow to soak for half an hour; stir the red pepper back up into the water; drain; spread out in a single layer on a cooky sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes, turning several times.

ready for the oven

Kale Chips

     Kale chips, besides not containing any major allergens, are extremely easy to make and even small children will eat them happily.

     kale (See Produce in the Glossary)
     olive oil (See Oil in the Glossary)
     salt (See Salt in the Glossary)

     Preheat an oven to 400 °F. Cut some kale leaves into convenient fingerfood pieces, two-inch squares perhaps. Drizzle (or spray) with a small amount of olive oil, and sprinkle with salt. Toss so that the leaves are evenly coated, and place in one layer on a cooky sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the kale becomes crisp. Leftover kale chips can also be reheated back to crispness in a 400°F oven.

     You can make similar chips out of other green leaves, particularly mustard leaf or chard. These leaves being thicker, they will take a bit longer to cook. Kale gives the nicest, crinkly texture.