Tag: vegetarian

Fried Milk

Fried Milk

Leche Frita, fried milk, is a Spanish dessert. It’s easily made gluten-free as you can use cornflour to thicken the milk and for frying it.

Vanilla Souffle Omelette

Vanilla Souffle Omelette

This vanilla souffle omelette is a gluten-free version of this gorgeous Slovenian Sweet Sponge Omelette. The only difference is using cornflour rather than flour and using only half the amount.

Granadír

Granadír

This is my version of the Slovak dish, Granadír. It’s made with fried leftover pasta and cooked potato. It’s super simple and very satisfying.

Simple and Satisfying

I chose to make Granadir because it’s so simple it’s foolproof – which is about all I’m capable of at the moment.

I also knew I wanted to make something that was vegetarian or vegan. And I also love the fact that you could make this with leftovers.

Have you ever fried up some leftover pasta from the day before? If not, do it. It’s so good. And until you try it you’ll never suspect it as good as it is.

Usually a flatter type of type of pasta is used in this dish but the type of gluten-free pasta I most often use is Fusilli so that’s what I used here. (Also, I tend to cook my pasta in stock these days – try it, it’s good)

The original recipe also uses boiled potatoes whereas I’ve used baked potatoes here. If I boil potatoes I’m going to turn them into creamy mashed potato and there’ll be no leftovers.

But do you ever buy a bag of potatoes, use half the bag and then sorta forget you have them? I do. And I find the best thing to do when I discover them a week or so later is to remove the eyes, wash them and bake them. There’s little preparation required. You can have them that evening with butter, or you can use them over the next days by chopping them up, sprinkling some sunflower oil on them and seasoning them well with some salt, pepper and paprika. Then you can either bake them or fry them.

So that’s why I’m using baked potatoes here rather than boiled ones.

Granadír is more of a side dish than a dinner usually, I think. But I really wanted to have a satisfying vegan dinner, so I added some roasted chickpeas and mushrooms to bulk it up and add some protein.

Slovak Dishes

Originally I intended making a vegetarian version of Slovak Stuffed Peppers. But honestly, at the moment, rather than experimenting, I wanted to make something that can easily be made gluten-free, vegetarian (or vegan) and that is so simple that it is next to impossible to mess up. So I went with Granadir. And I’m not sorry I did.

But the food in Slovakia does look amazing. I found this great little video with a couple trying some lovely dishes in Bratislava. The dishes look so tasty!

There were lots of other tempting Slovak dishes to choose from. Particularly some sweet treats which really caught my eye, but I love stuffed peppers and these looked really good.

Things to see and do in Slovakia

Mushroom and Creme Fraiche Soup When I was in Vienna I went on a day trip to Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. The old town part of it is very charming. There was a lovely crafts and curiosities type shop, can’t remember the name, where I picked up these mugs. I’ve unfortunately broken the two of these ones I had. I’m very clumsy and break everything – it’s so annoying.

Anyway Bratislava is really charming and has a nice vibe to the place. Definitely worth a visit – and one that is longer than a day. – I still have this cat mug I bought there and I love it.

I’m probably going to break it tomorrow now knowing me…

So let’s see what the great ol’ t’internet advises to do and see on a proper visit to Slovakia.

What is Slovakia like for coeliacs and the gluten-intolerant?

I hadn’t given up gluten when I visited there so I have no idea what it’s like myself. But I found this blog post which suggests it’s not exactly easy to manage but there are options.

Gluten-free in Eastern Slovakia

Ingredient for Granadir
Baked potatoes, cooked pasta, fried mushrooms and onion, roasted chickpeas, paprika, tomato purée and tomato ketchup.

Granadír

Serves 2

Ingredients

  • 2 onions, peeled and sliced
  • 8 - 10 mushrooms, sliced
  • 4 baked potatoes
  • leftover cooked pasta
  • paprika
  • tomato purée
  • tomato ketchup
  • 1 (400g) tin of chickpeas
  • herbs and spices of your choice - I used Cajun mix, Paprika, Mixed herbs and rosemary
  • salt
  • pepper

Instructions

  1. Turn on the oven to 200 C.
  2. Rinse and drain the chickpeas in a sieve or colander. Empty into a bow and gentle mix in 1 teaspoon of sunflower oil. Sprinkle your choice of herbs and spices over the chickpeas, and mix around well.
  3. Line an oven tin with baking paper and roast the chickpeas for 10 - 15 minutes. Take out when done and leave aside for later.
  4. While the chickpeas are roasting, add a little sunflower oil to a large frying pan on high heat. Add a little knob of butter. Add in the mushrooms and onions and season with salt and pepper. Fry until the onions are golden brown and the mushrooms are dark.
  5. Transfer the onions and mushrooms to a plate for a later use. Add a little more oil and butter to the pan and then place the chopped potato. Add in the pasta around the potato. Leave to fry for a couple of minutes, until the potatoes are golden-brown underneath. Turn over the potatoes.
  6. Add back in the mushrooms and onions and add in a little tomato purée and a little bit of ketchup. Sprinkle generously with paprika. Mix around well.
  7. Divide the contents of the pan between two plates. Scatter over the roasted chickpeas and some chopped parsley.
  8. Serve with salad and/or pickles. Enjoy!
http://twimii.com/recipes/granadir/

Add a little
Add about a little tomato purée and tomato ketchup to the pan. And stir in with a good sprinkle of paprika.
Something like a granadir
I couldn’t really get a good photo of it – but I do love this and will make it again.
Traditionally Granadir is served with pickles but I served it with a heart healthy salad dressed with a sharp vinaigrette.
Nutty Little Zinger Polenta and Prune Cake

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Scarily Tangy Mini Key Lime Pies

Scarily Tangy Mini Key Lime Pies

These scarily tangy mini key lime pies just have a touch more lime juice and they are gluten-free. They’re also super simple to make. And if you love tangy flavours you’ll love this.

Leek Potato and Garlic Flamiche

Leek Potato and Garlic Flamiche

A flamiche is a type of leek quiche or savoury pie from the Picardy region of France. This Leek Potato and Garlic Flamiche is more on the quiche side of things.

Continue reading Leek Potato and Garlic Flamiche