Foodbuzz 24x24: An Italian Thanksgiving Goes Gluten Free

Thanksgiving is a time of . . . well in my family, being very gluttonous. It means eating for 8 hours straight. It means having antipasti plates to feed 40 when we’re only serving 20. It means wine, wine and more wine and of course, a multitude of desserts.

The word glutton reminds me of the word gluten. A thing until very recently I relied on for practically every meal. Gluten intolerance has left me dumbfounded curious with the many GF alternatives. An Italian goes gluten free; the predicament of this very statement. Rice pasta, quinoa flour, flourless anything! And so I explore . . .

My sponsor, Foodbuzz, does a monthly challenge called 24x24. 24 Featured Publishers across the world are chosen to blog about a unique meal and all within 24 hours. Mangia was chosen. November’s challenge: Get creative on a Thanksgiving meal.

The task at hand: turning the most gluten-ous Italian Thanksgiving into GF deliciousness. Oh, and no one can know . . . Italians are very proud of their gluten.

Thanksgiving Menu

Caprese salad

Antipasti plate

GF French Bread

Fruit and Vegetable platters

Malone y Prosciutto

Turkey

Penne Rice Pasta with Chicken Sausage Marinara

Orange Cinnamon Cranberry Sauce

Grandma’s Sausage Stuffing with Dessert Lab Gluten Free Bread

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Quinoa Flour Gravy

Brown Sugar Yams

Green Beans with Pancetta

Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie

Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake

Dessert Labs Apple Pie

Fresh Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream

  

The De Marco stuffing if I may say so myself, is not only our signature dish, but the best stuffing in all of the world. It’s not your typical dried out mush. Its full of flavor and texture. We decided to have a little test –which stuffing was better? GF or G filled? Let me just say the table was passing around both stuffings and not a word was mentioned.




 

Sides, sides and more sides . . .

Pancetta Green Beans--to die for. Nothing more then beans, olive oil and pancetta.

 Our 26 lb turkey. Perfectly roasted. Cheers to dad for not drying it out.

On to dessert . . . Pumpkin Pie, GF Apple Pie from Dessert Lab and homemade Chocolate Cheesecake with a gluten free hazelnut crust.  Brilliant and delicious.

 Mi Familia . . .

Grandma’s Sausage Stuffing

1lb Italian Sausage (ground)
1 lb pancetta or bacon
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2-3 cloves garlic
2 cups white onion
2 cups chopped celery
3 bags of spinach
1 cup red wine
1 cup chicken broth
2 eggs
1 0-16 oz dried bread crumbs (depending on how bready you like your stuffing)
*We bought gluten free breadcrumbs from a local bakery
1 teas sage
1 teas marjoram
1 teas rosemary

Cook Italian sausage and bacon and put aside. Sauté mushrooms, garlic, onions and celery in ½ cube butter. Once cooked add spices and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Steam or boil spinach and drain. Don’t cook longer than 60 seconds. Transfer cooked vegetables to a large mixing bowl. Add sausage and chopped bacon, bread crumbs, spinach, eggs, red wine and chicken broth. Mix the stuffing together until its well coated. Stuff the bird and enjoy!

Hola Esparza's!

 Tostada Guacamole; $9.95

Close your eyes and imagine you have to pick one region of food to eat for the rest of your life . . . what would it be? When I ask this of people, they more times then not tell me Mexican food (in which I usually feel offended that they wouldn't choose Italian food).

But I do like Mexican food. I like Mexican food with huge portions. I like it with refried beans, guacamole, sour cream and salsa with kick!

Esparza's on SE 28th is best known for their smoked meats. Smoked chicken. Smoked pork. Smoked beef brisket. Smoked wild boar. Smoked lamb. Yes, they have lamb.

Their menu is unique and expansive.

The Trailblazer: Smoked salmon enchilada with chipotle marinated shrimp and topped with jack, cheddar and jalapeno cheese.

Dale Evans: Smoked lamb flour tacos covered in mole sauce.

Of course we went more traditional . . . which was just as good.
 

 

Belly Dance Your way to Morocco: Marrakesh

Sometimes its a Thursday, but it feels like a Friday. Sometimes there's nothing you want more then to just leave, get out of town, skidaddle. But then you realize you have 4 weeks accrued vacation, but no money to go anywhere. And that's when you decide its time to go to Marracco.

"I've been to Morocco" -Margot
"Oh no, this is way better, this is like 'real' Marracan food." -Jerry

We lack restaurants in Portland that transfer you with the restaurants ambiances to the region of the cuisine. This is Marrakesh's speciality. Everything from sitting on plush pillows on the floor, to the waitresses washing your hands in a basin, to the voluptuous belly dancers.

But this isn't the only reason Marrakesh is wonderful--this is simply just the first reason--their food is incredible and if you've never experienced the flavors and textures of Moroccan food, well it will blow you away.

The Marrakesh experience includes a 5 course meal for $18.95. You will leave fuller then you thought was possible. If you are dining with 4 or more people, you can get their Royal Feast, which includes 5 entrees, including a special. I've done this, but nothing and I mean nothing, beats their Honey Plum Chicken. The chicken is coated with a honey plum and almond sauce and falls from the bone. You won't be able to get enough.

I told you this blog wouldn't become all about my new gluten free lifestyle, but for those of you in my same hellish boat, you'll appreciate this info. They were incredibly accommodating about my GF needs. The only thing you can't have is the bread (obviously) and the B'Stilla Royal, which is an egg and chicken in phyllo dough. They switched out the soup, which has a bit of flour, for a vegetable soup, which I thought was better then their lentil soup anyways. Also, they brought me a large salad of my own, since you typically dip bread in the large ones to share.

Pinot; An American Brasserie

Welcome Pinot; the most accommodating and gracious $$$ restaurant I've been to in ages. Ruth Reichl (acclaimed food critic) wrote about the concept of spending money on a meal and paying not only for superb food, but for the experience and service. Nothing is worst then putting down a hefty dollar on a dinner and having the service be mediocre or worst.

Pinot may be new, but the chef and restaurant staff know how to make every costumer feel at home in their French kitchen. We were placed at the "chef's table," where we were able to see and feel all the hustle and bustle of the kitchen and see every exquisite meal being prepared.

Miss. Sarah's birthday dinner at Pinot was complete with a complimentary bottle of champagne (and when asked for strawberries, they implemented with raspberry sorbetto, in which they dolloped into each glass).

While I was obnoxiously taking pictures of cheese their platters, my nose practically touching the place, they simply offered me the plate; "That's an extra, would you like this one for your table? Otherwise I'll just have to give it to the staff."



Would I like a cheese platter?! Do you know who I am?

The dinner was spectacular. I had a "young hen." I wonder how young it was. I hope at least a teenager.

whole roast young hen roasted potatoes, carrot, onion and tomato

baby tins filled with fresh bread

Add captionskate wing potato gnocchi, brussels sprouts, preserved lemon, brown butter

alaskan salmon cauliflower and red potato gratin, horseradish

tagliatelle carbonara pork belly, shaved parmesan, duck egg

Birthday girl and Elizabeth

chocolate mouse

A New Beginning: Prasad

Oatmeal, $6.50

Another month of cleansing. No sugar. No dairy. No gluten. No caffeine or alcohol. No fun. This detox is sucking the fun out of life. I'm that annoying patron asking, "is this vegan and gluten free; oh and is there sugar added?--ok, I'll just have water" Ugh. I hate the word gluten-free.

In order to prove to me that my life wasn't over a friend recently took me to this peaceful place in the Pearl, called Prasad. Suddenly I was at a home I never thought would be my home. Health and yoga nuts come from all over to chow down on their all gluten-free/vegan menu . . . oh and I should mention, its delicious!!!

I put on my lululemon generic brand yoga pants, ordered some healthy breakfast and fit right in. There's something tranquil about Prasad. I'm not sure if its the connecting yoga studios energy or the fact that the people eating here are probably well-balanced, healthy individuals who read magazines like Yoga Journal and books on 'mindfulness.' I kinda want to be like them. Oooommmmmmmm.

Their made to order gluten-free oatmeal is a perfect start to any morning with dried figs & currants, Brazil nuts, fresh fruit, vanilla and cinnamon with a side of coconut or almond milk and maple syrup. Its hearty and filled with the combining textures of the apples, bananas, peaches and nuts. Their fruits change from day to day. Lately I wake up thinking about this oatmeal.



I like my oatmeal sweeter then most. I've been known to order the oatmeal brulee from Gravy--encrusted in sugar. Surprisingly the maple syrup and coconut milk add just enough sweetness to this oh so much healthier version.

They juice their own juices and have a wild combination of smoothies. I like the Lucy Blue; blueberries and bananas. I'm dying to try the Stumblebee; peanut butter, cacao nibs, coco powder, Stumptown coffee, banana and the Popeye; spinach, marionberry, blueberry, banana. 

New Cascadia gluten free teff bread with butter and homemade jam.

It's hard to explain this to you, but I left perfectly full and happy and healthy. Thanks Prasad. Gluten-free can be good.

P.S. I promise not to turn this into a Gluten-Free blog

The Last Supper. . . Little Big Burger

I have some very, very bad news. Some news that might change my world as I know it, change my blog and on the flip side, change my stomach.

I found out . . . I'm gluten intolerant. I know I about died when I heard this news too. How could I, a foodie and anti-gluten hater be intolerant to the very thing that makes me, well me? No pasta, no bread, no cheesy burgers? How could this be true?

I can't tell you what this will mean for us. I hope you understand. I'll do whatever it takes to keep lots of gluten on this blog. And for those in the G-Free pact, get ready for some blogs dedicated to you ;)

Thank God I stopped by Little Big Burger in the Pearl before I heard the bad news.

A gourmet burger for $3.75, done, I'll take it. Fries coated in white truffle oil? Yes! Over 20 types of canned beer and root beer floats; not to mention their homemade ketchup!!! I love it all.

Catsup or Ketchup?

Root beer float with Tillamook vanilla ice cream.

Your choice: chevre, Tillamook Cheddar or blue cheese

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