Gluten, Wheat and Dairy Free Cookbook: Over 200 allergy-free recipes, from the ‘Sensitive Gourmet’. Antoinette Savill
15g/½ oz or a handful of fresh coriander (cilantro), with stalks
2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons of water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Place the onions, the Jerusalem artichokes and the stock (bouillon) powder in a large pan.
Add the water, cover with a lid, bring to the boil and cook for 3 minutes. Drain away the water and return the onions and artichokes to the pan. Once again cover with the same amount of fresh water and, this time, add the bay leaves, herbs, garlic and chilli.
Return the pan to medium heat and bring the soup to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently until all the vegetables are very soft.
Let the soup cool and then liquidize it until smooth. Place the soup back onto medium heat.
Dissolve the cornflour (cornstarch) in 1 tablespoon of cold water and stir the mixture into the soup.
Bring the soup to the boil, stirring occasionally, then turn the heat down and simmer for a couple of minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Make the green sauce in a food processor. Trim the ends off the fresh herb stalks and purée the leaves and the remaining stalks with the vinegar, water and a little salt and pepper. Transfer the green sauce to a small bowl.
Stir the canned artichokes into the soup and let them get very hot. Serve the soup piping hot with a swirl of tangy green sauce in the centre.
Chilled Prawn and Cucumber Soup
In contrast to Artichoke Soup, this is a simple summer soup, refreshing and light but smart enough for entertaining. A sort of prawn (shrimp) gazpacho without the fat and calories! Please keep this soup in the refrigerator until needed, as shellfish can be so susceptible to the effects of hot sunshine.
Serves 6–8
1¾ large cucumbers, peeled and diced
400ml/14fl oz/1¾ cups of fat-free (GF) vegetable stock (bouillon) or cold water
125ml/4fl oz/½ cup of chilled tomato juice
1 red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
500ml/17fl oz/2 cups of fat-free natural yogurt
225g/8oz/2 cups of peeled and chopped cooked prawns (shrimp), chilled
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons of chopped fresh mint leaves
¼ of a large cucumber kept whole for decoration
6–8 whole cooked prawns (shrimp) for decoration
Put the diced cucumber into a food processor with the stock (bouillon) or water, and process until it becomes a fine purée.
Transfer the mixture to a large serving bowl and stir in the tomato juice, chilli and garlic. Mix in the yogurt, chopped prawns (shrimp), salt and pepper, chopped mint and taste it!
Cover the soup with clingfilm (plastic wrap) and chill for a couple of hours to allow the flavours to develop.
Decorate the chilled soup before serving. First, wipe clean the skin of the remaining cucumber quarter, then cut it into 12–16 thin slices. Place two overlapping slices of cucumber in the centre of the soup and place one of the reserved prawns (shrimp) on top.
Pickled Ginger, Lemon Grass and Mussel Soup
The impact of pickled ginger is balanced by the subtleties of fresh lemon grass. I keep both in the refrigerator for stir-fries and curries.
Serves 6
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
6 spring onions (scallions), trimmed and chopped
1 red chilli, seeded and chopped
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
2 stalks of lemon grass, finely sliced
1kg/2.2lb of prepared fresh (or frozen) mussels in or out of shells
425g/15oz of condensed beef consommé
600ml/20fl oz/2½ cups of water
140g/5oz of pickled ginger slices, drained
1 teaspoon of (GF) fish sauce (or double up on [GF] soy sauce)
1 teaspoon of dark (GF) soy sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch of fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped
Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onions (scallions), chilli, garlic and lemon grass.
Cook for 3 minutes.
Add the mussels, followed by the consommé, water, pickled ginger, fish sauce and soy sauce.
Season and then simmer for 10 minutes.
Serve the soup immediately in hot bowls and sprinkle with the chopped coriander (cilantro).
Clam Soup
Now that I have discovered some decent canned clams, I am converted into a clam chowder fan! This particularly light version of the all-American soup is made with fresh clams and tuna so that it is complete low-fat meal in itself. Serve with fresh, warm bread.
Serves 6
1 large onion, peeled and very finely chopped
1 litre/35fl oz/4 cups of water
1 litre/35fl oz/4 cups of (GF) fish stock (bouillon)
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
2 bay leaves
1 sprig of fresh thyme
140ml/5fl oz/2/3 cup of good white wine (Burgundy is perfect)
200g/7oz/1 cup of tuna fish in brine or water, drained
A few drops of (GF) chilli sauce/oil
1kg/2.2lbs/4 cups of fresh clams (shells on)
6 large sprigs of fresh parsley, finely chopped
Put the onion and water into a large pan over high heat, cover with a lid and bring it to the boil.
Cook for 5 minutes and then drain away the water. Put the onions back into the pan and once again cover them with the same amount of fresh water. This time add the stock (bouillon) as well and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes.
Add the garlic, bay leaves, thyme and wine and simmer for another 10 minutes. Reduce the heat and simmer until the onions are soft and the liquid has reduced by about half.
Mix in the tuna fish, chilli sauce/oil, clams and half the parsley and simmer gently until the clams are heated through. Do not boil the soup or the clams will become rubbery. Serve the soup immediately with the remaining fresh parsley sprinkled over.
Tomato Mousse and Avocado Ceviche
Here, the traditional Mexican mix of tomatoes, avocados, black beans, coriander (cilantro) and limes are put together in a more European way as an ideal starter.
Serves 6
100g/3½ oz/½ cup of dried black beans, soaked in water overnight
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