Guard Against Gastro Issues

Ideas for the lactose intolerant
July 24, 2008 - Louise Fiszer, Jewish Exponent Feature

I'm sure you've noticed that as soon as dessert hits the table at a dinner party, there are always a few guests who surreptitiously reach in their pockets to retrieve some pills. There's a pretty good chance they are prophylactically taking a medicine to guard against the unpleasant gastro-intestinal consequences of lactose intolerance.

Lactose intolerance is an inability to digest and absorb lactose (the sugar in milk) that results in very uncomfortable digestive symptoms. While fairly visible in desserts and soups -- especially "cream" soups, or bisques that have cream, milk or sour cream as their base -- it's also necessary for the lactose intolerant to inquire about ingredients in other dishes.

When planning a special dinner that includes such guests, it can be a challenge for the cook to create a dairy-free dessert other than the requisite sponge cake, meringue cookies or fruit compote. Delicious as they may be, they do get a bit tiring after a while.

Another route is to substitute margarine for butter in a dairy based pastry, but so often the flavors and textures are compromised when that method is used. A cream soup is easily converted to a nondairy dish by using rice or potatoes as a thickener.

Over the years, I've collected and developed a number of dairy-free dessert and soup recipes that can be served with pride. Here are a sampling of my favorites, which look as wonderful as they taste and are surprisingly easy to make.

Chocolate Drops
(Pareve)

8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted
8 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla or almond extract
1 cup finely chopped almonds
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
pinch salt

Preheat oven to 350°.

Grease and flour a cookie sheet.

In a large bowl, beat the yolks and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the extract.

Stir in the melted chocolate, almonds, flour and salt.

Drop or pipe rounds of batter on prepared cookie sheet, leaving 1 inch between cookies.

Bake about 25 minutes, or until cookies are crackled and dry.

Makes about 30 cookies.

Hazelnut-Jam Slices
(Pareve)

11/2 cup hazelnuts, finely chopped
1/3 cup sugar
1-2 egg whites
11/2 cups jam of choice

Preheat oven to 350°.

Grease a cookie sheet.

In a large bowl, combine the nuts and sugar.

Add enough egg white, a little at a time, to bind mixture together into a paste firm enough to be shaped. Form into a long roll 11/2-inches in diameter. Place on prepared cookie sheet.

With your index finger dipped in water, make a deep trench down the center of the roll.

Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Meanwhile, heat jam until thick and hot. Upon taking nut roll from oven, fill trench with jam. Cool slightly.

Loosen from the cookie sheet and cut diagonally into 1/2-inch slices.

Makes about 30.

Mile-High Chocolate Honey Cake
(Pareve)

7 egg yolks
1/2 cup honey, warmed until runny, about 1 minute
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine or ground
8 oz. almonds (12/3 cups), finely ground
12 egg whites
pinch salt
Chocolate Honey Glaze (optional; recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350°.

In large bowl, beat the egg yolks with honey until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.

Add chocolate and almonds, and beat another minute.

In separate bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy, add salt and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Stir 1/4 of the egg white into the chocolate-nut mixture. Gently fold remaining whites in, a quarter at a time.

Pour batter into a 10-inch angel-food cake pan with removable tube.

Bake 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

To cool, hang cake upside down, by inserting the top of a wine or vinegar bottle in tube. Let cool completely.

Remove cake from pan by releasing sides with a sharp knife. Do the same with the removable tube. Invert on platter and glaze.

Serves 8 to 10.

Chocolate Honey Glaze
(Pareve)

2 oz. bittersweet chocolate
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 Tbps. honey

Combine ingredients in the top of a double boiler, and heat until melted and smooth.

Let cool about 30 minutes.

Pour or spread glaze on top of cake and let excess drip down sides.

Sweet Pea-and-Lettuce Soup
(Pareve)

3 Tbsps. vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 tsp. fresh tarragon leaves or 11/2 teaspoon dried
6 cups coarsely chopped outer Romaine lettuce leaves
4 cups vegetable stock
1 cup water
2 cups frozen peas
1 small potato, diced
salt and pepper to taste

In a large saucepan, heat oil.

Cook onion until soft, about 5 minutes.

Stir in tarragon and lettuce leaves, and cook until they are broken down about 4 minutes.

Add stock and water, bring to a boil, and add peas and potatoes.

Cook for 10 minutes.

Purée soup in blender or food processor.

Taste for salt and pepper.

Serves 6.

Mushroom-Tomato Soup
(Pareve)

2 Tbsps. olive oil
3/4 lb. mushrooms, sliced
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
4 Tbsps. long-grain rice
3 cups tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 tsps. fresh tarragon or 1/2 tsp. dried tarragon
3 cups vegetable stock
salt and pepper

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat.

Cook mushrooms until brown around the edges, about 10 minutes. Remove half with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add the onion and garlic to the mushrooms in pan and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the rice, tomatoes, tomato paste and tarragon.

Cook until bubbly. Add stock and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes.

Purée in a blender or food processor. Reheat with the reserved mushrooms.

Taste for salt and pepper, and serve.

Serves 6 to 8.

Louise Fiszer is a California cooking teacher and food writer. Among the six books she's co-authored is Jewish Holiday Feasts.