Learn how to add gluten-free dishes to your party menu.
Every good party host this season — and every season, really — needs to take into consideration the dietary needs of their guests when coming up with a menu. Among those to be sensitive to are people with celiac disease.
The good host wants to supply all the guests with a delicious menu, but it can sometimes be daunting to make an unfamiliar type of food, like gluten-free options. Also, if you’re actually going to all the effort of preparing a dish, you really want it to be something that all your guests will eat!
The task is way easier than you think; you already have most of the ingredients in your pantry. Here are some fun and delicious dishes that can be served to all your guests at your holiday celebrations — and your gluten-free guests will be celebrating you for providing them with such tasty treats!
Roasted Tomato, Basil and Garlic Pasta Salad
PAREVE
12 oz. gluten-free penne
or rotini
2 tsps. salt
½ cup fresh basil, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced, or 2 frozen garlic cubes
1 tsp. salt
3 Tbsps. olive oil
For the Tomatoes
1 lb. assorted small tomatoes
2 Tbsps. olive oil
Preheat oven to 250˚.
Line a large baking sheet with foil. Spray with nonstick baking spray. Place tomatoes on the baking sheet, then toss with the
2 tablespoons olive oil. Bake for 1 ½ hours, until tomatoes are caramelized. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
Bring a large pot of water with the 2 teaspoons of salt to
a boil. Add the penne. Cook
according to package directions until pasta is cooked through. Drain and rinse. Transfer to a large bowl.
Toss the pasta with the basil, minced garlic, salt, olive oil and roasted tomatoes. Serve at room temperature.
Serves 6
Layered Basil/Fresh Mozzarella/Tomato Skewers
DAIRY
This is a super-simple but incredibly elegant appetizer that all your guests will love. Now that you can find wonderful varieties of kosher fresh mozzarella in your local store, these skewers are a snap to prepare.
12 fresh mozzarella balls
12 large fresh basil leaves
12 grape tomatoes
12 decorative bamboo
skewers
Place a mozzarella ball on a skewer followed by a fresh basil leaf followed by a grape tomato. Repeat with the remaining skewers.
Makes 12 skewers
Taco Balls with Pareve Ranch Dip
PAREVE
I’m a BIG Alton Brown fan, and when I saw his recipe for Mas Masa Tots in his Good Eats 3 cookbook, I knew I had to try it. I ended up changing it up a bit, using blue corn tortilla chips instead of regular corn, adding additional ingredients — in the end, I guess I ended up with my own recipe. I’m happy to share my variations with you — all gluten-free!
You can make these any flavor you like: blue or yellow corn tortilla, sweet potato tortilla, chili — the choices are endless. Let me know what types you choose!
10 oz. taco-flavored tortilla chips
¾ cup soy milk
2 large eggs
1 tsp. kosher salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
¼ cup purple onion
2 Tbsps. Jalapeno, chopped
Peanut oil for frying
Crunch the tortilla chips in the bag, then place the bowl of a large food processor. Add the soy milk, eggs, salt and pepper. Process until completely blended. Form mixture into small balls for frying. Stir in the onion and jalapeno.
Add additional soy milk if necessary.
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or pot. Maintain the temperature of the oil to around 350˚ – 375˚ using a thermometer. Drop balls into the oil, 6 or 7 at a time, until golden brown, around 3 minutes each. Place on a wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining batter.
Serve with your favorite salsa or Pareve Ranch Dip below.
Pareve Ranch Dip
Like everyone else, I troll Pinterest for great recipes. A while ago I found this great one on Pinterest by Meirah Weiss on Tastebook. I’d give you my own recipe, but this is it! I’ve been using this one for a while and it’s really, really good. So if you see Meirah, thank her for me!
1 cup mayonnaise
7 ½ Tbsps. soy milk
1 ½ Tbsps. lemon
juice
½ tsp. dried dill
½ tsp. dried chives
½ tsp. dried parsley
¼ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. onion powder
⅛ tsp. salt
⅛ tsp. pepper
Whisk all ingredients together.
