Having friends who are gluten free and dairy free to dinner. What to make?!

pugmom
  • Posted by: pugmom
  • November 30, 2011
  • 13113 views
  • 7 Comments

7 Comments

garlic&lemon December 1, 2011
Great suggestions! Don't forget Thai noodles ( Pad Thai with rice noodles), or Chinese chow fun (wide rice noodles), or Thai glass noodle salad (made with mung bean thread noodles, also called glass noodles). Any gravy can be thickened with potato starch. Couscous is made with wheat, so I agree with the quinoa or rice substitution.
 
SeaJambon December 1, 2011
Most risottos are good. Think protein (meat, fish...) prepared just about any way -- very few preparations require either gluten or dairy, and just avoid those. Simply prepared veggies are easy. Think crustless pies (i.e., just the filling). No gluten/no dairy is an issue in my extended family, so have made many a crustless pie (filling baked in a pan -- tapioca instead of flour to thicken), including lemon meringue. Honestly, when you get over the first YIKES moment, you have many many options (and all very healthy - big bonus!)
 
susan G. December 1, 2011
3 desserts I've made and loved, on FOOD52: Sticky Date Cake (which I made a mini-cupcakes), Rice Cookies and Raspberry Brownies.
http://www.food52.com/recipes/9497_glutenfree_sticky_date_cake
http://www.food52.com/recipes/12472_raspberry_brownies
http://www.food52.com/recipes/9346_rice_cookies
My criterion for GF desserts is that anyone would love them!
 
beyondcelery December 1, 2011
For cross-contamination issues, also keep in mind that wood (such as cutting boards and rolling pins) keep gluten in its grains and you can't get it out. So never use wooden utensils or boards when preparing gluten-free foods. Glass, stone, plastic all seem to be able to clean it out, especially if you run everything through the dishwasher.

Gnocchi are really easy to make gluten-free & dairy-free, if you feel like showing off to your guests: http://beyondcelery.blogspot.com/2010/11/butter-em-up.html.

Otherwise, all these suggestions are great. When I make a dinner for guests who can't do any dairy as well as gluten, I usually go for: potatoes or rice, meat, 2 veggie sides. You can use sweet rice flour as a thickener in any sauces you make. Olive oil in mashed potatoes makes a delicious substitute for butter and milk (infuse the oil with sage if you want to go fancy!). Oh, and quinoa makes a great substitute for any coucous dishes. I do mean to try that cauliflower couscous of Sam's one of these days!
 
SKK November 30, 2011
Great answers already! Gluten free and dairy free is a challenge around baked goods, not so much for entrees. No wheat, butter, fat, cheeses is not too much of a problem. A roast chicken basted with olive oil, fish baked in parchment paper with vegetables, beef and potatoes, fruits.

And if you want to bake Syronai has an amazing gluten free recipe for coconut lemon macaroon cookies http://www.food52.com/recipes/14717_coconutlemon_macaroons

Gluten Free Girl has great recipes http://gluten-freerecipes.blogspot.com/

Just be cautious. If your guests have celiac disease they can't tolerate cross contamination of gluten products.
It is important to make sure flour isn't on your utensils or even open around where you are cooking.
 
susan G. November 30, 2011
First I would avoid fakes -- non-dairy substitutes, ersatz breads, and the like. There are many traditional foods that can be served. Look at polenta, such as this one that I've made and loved --
http://www.food52.com/recipes/9574_creamy_butternut_squash_polenta_with_spicy_wilted_spinach.
Asian rice paper wraps would be attractive and delicious served with a peanut sauce; I've had them in a restaurant where the fixings were set out on the table, to be assembled by the diner, so a part of the enjoyment was the DIY.
There's no gluten or dairy in legumes, meats or fish; fruits and vegetables; nuts and seeds -- so you have very wide choices!
 
Sam1148 November 30, 2011
My favorite application for that is Cauliflower couscous. A simple technique to use a food processor to lightly grind cauliflower into 'couscous'. http://www.food52.com/recipes/14493_cauliflower_couscous

use that as a base for a tagine of lamb stew, or a vegie stew. With preserved lemons.
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/moroccan-lamb-tagine-10000000600610/
Google will cough up results for preserved lemons, or change parameters to 'quick preserved lemons' if you don't have time to make the classic.
 
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