Ingredient: Salt and pepper

Roasted Cauliflower Soup

It’s April in Southern California, and I’m staring at the grill every night saying, “Okay, tomorrow. Tomorrow, we grill.” But this being a weird April for weather, tomorrow comes, and it’s just not quite grilling weather. I mean, we had snow falling in the near mountains just two days ago. I can’t even find the energy to clean the grill.

So I’m thinking soup these days. Lots of soup. My trusty Lentil Soup is on deck (I always have the makings for lentil soup because when the craving hits, it hits hard), but a cruise through the refrigerator reminded me that I had leftover roasted cauliflower. I vaguely recall thinking “soup” at the time. Then the moment came and, voila!, I’d made this soup.

[box type=”note” style=”rounded” border=”full”]This recipe is cauliflower soup the long way, but, as you can see from the above, you can shortcut it by using leftover roasted cauliflower. Heck, ain’t nobody making you do the roasting either. It’s your soup, do it the way that works best for you![/box]

Mushroom Gravy

Mushroom gravy is a one of those things — it can be vegetarian or meat-based, depending on your mood. It can be smooth or chunky, depending on your mood. I personally love it on the chunky side with meatloaf.

As with all gravies, the key to making a flavorful, richly colored gravy is a roux. And patience. You need to stir your flour and oil over medium-high heat until it is a rich caramel brown. This cooks off the raw taste of the rice flour and adds additional flavor.

[box type=”note” border=”full”]The amount of mushroom and onion in this recipe seems massive. It is! But they will cook down to a reasonable level very quickly. And please note that the rice flour thickens quickly. You may need to add additional liquid to make it pourable![/box]

Basic Turkey or Chicken Gravy

One thing gluten-free eaters need to be wary of is gravy. So often it’s made with wheat flour, meaning we often eat our mashed potatoes, turkey, and other dishes dry. Yet making gluten-free gravy is so easy, it doesn’t need to be saved for holiday meals. This gravy tastes so good, you’ll be the only one who knows it’s gluten-free.

This recipe assumes you’re using a whole roasted bird, complete with giblets. If this isn’t the case for you, skip the steps involved with making a broth and just use a flavorful stock. Having made this for several Thanksgivings, the one thing I can say with certainty is that while it’s a lot of work in the beginning, it comes together quickly while the turkey is resting!

Pesto

Pesto is one of those perfect foods I wish I’d discovered earlier in life. It’s great on pasta, of course, but also kicks basic steamed rice up a notch. And, I love to serve it with salmon. Of course, I could probably eat pesto by the spoonful…

The ingredients for pesto are simple: basil, olive oil, parmesan cheese, garlic, and pine nuts. And you go from there. There is artichoke pesto, herb pesto, red pesto. Humans find ways to mess with this recipe every day — and I love them for it!

Basic Bolognese Sauce

This is, for me, the ultimate Italian sauce. It’s perfect for noodles, for lasagna, for parties. Yes, it takes a long time to make this sauce from scratch, but you can freeze it so it’s ready for quick meals at any time. I love to make this sauce on a Sunday afternoon. The scent permeates house, making everyone hungry, and, truth be told, I’m getting hungry just writing about it!

Modify this recipe to suit your own personal taste, but don’t omit the vegetables. They give depth and body to this sauce.

Red Wine and Balsamic Vinegar Sauce

A basic red wine reduction adds a simple elegance to a dish of beef or lamb. Adding balsamic vinegar to the wine reduction increases the flavor and surprises your guests (one friend, as she walked into the house for a dinner party, sniffed the air with pleasure as she got a whiff of the balsamic vinegar).

[box type=”note” style=”rounded” border=”full”]There is a saying that you should never cook with a wine you won’t drink. Or, please use a decent red wine. So-called “cooking wines” do not work for this sauce.[/box]

Broccoli and Goat Cheese Frittata

Frittatas are one of the most flexible foods you can have in your cooking repertoire. They’re perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, and even late night dining. And while this recipe features broccoli, the truth about frittatas is this: you can make them with a variety of ingredients — substitute asparagus or spinach or whatever you have on hand for the broccoli.

And don’t think you have to confine yourself to goat cheese. Freshly grated Parmesan is a great substitute.

Another trick — one that makes preparing this recipe even faster — is to used already cooked veggies. If you do, reduce the saute time in Step 2. You can also use fewer eggs if you have fewer people. Adjust the other ingredients accordingly.