Old Fashioned Strawberry Tart

1

470854-1-eng-GB_simple-french-strawberry-tart-470x540 

Old-Fashioned Strawberry Tart

 

Makes 9½-inch tart

Free From gluten and all top 8 allergens

This beautiful tart disappears in only a few hours at my house; it’s that good. Nobody would ever guess it’s gluten-free and allergy-friendly. Look for small sweet fresh strawberries at your local farmers’ market and use fresh squeezed orange juice for the biggest burst of flavor. To make sure every last bit of the juicy filling makes it into your tart, I highly recommend using a rubber spatula when transferring the sauce and jam.

 

Shortbread Tart Crust

1 1/2 cups my Basic Gluten-Free Flour Mix, or Authentic Foods GF Classical Blend

¼ cup + 2 tbsp confectioners’ sugar

¾ tsp xanthan gum

⅛ tsp salt

10 tbsp dairy-free soy-free vegetable shortening

1-2 tbsp orange juice (see instructions)

 

Strawberry Filling

5 cups hulled/de-stemmed strawberries, 1 cup sliced, 4 cups halved

½ cup granulated sugar

1½ tbsp cornstarch

1 tbsp orange juice

¾ tsp unflavored gelatin or vegan gel

Pinch salt

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

¼ cup plus 1 tbsp strawberry jam, divided

 

1 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9½-inch tart pan with removable bottom.

2. In bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, sift together flour mix, confectioners’ sugar, xanthan gum, and salt. Add shortening (be very exact about this measurement) in tablespoon-sized pieces. Mix on medium speed to create a coarse meal, about 1 minute.

3. Add orange juice (1 tablespoon if using classic vegetable shortening, 2 tablespoons with palm shortening) and mix until dough begins to ball in the center, about 20 seconds. It should be the texture of soft new play dough.

4. Turn out dough onto a sheet of parchment or waxed paper and form into a ball. Top with another sheet of parchment or waxed paper, flatten into a disk and roll out to make a ¼-inch thick circle, 1 inch wider than your tart pan.

5. Remove top sheet of paper, flip crust into prepared tart pan and press down with the palm of your hand. Gently peel off remaining sheet of paper and finish pressing in dough, patching the sides or any breakages as necessary. Trim by running a rolling pin over top of the tart pan. Prick dough with a fork 8 times.

6. Bake crust for 20 minutes, or until set and very lightly golden. If it puffs up while baking, prick crust a couple more times. Let cool on a wire rack.

7. While crust is cooling, make strawberry sauce for filling. Puree 1 cup sliced strawberries in a blender until liquefied. Add granulated sugar, cornstarch, 1 tablespoon orange juice, gelatin and salt, and puree until smooth.

8. Transfer strawberry sauce to a small saucepan and stir in vanilla. Bring to a boil over medium heat while stirring continuously with a wooden spoon. Reduce heat to low, cook and stir for 1 minute, or until thickened like pudding. Transfer to a bowl and let cool to lukewarm (not cold), stirring a few times to help the process.

9. Warm jam over low heat in a small saucepan or in the microwave, stirring vigorously to thin. Using a pastry brush spread a thin layer of the jam on crust bottom. Chill crust in refrigerator for 10 minutes.

10. Gently combine 4 cups halved strawberries with remaining strawberry jam in a large bowl. Add lukewarm strawberry sauce and lightly toss until the strawberries are well-coated. Transfer filling to the cooled tart crust, evenly distributing strawberries.

11. Chill in refrigerator for 2 hours before serving. This pie is best served the day of, but it is also excellent the next day. Optionally, top each slice with your whipped topping of choice.

 

Old-Fashioned Strawberry Tart © 2014 by Cybele Pascal

This recipe first appeared in the Spring 2014 issue of Allergic Living Magazine

Allergy Friendly Spring Vegetable Risotto

0

 

Spring Vegetable Risotto

 

Serves 4

Free From: gluten and all top allergens

Brimming with the bounty of spring, this risotto is so flavorful that you won’t even miss the customary Parmesan. Tender asparagus, baby zucchini, and young peas are rounded out by the delicate notes of sweet onions, fresh herbs, and early season tomatoes. Luckily, you can find these ingredients year round, so bring a little spring to your table, all year long!

Prep all ingredients, read the recipe through, and be ready to go. Risotto is easy, but requires continuous attention.

 

4½ cups vegetable or chicken broth (or stock)

¼ cup olive oil

1 tablespoon dairy-free, soy-free margarine or buttery spread

1 cup finely chopped sweet onion (e.g. Vidalia or Walla Walla)

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

1½ cups uncooked Arborio rice

½ cup dry white wine

1 small zucchini, finely chopped

12 ounces small asparagus, chopped into ¼-inch pieces

1 cup fresh shelled peas, the smaller the better

3 plum tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped

¼ teaspoon salt, plus a pinch for finishing

¼ cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley, divided

¼ cup chopped fresh basil, divided

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Extra-virgin olive oil, to serve

Black truffle salt, to serve (optional)

 

1. In a medium saucepan, bring broth to a slow boil. Reduce heat and simmer over lowest possible heat.

2. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil and margarine over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes or until aromatic. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add rice and sauté until glistening, about 1 minute. Add wine and cook while stirring until absorbed, about 2 minutes.

3. Add ½ cup heated broth to rice. Simmer while stirring continuously over medium heat until all broth is absorbed. Repeat, continuing to add 3 more cups heated broth, a half cup at a time, stirring continuously after each addition, until completely absorbed. After 10 minutes, stir in zucchini, asparagus, peas, tomatoes and ¼ teaspoon salt. Add another ½ cup broth and continue cooking as before, for 8 to 10 minutes, (reduce heat if simmering too hard) or until rice and vegetables are just tender, and ½ cup broth remains. Turn off heat.

4. Add final ½ cup broth, half of herbs, pinch salt and a few turns of black pepper. Cover and let rest 2 minutes.

5. Serve immediately, topped with remaining fresh herbs, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with a little black truffle salt, if using.

Allergy-Friendly Spring Vegetable Risotto © 2014 by Cybele Pascal

This recipe first appeared in the Spring 2014 issue of Allergic Living Magazine