"...Adieu! Adieu! To you and you and yo-ou!"

(Doesn't the Sound of Music make everything better?)

Well today begins the final section of the Peking to Paris Motor Challenge! A brief recap: the rally began on September 10th with over 120 vintage vehicles (bearing both a driver and navigator) setting out from Peking, China with plans to cover more than 14,630 km/8,923 miles in 37 days. While the rally participants were faced with many challenges along the way - mechanical, environmental & social - nearly everyone arrived this morning in France! Due to a last minute rally in Paris protesting a recent change in legislation, the route through the City of Light was revised late last night and released to the participants for tomorrow's final drive! Today's journey, from Aix les Bains to Troyes (both in France) covered 430km/267 miles from the foot of the Alps, northwest through the beautiful countryside and into central France.

French Onion Soup

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter
4 large yellow onions, sliced
Salt
5 cups gluten free beef stock
2 bay leaves
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 pound Emmenthaler or Gruyere cheese, shredded
4-6 slices gluten free french bread (1/2" thick and toasted golden brown)

Directions

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the onions; salt to taste. Stir to coat well with the butter, cover and cook stirring occasionally, until very tender about 20-30 minutes. Remove the cover, raise the heat slightly and saute, stirring frequently, until the onions turn a deep caramel brown, about 1 hour. Add the stock and bay leaves, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes.

Meanwhile preheat a broiler. Discard bay leaves. Season the soup to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Ladle soup into heavy soup bowls placed on baking sheet. Sprinkle a little cheese into each bowl, then place the toasted bread slices on top. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining cheese. Broil until the cheese is bubbly and golden about 2-3 minutes. Serve immediately.

Tips

The secret to wonderful onion soup is to cook the onions slowly so they caramelize. You can add sliced leeks or shallots with the onion for a more complex taste.

Like this recipe? Also try our French Onion & Garlic Soup

French Carrots

Ingredients

6 carrots, peeled and grated
2 shallots, minced
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons Italian parsley, minced

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine the carrots and shallots. In a separate smaller bowl, combine the sugar and cumin. Sprinkle the cumin mixture over the carrots and toss to blend. Squeeze the lemon juice over the top and toss gently. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover and marinate for 1 hour at room temperature. Just before serving garnish with Italian parsley.

Coq au Vin

Ingredients

1 chicken, cut into 8 pieces
Salt and pepper
1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon olive oil
7 ounces gf bacon, cut into 1/4" pieces
3 onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 pound mushrooms, quartered
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup brandy
8 cups dry red wine
Bouquet garni: 1 parsley sprig, 1 thyme sprig, 1 bay leaf tied with butcher string or cheese cloth
2 Tablespoons butter
3 Tabllespoons gluten free flour

Directions

Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Salt and pepper chicken pieces and add to skillet. Brown chicken on all sides. Transfer chicken to a large casserole with a lid or a dutch oven. In the same skillet, fry the bacon pieces until the fat is rendered. Sprinkle the bacon pieces over the chicken. Saute the onions and garlic in the bacon fat for about 5 minutes. Add the onion and garlic to the chicken mixture. Add the mushrooms to the skillet; season with salt and pepper and saute for 5 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms, without their liquid to a plate; set aside. Add the tomato paste and brandy to the pan with the chicken mixture; stir and ignite with a match. When the flames subside, add the wine. Add the bouquet garni, salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook over low heat for 45 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Bring the sauce to a boil over high heat and reduce by half. In a small bowl, mix softened butter and flour into a paste and add to the sauce. Cook until smooth and thickened. Season with salt and pepper and add chicken and mushrooms. Simmer for 5 minutes to heat through.

Viva Italia!

As the Peking to Paris rally is quickly drawing to a close, we find ourselves on the Italian peninsula -- but only for a night. The rally participants left Greece this morning and, taking the ferry from Igoumenitsa, they crossed the Adriatic and docked in Ancona, a rather large city on the east coast of the Italian peninsula. As the day draws on, the competitors will head west and cross the Italian countryside, spending tonight in Viareggio, a seaside resort town most well-known for its annual carnival and parade of papier-mâché floats, traditions dating back to the late 19th century.

And so today, we proudly bring you an Italian-themed menu, using traditional ingredients and regionally inspired flavors!

Italian Country Garbanzo (Ceci) Bean Soup

Ingredients

One 14 ounce can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup gluten-free pancetta, chopped (may substitute bacon)
1 scallion, chopped
1 garlic clove, sliced
1 Tablespoon parsley, chopped
Pinch of marjoram
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2/3 cup tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
3/4 cup lean pork, chopped into 1/2" pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions
Heat a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add oil and when hot, add pancetta, scallion, garlic, parsley, marjoram and saute. Stir in beans and tomatoes. Add enough water to cover and bring to a boil. Add pork. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 2 hours. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with parsley and Parmesan cheese.

Italian Roasted Chicken with Prosciutto

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 shallots, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 large chicken breasts with bones & skin
4 slices of prosciutto
8 basil leaves, plus 1 Tablespoon minced
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup gluten free chicken stock
2 Tablespoons cream

Directions

Preheat broiler.

In a small skillet melt butter in olive oil over medium heat. Add half shallots and garlic; sauté, stirring often, until softened and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Scrape mixture into a small bowl and let cool briefly.

Loosen skin of chicken breasts without completely detaching. Place a teaspoon of shallot mixture under skin of each breast. Top with a folded piece of prosciutto and
2 basil leaves. Smooth skin over fillings and season lightly with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Set chicken in a roasting pan, skin-side up. Broil for 5 minutes. Turn and broil for 5 minutes more. The skin should be crisped on top.

Turn oven temperature down to 350°F. Bake chicken for 20 minutes or until juices run clear when meat is pierced.
Transfer chicken to a plate, tent with foil to keep warm.

Transfer juices from pan into a small bowl; spooning off any excess fat.

Place roasting pan over medium heat. Add remaining shallots and garlic; sauté until soft and golden. Add wine and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits on bottom of the. When wine is nearly evaporated, pour in chicken stock and cream. Bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer, stirring occasionally until reduced to about
1/2 cup. Stir in minced basil and reserved drippings. Adjust seasonings to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Place a stuffed breast on a plate and spoon sauce over top.

Tuscany Inspired Orange-Almond Cake

Ingredients
1 small/medium orange*
1 lemon*
6 ounces almonds**
1 cup gluten free flour (for this recipe, I used Jules All-Purpose GF flour)
1 Tablespoons baking powder
4 large eggs (or 5 medium), at room temperature
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups sugar
2/3 cup olive oil (the higher quality the oil, the better)
Confectioner's sugar, for serving (optional)

Directions

First things first, get started on preparing the citrus. Put the orange and lemon in a saucepan and fill with enough water to cover. They're going to float, don't worry about it. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.

In the mean time, preheat the over to 325F (one rack in the center) to toast the almonds. Distribute the almonds on an ungreased sheet pan and bake for 10-15 minutes until they look golden and smell all roasty and delicious. Err on the side of over-toasted, just make sure they don't burn! Let them cool completely, (I dumped mine out onto a tea towel to expedite the process) then toss 'em in the food processor until finely ground, like coarse corn meal. Set aside and don't worry about cleaning out the food processor.

Bump the oven temperature up to 350F and grease a 9 or 10-inch springform pan. The baking time will differ depending on which size you choose/have on hand.

When the fruit has cooled, cut the lemon in half and scoop out the pulp and seeds; discard. Cut the orange in half also and remove the seeds, leaving pulp in tact. Put the lemon rinds and orange halves in the food processor and chop until they form a really coarse paste.

Meanwhile, combine flour and baking powder in a small bowl.

In a mixing bowl or the base of a KitchenAid, combine eggs and salt, then beat until foamy. Gradually beat in sugar. If using a KitchenAid, switch to the blade attachment, stir in the flour/baking powder mixture. Beat in (on low speed) the fruit, almonds and olive oil, until just incorporated, but be careful not to over mix! Pour batter into springform pan and bake until toothpick comes out clean: 45-60 minutes for a 9-inch pan, 30-40 for a 10-inch pan.

Remove from oven and cool in the springform pan on a wire rack (I used the stovetop of my gas range-- you just need circulation to facilitate quicker cooling). Remove the sides of the pan (by far, my favorite aspect of using the darn things) and serve.

Serving suggestions: ganache or chocolate glaze, Sabra glaze (Israeli orange-chocolate liqueur), confectioner's sugar. Honestly, our house isn't huge on super-sweet desserts and we love it plain. Next time, I'll probably press sliced almonds into the top of the cake half-way through baking.

For storage, keep at room temperature and cover tightly with plastic wrap to maintain moisture. This cake improves with age and is best on its second or third day.

Notes
* Because you are eating the whole fruit, rind and all, if possible, use organic fruit.
** You can substitute pre-roasted almonds but it turns out so much better with freshly toasted almonds.

It's all Greek to me!

The Peking to Paris rally officially left Istanbul this morning, destined for Thessaloniki, Greece! By Saturday, the rally will have officially concluded in Paris, awards will have been distributed and the first participants will begin packing up and heading home. With only 2,630km/1,634 miles separating the rally participants from the Parisian finish line, the last week is being met with mixed feelings: while everyone is excited to arrive in Paris and head home, there is also a feeling of disappointment that the adventure is already coming to a close. Here are some of the most recent and unbelievable photographs from Glutenfreeda's (#60) journey from Peking to Istanbul:


More of the Central Asian highlands


Anastasia and the mother of a goat herder in their home


At the Uzbek border with the lovely gentleman who helped repair our car!


From our brief detour to Moscow en route to Istanbul last week...


Greek-style Sausages

More like oblong meatballs than sausages, these have been a long-time favorite. One reader reported that his Greek fiance made this recipe for her family and it passed the test of tradition!

Ingredients

12 oz. (3/4 lb) ground pork
4 oz. (1/4 lb) ground beef
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon dried savory
Rind of 1 small orange, grated
1 teaspoon salt
8 black peppercorns, crushed
1/3 cup dry red wine
2 Tablespoons olive oil

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Allow meat to marinade in the refrigerator at least 4 hours (ideally, overnight) to allow all of the flavors to blend and meld.

Preheat a broiler. Form the meat mixture into about 24 cylinder sausage shapes, about 2-1/2" long and place on broiler pan. Broil for a total of 15 minutes, turning to brown on all sides.

Alternately, cook the sausages in batches using a heavy skillet (we like our cast-iron cookware) over medium-high heat, turning frequently until browned on all sides and cooked through.

Serve with Tzatziki or a Greek Salad

Turkish Delight

With only 8 days left in the Peking to Paris motor challenge, car #60 is still in Istanbul, with final repairs well underway. Our team has had nothing but praise for the city, harrowing the local mechanics as some of the most qualified in the world! Hopefully these latest repairs will last us the remaining 2,200km/1,367mi to Paris!

While Turkey has gifted the culinary would with many treats (baklava, Turkish coffee, pilafs and many more), our recipe today represents one of the most popular culinary traditions: kebabs. Technically, kebabs are Persian in origin, they have become a Turkish specialty and one of the region's most well-known foods! While we are only sharing one recipe today, our archives feature more than 18 kebab recipes for you to try!

Grilled Pork Kebabs with Fresh Grapes

Ingredients

3 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup orange juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 lb. pork tenderloin, cut into small cubes (1" diameter)
1/2 lb. seedless red grapes
3 Tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Bamboo skewers

Directions
Soak bamboo skewers in water for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine curry, cumin, paprika, coriander and cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside. In a separate bowl, combine olive oil, orange juice and garlic. Set aside.

Thread pork and grapes alternately on prepared skewers. Sprinkle spice mixture on skewers and pour marinade over top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Prepare grill. Grill kebabs, turning frequently for about 8 minutes or until pork is done (two minutes per side). Remove from grill, garnish with parsley and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve warm.

Fairs, Planes and Cupcakes - oh my!

What a busy weekend - happy Monday, everyone! So much to tell you about today, including a recap of the Nature's Market 8th Annual Gluten Free Fair!

The Fair, hosted by Nature's Market in Kent, is a two-day gluten free extravaganza! With more than two dozen vendors sampling their wares, almost every gluten free product was on sale. From soups and pastas to seasoning salts and salad dressings, ice creams and dairy alternatives to convenience foods -- like our burritos and granola! We spent the day at the Market, hanging out with Zing! Bars, Enjoy Life, Kettle Cuisine, Amy's, Sunny Valley Wheat Free and many others. All of the vendors are kind beyond words and their products speak for themselves!

Positioned between Zing Bars and Lulu's Granola, we spent the morning sampling our Chicken & Cheese and Vegetarian Bean & Cheese Burritos as well as each of the three flavors of our granola: Apple Almond, Raisin Almond and Cranberry Cashew. We connected with so many wonderful individuals and families, some seasoned gluten free consumers (some going on 20+ years) and others who have only recently been diagnosed as gluten-intolerant (three weeks ago!).

On a related note, we also had the opportunity to do some product sampling while we at the Market - most notably, of Julie's new ice cream sandwiches featuring lemon frozen yogurt sandwiched between two of Glutenfreeda's vanilla cookies! Amazing! Just sweet enough, perfectly tangy and absolutely refreshing, another fantastic dessert from Julie's!


On another note, over the weekend, one of the Glutenfreeda teams (car #60) in the Peking to Paris motor challenge is in Istanbul, Turkey! After another broken axle en route to Samarkand to rejoin the group, it became clear that the safest choice would be to fly the car to Istanbul for more lasting repairs and better road conditions. After a day-long layover in Moscow, Douglas and Anastasia are now safely in Istanbul, working on repairing the car. The rest of the groups passed through Turkmenistan over the weekend - covering more than 1,550km/963miles! After a rest-day in Samarkand, the teams left Uzbekistan on Saturday and drove over across Turkmenistan, arriving in Gorgan, Iran this evening. With only one more scheduled rest day, the race will soon move into Turkey and the Central Asian chapter will come to close. From that point, the teams will move from Turkey to Greece, into Italy and through France on the way to Paris -- all in the next 12 days!

Don't forget, October is Cupcake Month over atGlutenfreeda.com! With cupcake ideas for everyone, we are featuring several fantastic recipes: our Chocolate Mousse Grand Marnier and Carrot Spice, just to highlight a few!

Surrounded by Land, Surrounded by Land...

Today, the race entered Uzbekistan, traveling 260km/160mi from Shymkent, Kazakhstan to Tashkent (the capital city of Uzbekistan) along a mountainous route bordered by lush national forests and parks. Uzbekistan, one of six Turkic states, is one of two doubly landlocked nations in the world (i.e. a landlocked state surrounded by other landlocked states; the other is Liechtenstein), sharing its borders with five other countries. Formed in 1747 and recognized as independent in 1991, has a population of 27.6 million and is the third largest producer of cotton in the world.

Car #60 suffered another broken axle last night and spent the night in a repair shop, replacing the old shaft (which had broken and was welded back together in Almaty over the weekend) with a brand new one, ground to specification instead of welded. Hopefully this will hold a while longer than its predecessor and we can catch up to the pack!

Should your travels ever take you to Uzbekistan, Celiac Travel has a Celiac travel card in Uzbek to help facilitate safe eating!

Рогалики на сметане
Croissants with Cream

These traditional pastries from Uzbekistan, also known as the "lazy man's croissant", come together quickly and relatively easily for a wonderful result! Due to the authenticity of this recipe, measurements are initially provided in metric (grams), and while a scale would come in handy (much more accurate to measure ingredients by weight versus volume) I have converted the measurements to ounces for convenience.

Ingredients
1 egg yolk
2 Tbsp. sugar
250 grams (just over 8oz) butter, melted
250 grams (just over 8oz) sour cream
2 cups all-purpose gluten free flour
Pinch of salt

Filling
200 g (7oz) strawberry preserves
200 g (7oz) walnuts, finely chopped

Directions
Preheat oven to 400F.

Beat egg yolk and sugar with an electric mixer. Add sour cream and melted butter, mixing well to combine. Slowly add flour and salt until the dough forms a ball.

On a floured surface, knead the dough into a ball -- it will be very soft. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, until firm. While the dough is chilling, make the filling.

Place strawberry preserves in a fine sieve or in cheese cloth suspended over a bowl and allow the liquid to drain off. If large pieces of fruit remain, you can mash with a fork or put the mixture into the food processor. Add chopped walnuts and mix well to combine.

Divide dough into 5 parts (approximately 70 grams or 2.5oz). Roll out each piece on a well-floured surface, until dough forms a disk, 1/4 inch thick. Cut each disk into 8 equal, triangular pieces (think pizza) -- 40 in total.

Put 1 Tbsp. of the topping mixture 1-inch in from the base of each triangular piece. Fold in edges and roll up like a croissant. Bake at 400F until golden brown. To serve, dust with powdered sugar!

Recipe from Cook Eat Share
Image from Nasekomoe

From the Road: A Rally Update

Car #60 (Dough and Anastasia) on the road in rural Mongolia last week

Today marks the end of the longest scheduled break during the Peking to Paris motor challenge: 48 hours of free time in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Although it was replaced as the capitol city by Astana in 1997, Almaty remains the largest commercial center in the country. Leaving early in the morning, the teams will set out on a 700km/430mi journey across Kazakhstan!



Dozens of teams have required repairs in the past week, with issues ranging from headlights bouncing off along the unpaved route to engine fires -- a competitor's car ultimately burned to the ground and #60 (seen above) suffered a similar, but much smaller, fire as well. Because all of the vehicles are vintage, repairing and replacing parts is challenging, especially in rural central Asia. We hope that the next leg of the journey will be a smooth (and safe!) one, with only paved roads for 400km of the 700km route - yikes!

Total distance travelled: 5,578 kilometers / 3,466 miles
Total distance remaining: 8,782 kilometers / 5,456 miles

Coming to you from Kazakhstan, a Manti Recipe!

We would first like to give a brief shout-out to a few stores who have recently begun carrying products from the Glutenfreeda Foods, Inc. line:

Atkinson's Markets in Idaho are now carrying our burritos! Find them at Giacobbi Square in Ketchum, Alturas Plaza in Hailey and at the Valley Market in Bellevue!

Broulim's will now be carrying our oatmeal and burritos. Find them on South Main street in Driggs, ID.

Dan's Supermarkets in North Dakota are now carrying the burritos as well! Dan's has three locations in Bismarck, two in Dickinson and one in Mandan, ND - check them out today!

We join the Peking to Paris challengers along the route between Semey and Usharal in Kazakhstan. Today, I am sharing a traditional dumpling recipe for manti (plural of manta), a typical main course from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Armenia. While a truly authentic recreation of this recipe would likely include horse meat (a Kazakhstan staple), this recipe calls for ground beef or lamb instead.

Manta Recipe

Ingredients
3 cups all- purpose gluten free flour
1 cup water
1 large egg
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt

For the Filling
250g (one-half pound) ground beef or lamb
1 large onion (chopped in very small pieces)
Salt and black pepper

Yogurt Sauce
2 cups plain yogurt
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions
In a large bowl, combine flour, water, egg, olive oil and salt. Kneading well to form a smooth, but not sticky, ball of dough. If it is too sticky, add more flour until the dough is smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand, at room temperature, for one hour.

While the dough is standing, prepare the filling: in a medium bowl, combine chopped onion, ground meat, salt and pepper until well mixed.

Lightly dust a board or countertop and rolling pin with flour. Divide the dough into four equal sections, rolling out each piece as thinly as possible without tearing.

Cut each sheet into equal squares (about 1.5" by 1.5") Put a teaspoon of filling at the center of each square until you run out of dough or filling.

To fold the dumplings: fold diagonally to form a triangle. Press edges firmly together to seal the dumplings (if necessary, use a little bit of water on the inside edge to help the pieces stick together.) Take the two corners (connected by the longest, folded side) and pull together until corners overlap - pinch together (it will look like a floppy brimmed hat -- see image here.)

In a large pot, boil the water and add a little bit salt, olive oil. Add the dumplings and stir, cooking for approximately 15 minutes, until the dumplings rise to the surface. Periodically test filling for doneness and be careful not to overcook. While the dumplings are cooking, prepare the yogurt sauce.

Yogurt sauce: place the minced garlic, yogurt, water and salt in a small bowl, mixing well until combined.

When the dumplings are done, drain with a slotted spoon. Serve warm with yogurt and hot pepper sauce.

Image from Anna's Recipe Box

Border Crossing & A Traditional Russian Recipe

We rejoin the Peking to Paris motor challenge in southern Russia today as the teams race between Mongolia and Kazakhstan! No news is good news in terms of mechanical issues (yay!). It seems that more than a few competitors had to fly in replacement parts from the nearest dealership (even as far away as Australia!) and others were forced to load their vintage vehicles onto a truck until the road conditions improve - yikes!

Basically, blini (plural of blin) are Russian pancakes, most similar to crepes. The primary differences is the occasional inclusion of yeast in blin recipes, as well as some recipes which call for buckwheat flour (naturally gluten free) instead of a wheat-based batter. Here, we simply substituted a gluten free all-purpose baking mix instead. Traditionally, blinis can be either sweet or savory, served with sour cream and red caviar or fruit preserves and powdered sugar.

Gluten Free Blini with Pico de Gallo

Ingredients

1/2 cup milk
1 Tablespoon water
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon dry yeast
1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons gluten free all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 eggs, separated
2 Tablespoons canola oil
1/4 cup créme fraiche or sour cream
1 recipe of Pico de Gallo

Directions

Heat the milk and water to 110°F in a small saucepan. Pour the milk mixture into a medium bowl. Mix in sugar and yeast. Let stand for 10 minutes.

In a separate bowl, combine gf flour, cornmeal and salt. Stir in yeast mixture. Add buttermilk and egg yolks. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place for about 2 hours, or until mixture is spongy.

Beat egg whites until stiff. Gently fold egg whites into cornmeal mixture.

Preheat oven to 250°F. Heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, drop batter by tablespoons into the skillet (they will resemble small pancakes). Cook until golden on the bottom and bubbles break on the surface. Flip the blini and cook until golden, about 1 minute. Transfer to oven to keep warm. Repeat process with remaining batter.

To serve, spread a small amount of creme fraiche or sour cream over each blini and top with fresh Pico de Gallo.

Tip: You can make the blinis up to 8 hours in advance. Allow to cool before covering with plastic wrap and storing in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, reheat the blini, uncovered, in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes.

Pico de Gallo

Ingredients

1/2 small white or red onion or 8 slender scallions finely chopped, rinsed, and drained
2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 large ripe tomatoes, finely diced
1/4-1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (leaves and tender stems)
1-2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Directions

Combine all ingredients. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Tip: Jalapeño juice can burn your skin, you may want to use surgical gloves, (available at grocery stores) to protect your hands! Also, be very careful not to touch your face, especially mouth or eyes, before washing your hands!

**Blini image from Stephanie Lim @ stephanie.posterous.com **

And Now, For Something A Little Different...

This morning, the race picked up in Tariat, Mongolia with plans to travel 336km/209mi to Uliastay, in the western part of the country. Because Monday will bring us to the Russian border, we will wrap up our travels through Mongolia with an expected, if not traditional, recipe for Mongolian Beef. Although this recipe is far from traditional, it is a well-loved American interpretation of traditional Mongolian flavors.

Mongolian Beef Recipe

Ingredients
1 pound beef tenderloin, cut into 1" pieces
1 Tablespoon gluten free hoisin sauce (like Premier Japan Wheat-Free Hoisin Sauce)
1 Tablespoon gluten free soy sauce (like Wheat-free Tamari)
1 Tablespoon rice wine
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 scallions, cut into 1" diagonal slices
2 cups fresh bean sprouts
2 Tablespoons peanut oil

For the sauce
1 Tablespoon rice wine
1 Tablespoon gluten free soy sauce
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon gluten free Asian chile sauce (like Sriracha [rooster sauce])
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions
In a small bowl, combine hoisin sauce, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice wine, 1 teaspoon sesame oil and garlic. Mix thoroughly with beef and marinate for 15 minutes to 8 hours in refrigerator.

In a small bowl, combine sauce ingredients (rice wine, soy sauce, sesame oil, red wine vinegar, chile sauce, cornstarch, sugar and salt). Mix well, whisking until the cornstarch is well-combined and mixture is smooth.

Place a wok or large non-stick on the stove over the highest heat. When the wok is very hot, add 2 tablespoons of oil and roll around wok to cover the surface. When oil gives off a wisp of smoke, add beef. Stir and toss until browned, about 2 minutes. Immediately add scallions, stir and toss for 5 seconds. Stir in sauce and add bean sprouts. Stir until all ingredients are well-coated. Adjust seasonings as needed and serve immediately.

More from Mongolia

Today marks the fifth day of the Peking to Paris motor challenge. Kicking off this morning in Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia, the competitors plan to cover another 360km/224mi throughout the course of the day, spending the night in Kharakorin. The weather in Mongolia is a pleasant 68 F during the day, dropping below freezing during the long, clear nights. This leg of the journey is still along unpaved roads, causing some mechanical problems for several of the cars - including our own, #60 and #77, which have experienced problems with brakes, headlights and engine fans. The repairs were executed quickly and painlessly and our cars were back on the road this morning!

Lamb and Carrot Stew

Serves 4

In the northern regions of China, this recipe traditionally is made with either lamb or goat. Our version calls for lamb, but you can also use beef. This dish is also traditionally served as a hot pot; meat and vegetables in a broth. We thickened our liquid with a little cornstarch and water to make more of a typical stew type sauce.

Ingredients
4 Tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
¼ cup gluten free rice vinegar (like Kikkoman brand)
½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 1/2 lbs lamb or beef stew meat, cut into 1” pieces
1 large onion, diced
3 carrots, cut into ½” slices
2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 cups chicken or beef broth
1 teaspoon salt
2 bay leaves
¼ cup chopped cilantro
¼ cup chopped scallions
1 teaspoon corn starch
1 Tablespoon cold water

Directions
In a small bowl, mix together 2 Tablespoons oil, vinegar and ground pepper. Place meat in a medium bowl and add the vinegar mixture, tossing to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Heat remaining 2 Tablespoons of oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. When hot, add meat and discard marinade. Add onion and cook for 10 minutes, until meat is browned on all sides and onions are translucent. Add carrots, tomatoes, broth, salt, and bay leaves and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer and cook, partially covered for 1 hour or until meat is tender. Remove bay leaves with a slotted spoon or tongs. Mix corn starch and cold water in a small bowl, stirring well to combine. Add to stew and cook over medium heat until the broth thickens.

To serve, spoon stew into individual serving bowls and top with generous handfuls of cilantro and scallions. Serve with boiled potatoes or steamed rice.

What do National Celiac Awareness Day and ground lamb have in common..?

So much news today! The race has already left China, arriving in Mongolia yesterday! Go team! Don't forget, you can track the progress of the race live(!) through Skytag (our GPS-enabled car is #60 - Douglas Mackinnon and Anastasia Karavaeva!)

And although we have already left China, I want to share a few resources with you, dear reader, should your adventures take you East: Beijing Kids has information on support group meetings and local resources and Gluten Free Kids Travel details the difficulties of living and eating gluten free in China, especially with children. Even if you are not traveling through Asia, both of these sites highlight the challenges of any kind of gluten free travel.

And last, but certainly not the least, it is National Celiac Awareness Day! Udi's (@udisglutenfree) is hosting a Tweet Chat (using tag #NCDA2010) this afternoon, feel free to drop by any time today and join the conversation! The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA) is always a wonderful resource and is even covering the race!

Because our drives now find themselves in Mongolia, we thought it appropriate to share some traditional Mongolian cuisine! ... However, upon closer inspection, we realized that the most traditional recipes may not be our best bet (roasted goat, anyone?) Historically, Mongolian cuisine is generally naturally gluten free! The traditional diet consisted of meat and milk from horses, camels, goats and sheep, and spices such as cumin, cilantro, scallions, and ginger. Cooking Mongolian "style" seems fairly straightforward, equivalent to modern grilling or cast-iron cooking (searing first and then slow-cooking). Here is a fantastic new recipe, straight from the Glutenfreeda Kitchen, featuring traditional ingredients and flavors but with a modern twist!


Mongolian Lamb Patties with Quick Tomato Chutney

Makes 16 small patties

This dish bursts with flavor and is naturally gluten-free. Serve the lamb patties with dollops of tomato chutney. This dish is typically served with a flat bread, but we serve it with steamed rice.

Mongolian Lamb Patties

Ingredients
1 lb ground lamb (you can also substitute ground pork or beef)
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts
1 cup chopped cilantro
3 Tablespoons minced ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
Vegetable or peanut oil for frying

Directions
Place the garlic, scallions, cilantro and ginger in a food processor and pulse until all is equally minced. Combine ground meat with minced ingredients in a large bowl with salt and pepper; mix well by hand. Add the meat and the ingredients to a large bowl along with salt and pepper and blend together with your hands. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Spoon about 3 Tablespoons of meat mixture and form into small patties. Set on a plate and repeat with remaining mixture. Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add about 1 Tablespoon of oil. When hot, add as many patties as will fit and fry for about 4 minutes per side, until cooked through and nicely browned on surface.

Quick Tomato Chutney

Ingredients
2 Tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
½ cup minced onion
1 dried red chile (whole)
½ teaspoon salt
2 medium tomatoes, seeds removed and chopped
¼ cup minced cilantro

Directions
Heat the oil in a wok or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add cumin and saute for 5 seconds, then add the onion and chile, tossing to coat with oil and cumin. Add salt and cook until onion is soft and transparent (5-8 minutes). Add tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 8-10 minutes until the sauce has thickened and reduced slightly. Discard chile. Add cilantro just before serving.

Kicking off in Peking with a Recipe!

Since you cannot race on an empty stomach, we would like to formally kick off the first day of the Peking to Paris motor challenge with a traditional favorite: Peking (Roasted) Duck! The recipe dates back to a manual written by the imperial kitchen inspector of the 1330s, developing into its present incarnation over the course of the Ming Dynasty (14th-17th centuries).

Now, to be perfectly honest, this is a rather
involved recipe... You must begin a day in advance, in order to properly hang and dry the duck, but the whole dish comes together seamlessly!

Peking Duck Recipe

Ingredients

One 4-5 pound whole duck

For the Glaze:
1 piece of ginger, approximately 1 1/2" long, peeled and sliced
12 green onions, white and pale green parts only
3 cups water
5 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons rice wine
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
3 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in 1/2 cup cold water

Preparing the Duck
The first step involves separating the duckmeat from the skin - for this, we suggest two potential methods to loosen the skin. The first, and more unusual method, is with a bicycle pump! (No, really!) Although, admittedly this sounds strange, it is surprisingly fun and effective! For this method, first insert a clean pin from the pump just under the skin of the breast. Pump up the duck, forcing air between skin and meat and gently separating one from the other. Repeat this process in several places, (namely the breasts, legs and thighs) until skin is fully separated, although it is not necessary to do so along the backside.

The alternate, and more traditional, method is to slip your fingers between the skin and breast meat. Carefully move your fingers around entire breast, completely (albeit gently!) separating skin from meat. Make small cuts at the tops of the legs and insert your fingers completely around legs and thighs until the skin comes away from meat.

Hanging the Duck
Don't discount this step - hanging the duck is an important step that will ensure that the skin of the finished duck will be crispy! To secure the duck for hanging, we used a needle threaded with butcher’s string and inserted it through the tail on either side of the backbone. Tie a secure knot and leave plenty of string to hang the duck.

Hang the duck in a cool, dry place. The temperature should be below 40 degrees F. Be creative! We hung our duck from a pull-down weight machine in our garage. Place a plate below the duck to catch any drippings and allow the duck hang over-night. If you can’t find a cool, dry place to hang your duck, you can dry it in the refrigerator by propping the duck up so that air can circulate around it.

Creating the Glaze
In a wok or a large deep pan, combine all of the ingredients except the cornstarch and water (ginger, water, honey, rice wine, rice vinegar) and bring to a boil. Make sure the cornstarch and water are well-combined and add to the ingredients in the wok. Return the mixture to a boil until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat.

Holding onto the string used to hang the duck, lower whole bird into the glaze, turning to coat completely. Raise duck and allow to drip for a moment before lowering to coat again. When duck stops dripping, return it to its drying place (the garage, the fridge, etc.) and re-hang. The duck should be hung for at least two more hours and allowed to drip onto a plate or bucket.

Roasting the Duck
While the duck is drying, turn your oven to 350 F degrees.

Place the duck in a roasting pan, breast side up, and add 1" of water to the pan to keep the duck moist as it roasts. Roast duck for 2-1/2 to 3 hours, turning halfway through to allow the skin to brown evenly. When the duck is done, the skin will be a glossy, molasses color and a thermometer inserted into the breast reads at least 165 F degrees.

Once the duck has cooled, begin by removing and preparing the duck skin and meat, cutting legs and thighs away from the body by slicing through the joints. Peel skin from legs and thighs, slicing into thin strips. Remove breast skin in one piece - it should come away easily by sliding your fingers between the skin and meat loosen it. Cut breast skin in half, lengthwise, slicing each piece of breast skin into thin strips. Remove meat from breast bone, legs and thighs and cut into thin strips.

For the Crepes
1/2 cup gluten-free flour
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup lukewarm water
2 large eggs
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, separated
Pinch of salt

In a food processor, combine the gluten-free flour, milk, lukewarm water, eggs, salt and 2 tablespoons butter, melted, processing until smooth. Pour batter into a pitcher or a container with a pouring lip, cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 30 minutes to thicken.

Heat a non-stick skillet (or seasoned crepe pan) over medium-heat. Melt enough unsalted butter to cover the bottom of the pan. Stir batter and pour 2 tablespoons into the crepe pan, lifting it off heat and tilting so the batter coats the bottom of the pan in a thin, even layer. Cook until the top of the crepe is set and the underside is golden before gently turning the crepe over, allowing the other side is also golden. Remove the crepe to wax paper and proceed to cook rest of crepes, one at a time. Keep crepes warm until ready to serve.

For the Garnish
12 green onions (the reserved white
tops)
1 cucumber
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper

With a sharp paring knife, cut off root ends of the green onions. Make several inch-long cuts along the length of the onion stalks, moving inward from the white end. Put onions in ice water and set aside. (The ends of the green onions will curl as they soak up water and become quite charming brushes.) Next, score the cucumber lengthwise and then cut into thin rounds. Finally, julienne the peppers into 1/8" strips.

For the Dipping Sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/2 cup gluten-free hoisin sauce
3 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon water

In a small bowl mix all ingredients together, stirring to dissolve sugar. The sauce should be the consistency of thin ketchup and if it is too thick, add a little water.

To Present and Serve
Make a circle of cucumbers around the outside of a large serving plate, making an X pattern with the red and yellow pepper slices. Spoon a puddle of sauce into the center of the plate and dress with strips of duck meat and crispy skin. Serve with warm crepes and green onion brushes on the side.

To serve, fill crepes with strips of meat, crispy skin, cucumber and pepper. Drizzle with sauce and enjoy!

Ladies and Gentlemen, Start Your Engines!

Already Thursday morning in China, the Peking to Paris motor challenge is only hours away! Here, both of the cars sponsored by Glutenfreeda: #60 (above), a 1939 Chevrolet Speedster (3600cc), driven by Douglas Mackinnon and Anastasia Karavaeva and #77 (below), a 1939 Dodge D11 Deluxe, (also 3600cc), driven by Vilnis Husko and James Kabrich.

Only in its fourth incarnation since 1907, the Peking to Paris Motor Challenge is sure to attract international attention! And what a fun venue for raising Celiac awareness across the world! With participants representing over 26 countries and a route which spans an additional 11 countries, the 2010 motor challenge is an unique opportunity to raise awareness, spread the word and educate individuals around the world. Just imagine: 1/3 of the Earth's circumference travelled in a single race!

Stay tuned for Friday's post - officially kicking off the race with Glutenfreeda's Peking Duck recipe!

From Peking to Paris, Join Glutenfreeda in Raising International Celiac and Gluten-Intolerant Awareness

Starting Friday, September 10th, Glutenfreeda will be racing from Peking to Paris, along the old Silk Road to raise celiac disease and gluten-intolerance awareness. The route covers over 8,900 miles through 11 countries: China, Mongolia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekhistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Turkey, Greece, Italy and France and Glutenfreeda will be there all the way. Our cars, #60 driven by Douglas Mackinnon and Anastasia Karavaeva and #77 driven by Vilnis Husko and James Kabrich, will sport the Glutenfreeda logo from bumper to bumper!

The race was established in 1907 to "drive the impossible", before the Trans-Siberian railway had been built. There were no roads for the first 5,000 miles, instead participants raced across the open country. For the inaugural race, the participants hoped that this would provide incontrovertible proof of the power held by man and machine, proving international borders were but a nominal boundary. Of the five cars which set out from Peking, four made it back to Paris safely. Although this incredible challenge was first issued over a century ago, the 2010 motor challenge marks only the 3rd attempt since the 1907 inaugural run.

Since 1999, Glutenfreeda has supported the gluten-free lifestyle through education, the largest gluten-free recipe database on the web, and innovative new food: we make gluten-free delicious... It's what we do!