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Sunday, August 15, 2010

A new and truly amazing and delicious pie crust recipe!

After much experimentation, I found a better pie crust. This one is easier to roll out and is flakier. Watch out, though, for humidity levels. Just add more water if it's low, and less when it's high (one tablespoon at a time). This recipe will make two pie crusts.

Ingredients

2 cups gluten-free flour
1 tbsp. sugar (1/2 tbsp. for a savory dish)
1/4 tsp. xanthan gum
1/4 tsp. salt
8 tbsp. cold butter, cubed
4 tbsp. cold shortening, cubed
1 egg, slightly beaten, + 2 tbsp. water to start (see note above)

In a food processor, measure and mix all dry ingredients. Add butter and shortening and pulse until incorporated (do not over mix). Add egg mixture (use leftover to brush on the pie crust before baking) and pulse a few times more until it starts to come together. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface (I like to put down a sheet of cling wrap and gather the dough together using the edges to fold the dough over onto itself, kneading lightly). Cut in half and wrap each half separately in cling wrap, flattening into a disk. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Then it's ready to use.

Curry chicken

No photo this time but had a wonderful dinner with some friends last weekend. My friend Yoku, her husband Yoshi, and her sons Koki and Genki (both are friends of Ian and Noah) had us over for a truly wonderful meal. Here is one of the items she cooked for us. I cooked it the next day for the kids and served the chicken threaded in skewers -- irresistible to the kids when presented this way!

Ingredients

2 tsp. curry (or more if you like)
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 c. potato starch
1 lb. boneless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
1 cup olive oil for frying

Mix all dry ingredients together and pour over chicken cubes. Mix well to coat and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. A few minutes before cooking, preheat oil in a pot. When thoroughly hot, start frying a few chicken pieces at a time. Test for doneness with a meat thermometer (180 degrees) and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Thread a few pieces onto skewers and serve.