Eating Gluten-Free Doesn't Mean Sacrificing Great Food!
I love chile verde, and, despite all the steps in the recipe below, it’s pretty easy to make. A long, slow simmer on the stove (or, heck, you could do this in a 225 degree oven, if you prefer) brings lots of flavors together. The pork will be falling apart, and the whole dish is tangy with just a hint of heat.
While pork is traditional, chicken is also an option. My recipe for Chicken Chile Verde is right here.
I think of pulled pork as the beginning of a very good week of leftovers (see this article for ideas on what to do after you’ve made delicious pulled pork). It’s also a truly bargain dish — pork shoulder (also known as pork butt) goes on sale frequently, in quantities that make leftovers a no brainer.
If I were Southern, I suspect I’d be appalled at my version, but since I’m Californian with a full-time job, I will confess the ease of throwing pork into the crockpot and letting it simmer away all day is my idea of a good time. Walking into the house after a long day and smelling dinner? Priceless.
Since I’m committing heresy left and right with the recipe, I’ll confess to another secret: I don’t brown my pork before putting it into the crockpot. Phew! So happy to get that off my chest. I simply toss it, well seasoned (salt generously and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight), into the crockpot. The rest of the seasoning is in the braising liquid.
(Yes, pulled pork is naturally gluten-free, but some people add soy sauce to their braising liquid. I like the idea of adding that additional level of umami, but will remind you to use to GF soy sauce or tamari!)
See notes below for ideas on making pulled pork in your pressure cooker!
I love spinach in all of its incarnations — a simple salad, steamed, sauteed with other flavors. And, of course, stuffed into a pork chop or chicken breast. This recipe is filled with flavor — from the pork chop, the horseradish-spiked mustard, the spinach, and, of course, the smoky Gouda cheese.
Gluten-free panko crumbs add crispiness to the dish, making it a bit elegant. And it proves that a gluten-free dish doesn’t have to be boring!
A Croque Madame is, basically, an open-faced sandwich. A bit of sliced ham, a freshly fried egg, some tasty sauce…and you have a quick meal. In this gluten-free version, you simply use GF bread as the base of your sandwich.
Traditionally, this sandwich is made with ham. I actually prefer to use thinly sliced turkey when I’m in the mood for a lighter, less salty taste. Of course, once you have the basics down, you can play with the ingredients to suit your needs.
One other note: traditionally, a bechamel sauce is used. I prefer using a tangy substitute to save time.
Tonkatsu — Japanese-Style Pork Chops — are, at their heart, breaded and fried pork chops. They differentiate themselves from European schnitzels because of, well, the pork (though I’ve had many fine pork schnitzels) and the use of panko, a Japanese bread crumb. This version modifies the traditional dish to make it gluten-free.
Panko is lighter and crispier than traditional bread crumbs…and the gluten-free version works beautifully for breading (I use Kinnikinnick brand). I generally serve this with rice and salad (plus, pickled carrots or pickled carrot ribbons if you want to go fancy).
For months, I stared at a recipe I’d pulled from Food and Wine magazine: a Pork Tinga from Rick Bayless. It looked delicious…and time-consuming. I am not opposed to time-consuming recipes (obviously!), but, for some reason, this particular recipe daunted me. Yet I kept coming back to it.
Then my husband had knee surgery, and I needed a lot of free freezer space to store the ice we needed to keep the swelling down (he had a machine that did the hard part, but it need to be fed a lot of ice). In my “what can I cook right now?” frenzy, I ran across a bag of boneless pork shoulder that fit the description.
But, time. Time. The Pork Tinga recipe didn’t fit my available time. However, something done up in the crockpot would work just fine. We love pulled pork, we love Mexican flavors, we love easy meals. So I stole the concept of the recipe and worked it into a delicious meal that showcases a favorite food while providing enough leftovers for other meals.
