GF Pasta Question

[wonderwoman]

I subscribe to an online newsletter from the magazine Living Without. They had a GF, DF white bean and pasta soup recipe that I would like to try. Directions were given for cooking the soup and then it said to

cook pasta, rinse and drain. Place a mall amount of pasta in each bowl and ladle soup on top.

Is there a reason for not putting the pasta right into the soup? Does the consistency of the pasta change if it is added to the soup or what is the reason for not combining them. I would like to make the recipe, add the pasta, and then store it in the refrigerator for another meal.

The only GF pasta I have used is GF brown rice spaghetti and I cook only one serving at a time and eat it right away with the spaghetti sauce. When I make chicken soup, I use rice instead of GF noodles even though I have GF noodles in the pantry I have never used them. I also have GF rice noodles that I have used in broth.

I would like to experiment with pasta in my favorite recipes but have been leary because I hear so many negative vibes about pasta.

[Ginny]

Charlotte, I make soups all the time and I use the brand that Dee suggests; it's the best: Tinky'ada. They are more expensive but they hold up well. Just make sure you rinse it in the cold water for 30 seconds; most important.

I have tried other brands but they are not as tasty or do they hold their firmness. I love their fettuccine noodles and their macaroni noodles in particular. Have fun experimenting and please post any new recipes. I am always looking for something new and difference. My problem is I can't use tomatoes ! Ginny

[hoosier1]

How about spaghetti squash instead of actual pasta? Haven't tried it yet, but I think I will go that route as my pasta craving rears it's ugly head.

Rich

[wonderwoman]

Rick, I make spaghetti squash quite often as a vegetable. I don't care for it as a spaghetti replacement. We like it with margerine and parmesan cheese.

Ginny, I have several brands of spaghetti in the pantry and can't say which one I prefer. I have Quinoa brand shells (corn & quinoa flour) that I was going to use for a tuna salad this summer and never did. In fact I forgot I had it.


Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free White Bean and Pasta Soup

http://www.livingwithout.com/recipes/gl ... :&st=email

[hoosier1]

Hi Charlotte,

Too band the squash didn't satisfy you as a spaghetti replacement. I have tried the rice and the corn pastas and really can't get used to the after taste of either. I have found that using white rice, instead of spaghetti, is a reasonable replacement for me.

Rich

[Bifcus16]

Charlotte,

I would guess that they are worried about the pasta going oversoft if it was added to the soup and heated. That will depend on your variety of pasta. I would say go for it - likely the worst that will happen is your pasta in the stored portion will fall apart a bit when you reheat it.

They will have suggested cooking the pasta separately, as rice pasta tends to let out a lot of starch while it is cooking and that may affect the appearance or texture of the final dish.

My favourite pasta is Orgran buckwheat spirals. They stay together well, and honestly you would be hard pressed to tell them from wholewheat pasta. Just depends on whether brown pasta looks wrong to you.

Lyn

[tex]

Though I realize this flies in the face of gourmet cooking protocol, I'm not convinced that it's necessary for pasta to retain it's structural integrity when used in soups or stews. Back before I got sick, I developed a local reputation for making the best stew anyone had ever tasted, (including some gourmet cooks), who frequented the best restaurants, all over North America. I used to start with about 10 pounds of meat or so, 8 to 10 pounds of potatoes, several large onions, etc., and I would eventually add almost everything but the kitchen sink, (even including macaroni, sometimes), but the secret was to cook everything to pieces. I would usually start "building" it about nightfall, and before bedtime, (roughly 4 to 6 hours later, I would usually have everything added, except for the stewed tomatoes.

The next morning, I would fire it up again, add a couple of cans of stewed tomatoes, and let it simmer until lunch. Or, if it was to be the evening meal, I would wait until about mid-afternoon, to fire it up, and then I would let it simmer until about dark-thirty. Everything would cook to pieces, of course, which made it a very thick, rich stew. Unlike most conventional stews, when you cook it long enough to cook everything to pieces, every ingredient will be uniformly distributed in every spoonful, and if it's flavored right, the taste will be incredible. If there's any left over, the next time it's reheated, it will be even better, because it will become even thicker and richer.

Tex

[Gloria]

Back before I got sick, I developed a local reputation for making the best stew anyone had ever tasted, (including some gourmet cooks), who frequented the best restaurants, all over North America.

I'm impressed, Tex! You mean you don't make it anymore???

Gloria

[starfire]

Oh, you made my mouth water!!!

Can't you eat it anymore (less the pasta)? Being so well cooked, seems like it would be OK.

I think I'm going to have to try your method with a receipe I have.

Love, Shirley

"Dark Thirty" made me smile. Haven't heard that in a "Coon's Age"

[tex]

Gloria,

I haven't made any stew in several years. I plan to change that, though. I picked up some stew meat the last time I was in town, and stuck it in the deep freeze. When the weather gets colder, I'll get inspired, and I'll pick up all the fresh veggies needed, and any canned stuff that I don't have on hand, and I'll thaw that meat and give it a go, again.


Shirley,

Yes, I can eat it, (without the pasta, of course), but I like it hot, and unfortunately, many of the people whom I usually share it with, are no longer able to eat hot, spicy foods, (and they are in denial about being gluten-sensitive, of course). That's the main reason why I stopped making it. I probably shouldn't eat spicy foods either, but what the heck - nothing brings out the flavor in a stew the way that chilies do. I'm going to have to tone it way down, though, or I'll be the only one eating it. For one thing, instead of adding 2 or 3 cans of Hot Ro-Tel, I'll probably substitute the Mild version, and I'll leave out the serranos, and most of the jalapeños. Ro-Tel is a brand of diced tomatoes and green chilies, that's available in several degrees of hotness. That should make it tolerable, and still reasonably tasty.

I would think that this would work well in a slow-cooker, too. The reason why I add the stewed tomatoes last, is because once they are added, it will burn more easily, so it has to be stirred somewhat frequently. Maybe that wouldn't be a problem with a slow-cooker, though. I may try that.

Love,
Tex

[Rosie]

Tex, now that the weather is turning cold, dark and wet (3.8 inches of rain in the past 3 days) tha stew sounds mighty yummy. I have a few questions about the recipe, although it sounds like there is lots of flexibility in the ingredients.

1. It sounds like you cook it on day 1for about 3-4 hours, then turn off the heat and let it sit overnight until the second cooking of 3-4 more hours the next day. I'm assuming that because you have cooked it for so long and keep the lid on, that it would stay sterile and not have bacteria growing in it during the overnight rest. Is that "rest" where you let all the flavors blend together an important part of the "secret sauce"?

2. What sorts of other ingredients work well? And most importantly, are there any veggies or other ingredients you have discovered that don't work!

3. Do you brown the beef before cooking? Do you always use beef or have you experimented with other meats. My son hunts, and I wonder if elk or venison would work well? What about poultry?

4. How much liquid do you use at the start?

5. Do you add any spices besides the chilies?

6. I suspect that half the fun is experimenting with this and developing my own unique take on the recipe!

Rosie

[tex]

I'm assuming that because you have cooked it for so long and keep the lid on, that it would stay sterile and not have bacteria growing in it during the overnight rest. Is that "rest" where you let all the flavors blend together an important part of the "secret sauce"?

Good question. Since I usually make it in large quantities, it will stay warm for a long time. As long as the lid stays on, I don't worry about contamination. I think that the resting time helps to let the various flavors permeate the mixture better, but I have never tried cooling it, and refrigerating it, unless I won't be able to finish it the next morning. I suspect that after the heat is turned off, it slow-cooks, (just from the residual heat), for probably an hour or two, longer. Yes, if I wait until mid-afternoon, or later, to finish it, I do refrigerate it, (or sit it in an unheated room, or garage, etc., if the ambient temperature is low enough).

I usually add enough ingredients so that by the time I finish, the stew is pretty thick. If it gets too thick, I add some water, in the last step, but water also comes from some of the canned ingredients, (such as the stewed tomatoes). I used to add at least 3 or 4 big bell peppers, (diced, of course, and in assorted colors, for eye appeal), but I may have to leave them out now, because one or two of the gang can no longer tolerate them. I usually add most of a clump of celery, (I cut off the extremes, and dice the rest). I usually add a bunch of diced scallions, (cutting off the very extremes, of course), to add some color, in addition to the flavor. If I needed some "filler", I have at times added a can of corn, or maybe diced mixed vegetables. Sometimes I've even added half a head of cabbage, or more, if sufficient room was available in the pot. I don't remember ever adding any veggies that turned out to be losers - just about anything seems to blend right in. If you like the taste of picante sauce, I've even added a jar of picante sauce, a time or two, but as with the the tomatoes, that needs to be added later, with more frequent stirring, to avoid sticking/burning.

If I use beef, yes, I usually brown it first. Actually, my favorite stew meat is pork, (but maybe I'm just strange). I usually trim a pork shoulder or two, and dice the meat. You can skim the fat if you want, but I always leave it, since it adds to the flavor. Onions are usually the next thing I add, followed by the potatoes, (coarsely diced). I originally began making these stews in hunting camps, (that's where I learned to use a larger pot, because people from other camps began inviting themselves for dinner, and hunters are always hungry), but strangely, I don't recall ever using venison or elk for the meat, though I always intended to try it - just never got around to it. I see no reason why it won't work well, (though I would probably add some beef fat or pork fat, to enhance the flavor), because venison or elk chili is great, when a good recipe is used. I'm not a big fan of pountry, (I'm one of those people who think that chicken should be fried, and turkey is meant for Thanksgiving. ), but I see no reason why chicken or turkey wouldn't work OK.

For seasoning, I usually used seasoned salt, but I may try just garlic salt, this time, since that's now my favorite seasoning for grilled meats. I always add enough bay leaves to make sure that their flavor can be detected in the finished product. If you use Ro-Tel, it contains additonal spices. Be careful that you don't over-season it, because the seasoning seems to get stronger as the cooking progresses. I usually don't "top-off" the seasoning, until at least the first cooking session is finished. I'm sure that other seasonings could be used to good effect, depending on your taste preferences.

I usually fill the pot about half full of water, and start adding things. By the time I get all those potatoes peeled and diced, the meat and onions should be well on their way. After the potatoes are added, most of the work is done, as it doesn't take long to chop up the celery, chilies, (I usually remove the internal veins and seeds), scallions, etc., and all that's required is to stir it occasionally. As the liquid cooks down, I add the canned ingredients, etc, (they're usually pre-cooked, anyway).

6. I suspect that half the fun is experimenting with this and developing my own unique take on the recipe!

Exactly. Every time you make it, you'll change something, to suit your own preferences, (or to satisfy a whim on that particular day), and eventually, you'll decide that there at least a thousand ways to "build" a good stew, and most of them are outstanding.

Tex

[Rosie]

Thanks for the great tips, Tex!! I have a big crew coming for Thanksgiving, and staying for about 3 days. That means the turkey will be gone fast, and a big pot of the stew would make wonderful lunches and/or dinners. Both of my kids, spouses and three and 1/2 grandkids will be here, so a big pot will work out great. I'll do a trial run before then to make sure it works for me. The first time always brings up questions and modifications.

Your comment about always making your stew with pork was a surprise to me, because I've always thought of beef stew, and have never made a stew with pork before. But of course there isn't any particular reason why I couldn't use pork, and it will be fun to try out.

In the past I've made big pots of chili, but now that I'm avoiding legumes, that won't work. Like your stew, I've always been proud of my "toot-less" chili. I go through a process of removing the offending lectins starting with the dry beans. I put the dry beans in a large pot of water, bring them to boiling and let sit overnight. The next morning I drain and rinse the beans thoroughly. Then I bring them up to boiling again for 5 minutes, drain and rinse and repeat one more time. They truly are virtually completely gas free. Everyone chows down without worry! You know as I'm writing this, I'm wondering if this process might make the beans possible for me to eat. I'm thinking about making some chili and testing a small amount. My DH loves the chili and hasn't had it in over a year!

Maybe it's the approaching cold weather, or where I'm at in my healing, but I find myself really getting interested in cooking things like stews, and trying new recipes. I'll let you know how my attempt at your stew turns out!

Rosie

[tex]

Three and 1/2 grandkids?

Pork has always been easier for me to digest. Before my gut healed, beef always caused a mild reaction, (slight to moderate bloating, followed by upper back pain, and then a headache), but no D. Now, I can eat it with no symptoms, but I still prefer pork. Unlike beef, pork will cook to pieces, if cooked long enough. To my taste, it gives stew a more appealing flavor, but maybe that's just me.

I would think that there's a very good chance that beans prepared that way might indeed be safe for you to eat. I've heard that some people who normally can't tolerate beans, can eat refried beans, for example.

I may make a batch of hot stew for myself, and just freeze it in meal-size plastic containers. That way I can just nuke a batch, any time I crave stew. I think I'll do that with some chili, too. I'll have it made for a while, once I get all that in the freezer. One good thing about stew and/or chili, is that they make a pretty good meal, without the need to cook anything else to go with it.

Good luck. And yes, I'd like to hear how it turns out, and any suggestions that you might have for improvements or modifications.

Tex

[Rosie]

Three and 1/2 grandkids?

Tex, my daughter is about 5 months pregnant with my 4th grandkid!

Yep, the stew sounds great, and if anyone asks about the recipe, I'll say that it's "Tex's Hunter Stew"

Rosie