Regular readers of our blog would have noticed that I have not been writing very much these days and the husband’s offerings have been far more frequent. Well, I have not been cooking anything exciting with Shiv not around and have been making do with quick and easy meals as the kids have been rather demanding and I find myself too exhausted to pen my musings down at the end of the day.

Today I decided to cook myself and my mother a good supper.  You could call it a Mother’s day offering.  I baked a gluten free corn bread loaf, made a lovely cauliflower soup and a spicy chipotle dip for the bread.  The meal went down very well and my mother enjoyed it, just as I did.

Gluten free corn bread

What do I need to make it?

• 150 gms fine corn meal
• 150 gms fine rice flour
• 50 gms cold unsalted butter or dairy free margarine
• 2 medium sized eggs
• 300 ml unsweetened almond milk
• 1 tsp Xanthan gum
• 1 tsp gluten free baking powder
• 1 tsp salt

How much will I make?

A medium sized loaf

How do I make it?

Preheat oven to 200.C.   Sieve together rice flour and fine corn meal into a large mixing bowl.  Add the baking powder, salt and Xanthan gum to this.  Chop cold butter into small cubes and add to the bowl.  Use finger tips to rub the flour and butter into a crumb like consistency.  Beat the eggs and almond milk together lightly.  Make a well in the mixing bowl and pour the egg and milk mixture into it.  Mix well with a wooden spoon until all the flour is blended well and you get a smooth batter.  Pour the batter into a prepared loaf tin and bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the crust is a golden brown.  Pierce with a skewer to check if the bread is cooked through.  If the skewer comes out with wet mixture stuck to it, keep the loaf in the oven till the bread is cooked thoroughly.

Leave to cool on a  wire rack .

Spicy Chipotle dip

What do I need to make it?

• 100 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 clove of garlic grated
• 2 to 3 pickled chipotle peppers (available in the World food aisles of most super markets or in Mexican delis)
• 1 tsp of the chipotle pepper pickling liquid

How do I make it?

Blend all the ingredients together in a blender.  Adjust seasoning.  The pickled chipotle peppers do have salt so extra salt is usually not needed.

Cauliflower soup

What do I need to make it?

• 250 gms cauliflower florets
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 medium sized onions
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 500 ml unsweetened almond milk
• 1 gluten free vegetable stock cube (Kallo stock cubes)
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• Two sprigs of parsley to garnish.
• Salt to taste
• White pepper powder to taste

How much will I make?

2 large main meal portion

How do I make it?

Heat a pan and add butter and olive oil to it.  Add the bay leaf, onion and garlic and sauté till they are translucent.  Make sure not to brown them.  Add the cauliflower florets and sauté for a minute or two.  Season with salt and white pepper powder.  Add the almond milk and bring to a boil.  Turn the flame down and let it simmer till the cauliflower is cooked. Remove the bay leaf before blending to a smooth consistency.  Add about 250 ml of boiling water and the stock cube, return to heat and let the soup come to a boil.  Sprinkle the ground nutmeg and remove from the heat.  Garnish with parsley sprigs before serving.