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Recipes

What’s Cooking – Gluten Free buttermilk pancakes with a maple pecan and apple syrup

Gluten Free PancakesIt was pancake day yesterday in the UK, which was a perfect time to use up some left overs I had. I’m trying out some gluten free recipes at the moment for health reasons. This recipe was awesome and I can’t quite believe I’ve been making terrible pancakes until now, I love this recipe as it makes the thick american style pancakes using self raising flour instead of plain flour.

Makes six medium sized pancakes

Firstly the syrup:

  • 2 tbsp of unsalted butter
  • 3 apples cut into slices
  • 85g pecans halved
  • 175ml maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp of brown sugar

For the pancakes:

  • 100g gluten free self raising flour mix
  • 1tbsp caster sugar
  • 2 x eggs beaten
  • 284ml buttermilk
  • Pinch of salt
  • 25g of unsalted butter

To keep the pancakes warm while you make them you can use a baking tray lined with baking paper in a low heated oven.

Now what do I do?

  1. Cut and core the apple, remove the skin if desired and cut the apple into quarters.
  2. Heat 2tsp of butter in a pan, add the maple syrup, pecans, brown sugar and the apple quarters, stir and leave on a medium heat.
  3. You want to start by sieving the flour and salt in a large bowl, then make a well in the centre. Whisk in the buttermilk and about 75ml of cold water in a separate bowl or jug, slowly whisk the buttermilk mixture into the flour bowl.
  4. Next slowly add the beaten eggs into the flour mixture small amounts at a time until you have a smooth batter.
  5. Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat with two teaspoons of the butter. Let the butter melt then spoon three tablespoons of batter into the pan one on top of the other to create each pancake. One pancake should be three tablespoons of batter.
  6. Turn on your oven, a low temperature just enough to keep the pancakes warm.
  7. Check the bottom of the pancakes, once they have turned golden brown flip them to do the other side.
  8. Once browned on both sides place the pancake onto the oven tray and into the oven to keep warm then repeat the steps.
  9. Add more butter to the pan as you repeat the pancake creation process if required.

Once all the pancakes are made and the apples are soft but still formed you can serve the pancakes stacked and add the topping of syrup.

Recipes

What’s Cooking – Prawn and Crab Linguine

Back last year I  ate at a really lovely italian restaurant, I don’t eat meat but I do eat fish so I ordered their Prawn and Crab Linguine. I actually had not tried crab up to this point but I was pleasantly surprised, the dish was amazing and soon as I was home I wanted to recreate it using some guess work and researching recipes online.

King Prawn and Crab Linguine

What do I need? (Serves Two)

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 x shallots, diced
  • 10 x King Prawns, shells and veins removed (I actually add more than this as we love them but just add an amount you are happy with)
  • 100g White crab meat (I tend to buy the tinned crab meat but you could use fresh)
  • 8 x Cherry Tomatos, halved (again add as many as you personally like)
  • 1 x Red Chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
  • 1 x Garlic clove crushed
  • Half a lime juice
  • Dash of white wine or Rosè if you prefer
  • 1 tbsp of tomato puree
  • 300g linguine, fresh or dried is fine
  • Salt and pepper to season
  • Rocket leaves to garnish the bottom of a pasta bowl
  • A sprinkle of parmasan

If you have dried linguine you want to start by boiling salted water in a large pan, if you have fresh you can do this while the shallots are softening.

Next fry the shallots, cherry tomatoes, garlic in the olive oil on a medium heat until they are softened. Add the king prawns, chilli, lime juice, white crab meat, wine and reduce for around five minutes. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.

Cook the linguine as per the instructions, drain and put back into the large pan. Add the reduced sauce into the large pan with the linguine and stir in the sauce.

Take your pasta bowls and add some rocket leaves to the bottom, plate the linguine and finish with a small amount of parmesan. I used finely grated cheddar in the picture as an alternative but parmesan is best!

I usually serve with the wine that I used in the dish as I find this tastes the best, personally I like to use a nice Saugvignon Blanc.