Coriander

Going gluten free required me to drastically change the way I cook. I couldn't rely on my family's collection of recipes (mostly casseroles) that relied on cream-of-something soup and pre-packaged seasonings. Instead, I started to cook with more spices and herbs. It took some time and experimenting to learn how to use these spices and herbs to create delicious, flavorful meals. I'm still learning, but one of the things I would like to do with this blog is provide a few features on spices and herbs so that I can learn more and share what I am learning.The first spice I want to feature is coriander.

Do you ever stop while you are cooking to smell the spices you are putting in? It's one of my favorite parts. I love opening the spice bottle and enjoying the smell for a few seconds before I start measuring and dumping it into my pan. I did this recently while I was making White Chicken Chili and I remembered how much I love coriander. It added such a fresh feel to the chili, and I thought about how flat the finished product would have been without it.

Coriander is also known as cilantro or Chinese parsley. The coriander plant has a couple of different parts. You are probably most familiar with the leaves, which we know as cilantro. The leaves have a more citrus flavor than the seeds. Interestingly, there are a lot of people (supposedly there is a genetic component to this) who experience an unpleasant soapy taste when they eat cilantro leaves. Cilantro leaves are used in many different types of cuisine including Mexican (guacamole, salsa), Russian (salads), and Indian/Thai (garnish).

When we use the term coriander in cooking, we are referring specifically to the seeds. The seeds have a lemony, citrus flavor that is described as warm, nutty, spicy, and orange flavored. Coriander seeds are used both whole or ground, but if ground they are best when ground fresh. Coriander is commonly used in Indian cuisine (garam marsala, curries), for pickling vegetables, in German sausages, and occasionally as an ingredient in rye bread in Russia and Central Europe.

In addition to its use as a spice, coriander has antioxidants which help prevent food from spoiling and contains chemicals which have antibacterial benefits. Folk medicine also uses coriander for all of the following: relieving colds, relieving anxiety and insomnia, treating type II diabetes, lowering cholesterol, and having a diuretic effect.

Green Bean Casserole

I've never been a huge fan of green bean casserole, but that's not really a surprise. I don't cook much with cream-of-anything soup (they aren't gluten free) and I don't like canned green beans. But, I was going to a big Thanksgiving dinner with friends, and this is one dish that was missing from the gluten free table so I determined to find a delicious variation to bring. This recipe comes from the Pioneer Woman, with a couple modifications to make it gluten free and really feature the green beans. Enjoy!

2-3 pounds fresh green beans
4 slices of bacon, cut into 1/4" pieces (using kitchen shears makes this really easy!)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 chopped red bell pepper
4 tablespoon butter
4 tablespoons GF flour (I used cornstarch)
1 1/2 cups milk (I used skim)
1/2 cup half-and-half (I used fat free)
1 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
freshly ground pepper (to taste)
1/8 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups crushed original potato chips

1. Wash the green beans and cut off the ends. Cut the pieces into 1-2" inch chunks. 
2. Blanch the green beans: drop them into lightly salted boiling water and allow green beans to cook for about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove them from the boiling water with a slotted spoon and immediately plunge them into a bowl of ice cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain beans once they're cool and set aside.
3. Add bacon pieces to a skillet over medium heat. Cook bacon for two minutes, then add diced onion, garlic, and red pepper and continue cooking for 3 to 5 minutes, or until bacon is done (but not crisp) and onions are golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. In a separate skillet or saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Sprinkle GF flour into the pan and whisk immediately to evenly mix it into the butter. Cook for a minute or two, then pour in milk and half and half. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, while sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Add salt, pepper, and cayenne then add the grated cheddar. Stir while cheese melts. Turn off heat.
5. Add the bacon mixture to the sauce. Stir to combine. Pour over green beans and stir gently to combine. Pour into a baking dish and top with crushed potato chips. 
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until sauce is bubbly.

Original recipe found here:  http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/11/green-bean-casserole/