Gluten-Free Entertaining 101

It seems that more often than ever we receive calls from clients in the midst of planning their parties realizing that one or more of their guests need gluten-free offerings.

This gluten-free thing is, at first look, a very complicated issue, with many prepared foods which may seem safe, having gluten ingredients hidden in their fine print. Initially, it seems all the good stuff we know and love is off limits.

However, the more one researches the issue, the more you realize that there are so many interesting and delicious recipes that are gluten-free. In fact, it’s probably a diet we should all emulate — full of fresh ingredients, relying less on prepared and artificially flavored foods. In general, it is a healthy approach to eating with some very specific guidelines.

Major things to avoid when entertaining a guest with gluten intolerance include: wheat, rye, barley and oats. Try focusing instead on rice, corn and potatoes when planning your starches. Meats and poultry can be marinated and flavored easily and deliciously with white or red wine, olive oils, herbs, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar (unless artificial color is added), and lemon juice. 

With salads and vegetables, avoid or be very careful when choosing prepared salad dressings. Instead, a simple vinaigrette for salad or a yogurt based dip can be used for fresh vegetables.

We offer up the following menu suggestion for gluten-free dining.

Appetizers

Fresh vegetable crudités with sour cream dill dip

Arranged artisan cheeses (no blue cheeses) with rice crackers

Broiled cocktail shrimp with cilantro yogurt dip

Entrée

Grilled tenderloin filets with horseradish cream

Garlic smashed new potatoes

Roasted asparagus and cherry tomatoes with lemon garlic butter

Dessert

Flourless chocolate torte with raspberry sauce

Sour Cream Dill Dip

4 oz. cream cheese

1 c. sour cream

½ tsp. Tabasco

1 tsp. minced garlic

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 tsp. Worcestershire

2 tsp. lemon juice

1 TBS. dill weed

1 TBS. minced shallots

1 tsp. dried thyme

Salt to taste and process until smooth in food processor.

Cilantro Yogurt Dipping Sauce

2 c. fresh cilantro leaves

1 c. fresh mint leaves

1 TBS. chopped jalapeno pepper

2 tsp. crushed garlic

1 ½ tsp. ground cumin seed

1 TBS. fresh lemon juice

Process above in food processor. Then fold in:

1 c. plain yogurt

Salt to taste.

Horseradish Sauce for Beef

1 c. sour cream

1 c. mayonnaise

1 TBS. Dijon mustard

¼ c. prepared horseradish

¼ c. chopped fresh parsley

Salt and pepper to taste.

Raspberry Sauce

12 oz. frozen raspberries

¾ c. sugar

¼ c. water

Bring to a boil on stove, then slowly add to thicken:

2 level tsp. cornstarch dissolved in 2 TBS. cold water