Gluten, Wheat and Dairy Free Cookbook: Over 200 allergy-free recipes, from the ‘Sensitive Gourmet’

4 tablespoons of olive oil

1 small onion, peeled and sliced

1 teaspoon of fresh thyme leaves

1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Grated nutmeg

130g/4½ oz/

/

cup of grated goat’s or sheep’s cheese, or vegetarian cheese

240ml/8fl oz/1 cup of goat’s or sheep’s yogurt

3 large free-range eggs, beaten

A pinch of cayenne pepper and a bunch of lamb’s lettuce (mâche)

24cm/10 inch non-stick, loose-bottomed, fluted flan tin

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas mark 6

Place the flours, oats, salt and margarine in a food processor and mix for a second or two until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Mix the egg and oil together and pour into the food processor with the machine running. Turn out the mixture onto a floured board and, with floured hands, bring into a ball of dough. Wrap in clingfilm (plastic wrap)and chill for 30 minutes.

Roll out on a floured board and line the flan tin. Prick the bottom with a fork and chill for 1 hour.

Line the pastry with greaseproof (wax) paper and ceramic beans and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the balls and paper and bake for a further 25 minutes. Cool until needed. Turn down the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.

Cut the pumpkin into thin wedges and blanch in boiling water for 5 minutes until softened.

Heat half the oil and fry the pumpkin slices for 10 minutes to brown them on each side. Drain on kitchen (paper) towels. Add the remaining oil and cook the onion with the thyme and garlic, until soft, but not brown. Season with salt, pepper and grated nutmeg and cover the pastry base with the mixture. Arrange the pumpkin wedges on top and all around the flan.

Mix the cheese, yogurt and eggs together with a little more seasoning and spoon over evenly.

Sprinkle with a little cayenne pepper and bake for 45 minutes, or until puffy and firm and the pumpkin is cooked through.

Serve warm, or cold, with lamb’s lettuce (mâche), drizzled with virgin olive oil and black pepper.

Sweet Pepper Tart

Grilling (broiling) the peppers is crucial to bring out the intense sweet flavour vital to the success of this tart. The skins should blister with black spots before being peeled off.

Serves 6

4 large red peppers, cored and seeded

Olive oil

1 plump clove of garlic, peeled and crushed

1 teaspoon of marjoram leaves

1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar

240ml/8fl oz/1 cup of soya cream

6 large free-range egg yolks

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

A little caster (superfine) sugar

A few drops of (GF) chilli sauce/oil

Pre-baked (WF/DF) shortcrust pastry case made in a 24cm/10 inch non-stick, loose-bottomed fluted flan tin (see page 16)

Cayenne pepper

140g/5oz of lamb’s lettuce (mâche)

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas mark 6

Brush the peppers with olive oil and grill (broil) until charred and blistered. Leave to cool and then peel off the skin with a sharp knife and discard. Chop up the peppers, then cook them in a tablespoon of oil with the garlic and marjoram for 2 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar to the pan and cook for 3 minutes. Set aside to cool a little.

Put the cream, eggs and cooled peppers in a food processor and blend until smooth. Adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, sugar and chilli sauce/oil and blend again. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pastry case. Sprinkle lightly with cayenne pepper and bake for 25–30 minutes or until set.

Cut into wedges and serve warm with a little lamb’s lettuce (mâche) sprinkled with olive oil and black pepper around each piece.

Pink Grapefruit and Ginger Salad

Without doubt the easiest and quickest recipe in the book. Ideal for reluctant hosts or hectic hostesses. Ordinary grapefruits are too acidic as a starter, so the pinker the better.

Serves 8

255g/9oz of parsley, trimmed and chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 plump cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed

1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar

6 tablespoons of olive oil