Green Beans with Red Pepper and Garlic from The New Mayo Clinic Cookbook

Green Beans with Red Pepper and Garlic from The New Mayo Clinic Cookbook

Green beans, also known as string beans or snap beans, are available year-round. To preserve their fresh flavor and texture, parboil the beans, immerse them in ice water to set their color, then saute briefly.

1 lb green beans, stems trimmed
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into juliene
1/2 teaspoon chile paste or red pepper flakes (I used red pepper flakes)
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.

Cut the beans into 2-inch pieces. Bring a large saucepan three-fourths full of water to a boil. Add the beans and cook until they turn right green and are tender-crisp, -3 minutes. Drain the beans, then plunge them into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. drain again and set aside.

In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the bell pepper and toss and stir for about 1 minute. Add the beans and saute for 1 minute longer. Add the chile paste (or red pepper flakes), toss and stir for 1 minute longer. The beans will be tender and bright green. Drizzle with the sesame oil and season with the salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Marinated Pork Fillet with Maple Soy Sauce from Gluten Free and Easy

Marinated Pork Fillet with Maple Soy Sauce from Gluten Free and Easy by Robyn Russell


One ingredient that seems to cause great anxiety is soy sauce, but there's no need to miss out on this wonderful salty condiment. Just make sure you can use the brand iwth gluten free on the label or gluten-free tamari.

Ingredients:
2 pork fillets (I used 4 pork loin chops, not too thick)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup (4 fl oz/125ml) white wine
1 cup (9 fl oz/250ml) chicken stock (Progresso is gluten free)
1 teaspoon pure corn starch, optional for thickening

marinade
3 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon crushed ginger (I bought a tube of ginger near the fresh herbs)
1 teaspoon crushed garlic (I mashed a garlic clove)
1/2 teaspoon Chinese 5-spice

method:
1. Mix together all the marinade ingredients in a glass or stainless steel bowl. Add the pork and turn to coat evenly in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate overnight. (I only refrigerated 6 hours.)
2. Preheat the oven to 350degrees.
3. Drain the pork fillets. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over high heat and brown the fillets on all sides. Transfer the pork to an ovenproof dish and roast until cooked to your liking, about 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillets.
4. Remove the pork from the oven, wrap in foil, and rest in a warm place for 10 minutes before serving.
5. Meanwhile, deglaze the frying pan with white wine, scraping the brown residue from the bottom of the pan. Add the stock and simmer gently until reduced, or, if you prefer, thicken the sauce with cornstarch. Adjust the seasoning if necessary with a little orange juice, soy sauce or maple syrup.
6. Unwrap the pork fillets, adding any accumulated juices to the sauce, then carve into thick slices. Serve with sweet potato and pumpkin mash and stir-fried Asian greens and drizzle with the sauce.

Serves 4