Help: Cooking dinner for guest with multiple allergies
Hi all,
I'm looking for suggestions for a main dish and sides that do not include dairy, wheat, corn or peanuts. Also, the guest in question is 7 years old, so while he is as adventurous an eater as his allergies will allow, he isn't into spicy foods, or big hunks of red meat, so no roasts.
His parents are ex-Vancouverites living in New York who are back home visiting, so we will be having a smoked salmon spread appetizer using soft tofu instead of sour cream, but other than that I'm a bit stumped as I'd like to do something a bit 'nicer' and stay away from stir-fry over rice, etc.
Help?
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16 Comments:
Can he have potatoes? Maybe you could do individual shepherd's pies?
Amandarama at 4:23PM on 09/28/09
Potatoes are fine, but I'd have to do flourless gravy, and the topping couldn't have milk or butter.
francie at 4:27PM on 09/28/09
What about a lemony roast chicken and crispy roasted new potatoes in herbed olive oil along with roasted seasonal veggies? This could also be done on the grill instead.
dhorst at 4:36PM on 09/28/09
Roast potatoes with shallots or red onions: delicious, simple and looks festive. Can also serve with other roasted vegetables such as zucchini, red peppers, carrots.
450 for about 45-60 minutes depending on size.
orchidgirl at 4:40PM on 09/28/09
A friend who has children with complex allergies once served spaghetti squash lightly tossed with a homemade marinara sauce - it was fun for the kids to eat, but still refined for the adults. I don't know how she prepared her marinara, but here are two versions I found:
http://www.weightwatchers.com/food/rcp/index.aspx?recipeid=95231
http://planetgreen.discovery.com/food-health/emerils-spaghetti-squash.html
Also, to go with your salmon, you might consider a cucumber salad (agurksalat in Norway, where cold salmon and cucumber salad go hand-in-hand), made with English cucumber. Slice one cucumber very thin (a mandolin works great for this), then combine w/ 2 t. vinegar, 1/2 t. sugar, 1/2 t. salt, 1/4 t. white pepper (I mix the vinegar/spices first, before tossing w/cucumber) - refrigerate overnight, then top with a few sprigs of fresh dill before serving.
Enjoy your dinner party!
studyzone at 5:01PM on 09/28/09
I don't see rice, There is rice pasta too.
JerzeeTomato at 5:33PM on 09/28/09
@francie - you can thicken gravy with other starches, like potato starch. Also, the topping can be made with soy milk or broth and olive oil.
Amandarama at 6:33PM on 09/28/09
This is not fancy, but qualifies. Roast a whole chicken as you probably do on a regular basis. On a lightly greased cookie sheet cut sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips and regular potatoes (root vegetables). Salt and drizzle some honey and roast for about 30-40 minutes. My family loves this and we are not celiac sufferers and I gave this to a client and she was so greatful.
janaatwg at 7:27PM on 09/28/09
He is so lucky to be with you, not here with me. I would be like, "Here's a tomato. Oh, and have a cucumber. Here's a banana for dessert."
betteirene at 7:30PM on 09/28/09
Thanks everyone for the great suggestions.
We do roast chicken so regularly I don't think of it as 'special' anymore, although I would be happy to have it in someone else's home! Regardless, I think I will head down to Granville Island and try to find a nice looking whole salmon or a couple trout to roast with some lemon thyme.
Roasted veg is definitely in, and @janaatwg I will definitely add honey - great idea! I think I'll toss some fennel in there too.
Funny how simple is always best, isn't it? This is the way my mother always cooked, and I so often overlook it.
Thanks again!
francie at 8:31PM on 09/28/09
poor kid .... i'd go with the nice roast chicken thing..... and lots of veggies..... hope he grows out of it. and something that he can eat for dessert .... maybe a sorbet for dessert. or for the kid - some homemade fruit juice popsicles.
pooch at 8:32PM on 09/28/09
Oh, and @studyzone - I love your cucumber salad idea. I will definitely be doing that too, to cut some of the richness of the smoked salmon.
It might seem odd to have salmon for both starter and main, but once you move to the other side of the continent you really miss the best from home!
francie at 8:33PM on 09/28/09
Francie, I feel your pain! I come from a family that has both wheat AND whey/nuts/eggs allergies.
For sauces and gravies, try using corn starch to thicken, it's what we do every year for thanksgiving.
Cook with margarine (which is usually so processed anyone can eat it).
Chicken, potatoes flavored with herbs or garlic, are good bets. Quinoa flavored with herbs, drippings from your meat, and topped with some roasted veggies might be a good one to try too.
ec_washington at 5:56PM on 09/29/09
Couscous, panfried asparagus with olive oil and sea salt and pepper, miso soup, edamame...
If it were me, I'd throw up my hands and take the guests to the Naam restaurant. I still miss that place :(
avaryne at 6:21PM on 09/29/09
Let me get this straight. Seven years old and allergic to dairy, wheat, corn and peanuts?
On top of it, the kid is picky enough to refuse red meat and spicy stuff? Cripes, with those sorts of restrictions, I'd be hoarding Texas-style chili.
Is there any way he can emancipate from his parents and find others who won't brainwash him, hover, or do seriously bad drugs in the 80s?
Give them all asparagus sauteed in olive oil or some or some oatmeal with soy milk and hasten them back to Vancouver, where they might be less exposed to germs and life and stuff.
tmj529 at 4:15AM on 09/30/09
@tmj: May God have mercy on your soul.
smallkitchen at 9:03AM on 09/30/09