This is a gourmet risotto recipe with Italian veal sausage, taleggio cheese and Frangelico, an Italian herb-flavored liqueur. It’s incredibly delicious though some of the ingredients might be difficult to source.
In a saucepan melt the butter and add the shallots, soften over low heat without coloring.
Add the sausage and roast it until nicely colored.
Add the rice, with a pinch of salt, and stir continuously until the rice is nicely toasted but not colored.
Next add the white wine and stir until evaporated.
Cover the rice with the vegetable stock and a pinch of salt.
Continue to cook the rice over a medium heat stirring constantly adding vegetable stock until the rice is cooked al dente, about 15 min.
To finish the risotto beat in the taleggio and add to the rice parmesan, the remaining butter, thyme, parsley and a shot of Frangelico.
Season it to taste.
* Tips: To have a nice al dente and all’onda risotto: once the risotto is cooked take it off of the heat, add all the ingredients list it above and leave it to rest for 1 minute covered with a clean towel.
Honey is likely the oldest sweetener in the world and is certainly one of the most loved, and the one with the most variety. And it’s all thanks to the bees!
Bees (specifically honeybees) gather nectar from flowers and plants, and then refine that nectar into honey during a complicated (and all-natural) process that we won’t get into here, but let’s just say… the result is delicious!
Honey is a golden, amber thick liquid that has a pH of around 3.9. It is super sweet and has been used in many applications over time, such as an antibiotic, and cough suppressant, to help control seasonal allergies. Honey has been celebrated throughout history for its flavor and long shelf life and is consumed all over the world!
There are many types of honey including raw honey, pasteurized honey, floral honey, filtered honey, and creamed honey. For this list, we are talking about your typical, run-of-the-mill Billy Bee honey—pourable from its container and used on everything from toast to cereal, to sweet tea and cocktails.
There are plenty of people who love honey for all the reasons we’ve listed here. But there are also lots of people who don’t consume honey because honey is an animal product. Many vegans do not consume honey or products made with honey. It is also not suitable for very young children or pregnant women (unless it’s been pasteurized) and can cause some allergies to flare up.
Here are 5 great honey substitutes that can get the same sweetness without the honey!
1. Maple Syrup
Maple syrup is always a favorite substitute for honey lovers because, like honey, maple syrup is all-natural!
Maple syrup is boiled sap collected from a maple tree. Simple as that! It makes an excellent substitute for honey because it is also always in its liquid form and is usually readily available and around the same price point.
The upside of using maple syrup in your recipes instead of honey is that they will then be suitable for those who do not ingest animal products (which technically, honey is produced by bees!).
However, maple syrup is much darker than honey and must also be refrigerated after opening, and of course, has a distinct maple flavor which may not always be ideal.
2. White or Brown Sugar
Both brown and white sugar are two of the cheapest sugars on the market. They of course are both powders, so if you need a liquid form of sweetener, you will need to dissolve them in water. But if you’re baking or just adding a bit of sweetness to something, then white or brown sugar make an excellent option!
Both white and brown sugar, while cheap, are heavily processed, which is basically the opposite of honey, so take note of this when preparing your recipe.
You will need about a 2:1 ratio of sugar to honey in any recipe to accommodate the change from solid to liquid. White sugar is very neutral in flavor whereas brown sugar does have a distinct flavor that many people love. Either of these sugars will work great in place of honey and will work in just about any recipe.
3. Barley Malt
Barley malt syrup is made from sprouted, malted barley and is super sweet and deep in flavor! It is a thick, brown, sticky liquid that of course has a distinct “malty” flavor that is most similar to brown sugar.
People like to use this as a sweetener because it is less sweet than sugar (only about a third as sweet as white sugar and half as sweet as honey) so it is a good option for anyone looking to reduce their sugar intake.
It is also considered less processed than sugar; while it does go through quite a lot in its processing, it is all fairly natural.
It is most commonly used in China in the production of sweets, but can be found in any health food store and is worth trying if honey isn’t your thing! It is entirely plant-based and shouldn’t be too expensive. It is also sold in powdered form which can be mixed with water and used as a quick honey substitute if you need one.
The only downside to barley malt is that it contains barley and is therefore not considered gluten free! It is also a fermented food, which is important to note for certain dietary restrictions.
4. Date Syrup or Paste
This option is more of a DIY honey substitute… and once you try it, we think you’ll be going back for more! Dried dates are a super sweet and healthy snack that is high in fiber and carbs, and low in fat. They are shelf stable, fairly inexpensive, and come in pitted bricks or sold whole either pitted or with pits.
Either way, you can soak 1 cup of dates in 1 cup of hot water for about 30 minutes. Strain and blend to make a super rich, creamy date paste (make sure to remove any pits!). You can also add more water to this and make date syrup, which can be used 1:1 with honey as a replacement in baked goods, desserts, or just about anything!
The only thing to keep in mind is that date syrup or paste will be quite dark in color, and may discolor anything you are making.
5. Monk Fruit Sweetener
Monk fruit is a small, round, exotic fruit native to China. In Chinese medicine, monk fruit is used to help heal wounds, but it is also used to make an intensely sweet sweetener, which is now enjoyed worldwide. It is 200 times sweeter than sugar or honey, and therefore, you only need to use a very small amount.
Because of this, it is popular in keto circles, or those following a low-carb diet. These days, monk fruit is fairly popular and easy to find in North America—check your health food or specialty store.
You will only need a very small amount of monk fruit powder to sweeten whatever it is that you are making, so keep this in mind when adjusting any recipe. Check the labels of your monk fruit for ratios and conversions.
Honey is a superfood! There’s no way around it. By eating honey from your local area, you can treat seasonal allergies! Egyptians were buried with honey as it was considered the nectar of the Gods! Either way you look at it, honey is pretty special! However, these days honey production has a bit of a bad reputation in some areas. It can be very mass-produced and there are ethical questions about what this is doing to the bee population.
Beekeeping is a very stressful and skilled job that is often not paid fairly in mass-produced honey circles. So if you are buying honey, it is important to consider these things. You might consider buying locally-made honey from a small farm in your area.
Go out and talk to the farmers… better yet, go out and talk to the bees! Find out where your honey is coming from. If honey still doesn’t sit right with you, you are welcome to try out any of the options from this list, and we think you’ll find something sweet enough to curb any honey cravings
In a blender or mortar and pestle, mash/blend the anchovy, garlic, and a pinch of salt to a paste.
Squeeze in the lemon juice and stir to break up the anchovy paste.
Beat in the mustard.
Either slowly add or whisk in the olive oil, a little at a time.
The vinaigrette should emulsify but will never become super tight and even, and that’s ok.
Stir in the pepper and parmesan cheese at the end.
Salad
Once frisee has been cleaned, place in ice water while preparing everything else. It will curl the ends and make it extra crunchy.
Mushrooms
Meanwhile, in a super hot large sauté pan, add half canola oil and look for smoke.
When smoking, add 1 pound of the mushrooms, (making sure they are cleaned with stems broken off the bottoms-don’t ever use water to clean mushrooms-if dirty, just wipe with a kitchen towel).
Sauté mushrooms until golden brown, and at the end, add half the butter, 2 sprigs of thyme, and one shallot shaved.
Toss mushrooms to get easily coated with the butter mix, and when slightly crunchy and browned, pour out onto cooling rack, letting the butter fall to the bottom to strain the mushrooms.
Repeat this step with the second pound until all mushrooms are cooked.
While hot, toss the mushrooms into a mixing bowl with the frisee, anchovy vinaigrette, and parsley leaves.
Toss maitake in a generous amount of sesame oil blend, season with salt, a small amount of togaroshi.
Grill until marks form on both sides, transfer to saute pan with mushroom glaze and black sesame seeds.
Reduce glaze until mushrooms are evenly coated.
Season again if necessary.
Plate with garlic cream sauce on the plate; sprinkle black sesame seeds and togaroshi over cream sauce, lay glazed mushroom over sauce, and finish with orange zest and maldon.
Sesame Oil Blend
Whisk oils together to combine.
Mushroom Stock
Cover all ingredients with water in medium sized stock pot.
Bring to a boil and reduce down to a simmer.
Simmer for 2 hours, strain and reserve mushroom stock.
Garlic Sauce
Using 250g of the water each time, cover the garlic cloves and bring to a simmer for 5 min.
Strain water and then simmer cloves again two more times.
On the fourth time add the heavy cream and the chopped raw garlic and bring to a simmer for 10 min.
Put this mixture into a vitamix and blend until smooth then slowly add the xanthan gum until desired thickness is reached.
Season with salt to taste.
Strain through a fine mesh chinois.
Mushroom Glaze
Whisk all ingredients together and reserve for later use.
Chickpea flour has many different names! You may see chickpea flour labeled as: gram, chana, garbanzo, cici bean or besan. All these flours are one in the same—finely ground flour made from dried chickpeas! Chickpea flour tends to be pale yellow to white and ranges from coarse to superfine.
Chickpeas, as you may know, are a pulse that is super high in protein, carbs, fiber and iron. They contain no gluten and are one of the creamiest and tastiest of all the beans!
Chickpeas are popular in Indian, Caribbean and Middle Eastern recipes, but it would be difficult to find a country in the world that doesn’t love chickpeas! Some of the most popular chickpea-based dishes include hummus, socca, falafel, papadam, pakora, chana and chole. Chickpeas are also the main ingredient in aquafaba, which is quickly becoming a popular plant-based egg replacer.
When ground, chickpea flour can be used in a variety of dishes, primarily in baked goods, where it lends a sweet, rich flavor as well as loads of nutrients that you might not get with another flour. Chickpea flour is readily available and relatively affordable, so it should be accessible. But if you cannot find chickpea flour, or are looking to play around in the kitchen and try out some alternatives, we’ve got you covered. Here are our top 9 chickpea flour substitutes!
1. Make Your Own Chickpea Flour!
Chickpea flour is relatively easy to make, assuming you have a high-power blender or food mill! If you do, we recommend making your own at least once!
You will want to make sure you grind the chickpeas until the flour is very fine. You can achieve this by blending on high for a few minutes, straining (look out for any clumps or small stones which can turn up in dried beans!) and blending again.
The result will be a super fine, powdery flour. You can also use a food mill such as a Nutri-Mill or something like it, and grind the beans in small batches. Homemade chickpea flour will be very fresh and superior in flavor!
This option is highly recommended if you have dried chickpeas on hand; just be mindful, this process can be very loud!
2. Wheat Flour
Like chickpeas, wheat is another plant that is high in nutrients such as carbohydrates, minerals, and fiber. Wheat flour is used in baked goods around the world and is prized for its flavor and sustenance.
However, wheat flour is not appropriate for those with a gluten allergy, which is becoming increasingly common. Wheat flour and chickpea flour can be used 1:1 and are about the same cost, so it is a great alternative if gluten is not an issue. If gluten is an issue, there are several other suitable options on this list!
3. Other Bean Flours (Fava, Kidney, Black Bean)
There are many types of bean flours on the market, all of which have similar benefits (and drawbacks!) to chickpea flour. The benefits include the fact that all these flours are high in nutrients and flavor, and are gluten free.
But that they may be a bit expensive and can be tricky to find. Any bean flour can be used 1:1 and we recommend fava bean flavor as the best because it is most similar in color and texture to chickpea flour.
4. Quinoa Flour
Quinoa flour is made from finely ground quinoa, which is technically a grass rather than a pulse or grain.
Quinoa, like chickpeas, is incredibly healthy! Quinoa is super high in fiber, carbs, and minerals. It is also high in protein, the highest you can get in a plant-based food. Quinoa is also gluten free so it can be used 1:1 in chickpea flour based recipes. The downside?
Quinoa flour can be quite expensive! Because of its fat content, it will also go rancid quickly and should be used within a few weeks. (You can make your own quite quickly or buy at any health food store!)
Quinoa flour also has a distinct quinoa-like flavor (go figure!) So if you are looking for something neutral, we recommend a different flour from this list such as corn or oat flour.
5. Oat Flour
Oats, like chickpeas, are readily available and therefore less expensive than some of these other options. They are most often gluten-free, but occasionally oats are processed with wheat products, so if gluten is an issue, make sure you look for gluten-free oat flour!
Oat flour is ideal because it is cheap, fairly neutral in flavor (and hopefully gluten-free), and colorless. It is also very easy to make yourself and you won’t need a fancy, high-powered blender for this one… just a regular one or a food processor!
You will need to use about 20% more oat flour than chickpea flour in a baked good because the volume of oat flour is different. Otherwise, it makes a great alternative to any flour, especially chickpea flour!
6. Almond Flour or Almond Meal
Almond flour (or meal, as it is sometimes called) is made from finely ground raw, peeled almonds. It is slightly sweet and makes delicious, gluten-free baked goods!
High in nutrients, especially fiber and protein, almond flour is a great alternative to chickpea flour, and can be used 1:1. It is lower carb, meaning it is more suitable for certain diets.
On the flip side, almond meal can be quite expensive and won’t be suitable for anyone with a nut allergy.
7. Corn Flour
Different from cornmeal or cornstarch, corn flour is made from finely ground corn that has been processed with anti-clumping agents.
It is prized in Mexican baked goods but is often used for its low price point and fine texture. Corn flour has a distinct corn-like flavor so take this into consideration if using corn flour in place of chickpea flour! Corn flour is also gluten-free, and will make any baked good tender and delicious!
8. Brown Rice Flour
Also gluten-free and full of nutrients, rice flour is an excellent option to use in place of chickpea flour.
Brown rice flour is used primarily in gluten-free baked goods because it is readily available and inexpensive.
It is often used in blends though, because brown rice flour can have a bit of a sandy texture, and is slightly brown in color. Keep this in mind, and feel free to use any of the flours on this list in combination with brown rice flour.
9. Lentil Flour
Whether the lentil flour you choose is homemade or store-bought, it is very similar to chickpea flour as it is made from another pulse that you might already have in your pantry!
Lentil flour will also be very high in protein, fiber, and carbs, and is free from fat, gluten, or salt, making it a very healthy flour! Lentil flour may discolor your baked goods, so it is worth considering that when deciding whether to use it for your recipe.
There are as many substitutes for chickpea flour as there are names for it! Chickpea flour is incredibly popular, especially in Indian cuisines where it is used to make pakora and dosa, but also in France where it is used to make socca and pannise, and in Middle Eastern cuisine for many recipes!
Chickpea flour is popular in vegetarian and gluten-free recipes and you will find it adds a pleasant texture and mild sweetness to anything you are preparing.
Arrowroot powder (sometimes called arrowroot starch or arrowroot flour) is a starch derived from a variety of plants, most commonly American arrowroot (which is a form of bamboo tuber) but also tapioca and cassava.
It is more popular in Caribbean cultures, as well as in Asia, but is becoming more common in North America as gluten allergies rise. Arrowroot is used to thicken things, as well as bind ingredients together.
Along with being used in kitchens around the world, arrowroot has had many other uses over the last 7,000 years. Historically, it has been used to treat wounds, as a glue, and also to make paper! It is also used today as an ingredient in natural baby powder or dry shampoo. Talk about versatility! In Napoleonic times, arrowroot was a very popular starch used in cookies, puddings, jello, sauces, and even soup broths.
In Japan and Korea, a special kind of arrowroot called Kudzu is used in many noodle recipes. Arrowroot is prized for keeping the color of whatever you are looking to thicken intact. Unlike cornstarch, it makes clear, shimmering fruit gels and is used in cooking to produce a clear, thickened sauce, such as in fruit sauce, hot sauce, or sweet and sour.
It doesn’t make the sauce go cloudy, as cornstarch, flour, and other starchy thickening agents do, and unlike the others, it is freezable.
In Arawak, it gets its name from aru-aru, or “meal of meals” as the arrowroot or cassava root has always been a staple. Processing arrowroot into the powder we are used to is quite a lengthy process, as arrowroot only contains about 20% starch.
You can find arrowroot in its whole form in some specialty grocery stores where you might find Caribbean or Indo-Asian foods, but finding the powder can prove a little more difficult.
Arrowroot powder is less affordable than similar starches, like cornstarch or even agar agar, but it is quite versatile so it is worthwhile having it in the pantry! Arrowroot thickens at a lower temperature than flour and other starches and it is gluten-free and not weakened by acidic ingredients. It also has a more neutral taste and is not affected by freezing, which makes it an excellent option for bakers and chefs alike!
If you cannot find arrowroot, here are some great substitutes!
1. Cornstarch
Cornstarch is a starch made from, you guessed it, corn! Like arrowroot, cornstarch is also gluten-free, nut-free, sugar-free, and oil-free. It is also very close to arrowroot in its thickening capabilities and can be used 2:1 cornstarch to arrowroot. When thickening sauces, cornstarch must be cooked out.
It is also helpful to mix cornstarch with some cold water first (this is called a slurry, and not necessary with arrowroot!) The downside of using cornstarch as a replacement for arrowroot is that cornstarch will make things cloudy and cannot be frozen. The upside is that cornstarch is very cheap and available everywhere!
2. Wheat Flour
Using all-purpose or bread flour as a thickener in your recipes is a no-brainer and has its benefits! Wheat flour is nutrient-dense, high in fiber and protein, and is of course known for its excellent flavor. Wheat flour, however, will make anything that you’re cooking unsuitable for those with gluten intolerances or allergies.
It is also likely to get clumpy if not cooked properly. You likely have wheat flour in your cupboard right now so it is a quick substitute.
You can use three teaspoons of flour for every one teaspoon of arrowroot. Wheat flour comes in many different options such as all-purpose, cake flour, spelt, kamut or even a blend. Any of these will work in place of arrowroot.
3. Psyllium Husk or Flax Seeds
Two more nutrient-dense options that are known for their high fiber content while being super low in calories, psyllium husk and flax seeds. These are popular in plant-based recipes to replace eggs, but you can also use them as a thickener for gravies and sauces, in baked goods, and also as a binding agent in patties, fritters, and burgers.
The downside to psyllium husk is that because it is considered a healthy food, it can be quite expensive (much more than some of the other options on this list) and due to its high fiber content, it does have a bit of a gritty texture, even when ground finely.
It may also slightly discolor whatever you’re baking so take care. If using flax seeds, make sure you opt for raw or golden flax seeds that are very finely ground.
4. Xanthan Gum
Xanthan gum is a bit of a mystery ingredient. It’s one of those ingredients that shows up in a lot of things, but most people don’t really know what it is. So, we’re here to settle it!
Xanthan gum is derived from sugar, fermented sugar to be exact, and is used to stabilize and thicken a variety of products on the market including beauty products, medicine, and food!
It can also be purchased in powder form and used as a substitute for arrowroot. You will need much less xanthan gum (1 teaspoon for every 5 teaspoons of arrowroot) and many people do have allergies to it so make sure you let people know if you try this replacement!
5. Tapioca Starch
Tapioca starch is likely the closest substitute to arrowroot in its color, scent, taste, and texture, making it an excellent replacement for arrowroot!
Tapioca is slightly sweet, so it is best used in baked goods as opposed to savory foods like gravy. Tapioca thickened without solidifying, giving sauces a ‘stretchy’ like texture. It is also pure white, meaning it will not discolor whatever you’re cooking!
The only downside to using tapioca is that it will break down when frozen, so it is not suitable for any recipe that you might be freezing. It can also be tricky to find, but you will likely find it at the health food store or an Asian supermarket. You can use tapioca 1:1 to arrowroot.
6. Potato Starch/Flour
Potato starch is of course made from potatoes and is a pure white, finely ground flour that can be used to thicken sauces and bind baked goods. Potato starch (or potato flakes) are often used in loaves of bread, quickbreads, muffins, cakes, etc, and is less likely to be used in sauces.
It is prized for its pure white color and cost-effectiveness, especially in poorer areas of the world, where fresh potatoes are uncommon. Potato starch has less nutritional qualities than arrowroot and is quite bland in flavor, so there may be a better replacement… but we’ll leave that up to you.
7. Sweet Rice Flour
Sweet rice flour, which is different from regular rice flour, is a great substitute for all your baking and dessert needs! It will offer a slightly sweet flavor and loads of nutrition. Like arrowroot, sweet rice flour can also be frozen and not lose quality.
You can find sweet rice flour at Asian supermarkets and use 1:1 with arrowroot. It is known for sometimes having a slightly gritty texture, so make sure you get one that is finely ground.
Overall, we think arrowroot powder is a great, versatile product. It can, however, be slightly hard to find, so we’ve provided a list of some other great options. Go with cornstarch or potato starch if cost is a factor. If you’re looking for something a little healthier, go with flax, psyllium husk, or xanthan gum. Either way, there are plenty of options for all your thickening and binding needs! Happy cooking!
