By Request

BETTY SHIMABUKURO

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Versatile vinaigrettes
turn bland dishes
into marvels

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For people with food allergies, eating out is an adventure that doesn't always end well.

Kathryn Taniguchi is allergic to all nut, sesame, dairy and wheat products, and as a result usually cooks for herself at home. It's not that restaurants aren't sympathetic, Taniguchi says. Most chefs are quite willing to accommodate her needs, especially if she gives them a little advance notice. It's just that mistakes do happen.

"A lot of chefs don't realize shoyu and mirin have wheat in them. ... They'll overlook it," she says. Or they're not aware that a trace amount of butter or nuts in a pan is enough to trigger trouble. "If they're not really careful to use a clean pan, if there's just the slightest amount, I'll have a reaction."

And then there's the meal itself. "Usually my choices are steak or broiled fish or chicken and steamed vegetables, so there's not much taste."

A restaurant meal is just not the gourmet delight that it is for others at the table. "You sit there and smell the wonderful aromas that everyone else has, and then yours comes -- mmm that looks good, steamed vegetables. It can be very disappointing."

But at Aaron's Atop the Ala Moana, Taniguchi discovered a dressing that made going out worth the risk. It was a vinaigrette with capers that she was able to use on her steamed fish as well as her salad.

George Gomes, executive chef for the Tri-Star Restaurant Group that owns Aaron's, says the dressing is used in various ways within the chain. At Sarento's Top of the "I" it's served with an artichoke and tomato salad; at Nick's Fishmarket Maui with the Maui Wowie Salad. It's also good on grilled chicken or fish, Gomes says.

"People love that dressing, they use it on different things. It's very versatile."

The recipe follows, along with a tomato-vinaigrette purée that would pair with salads or grilled meats. It's from a cookbook of recipes free of wheat, gluten, dairy and eggs.

Caper Vinaigrette

1 roasted red bell pepper, skinned, seeded and chopped (see note)
2 tablespoons capers
1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano and parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Whites from 2 hard-boiled eggs
1-1/2 cups red wine vinegar
1-1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients except oil, salt and pepper. Add oil gradually while whisking lightly to emulsify. Adjust taste with salt and pepper.

Note: To roast bell pepper, place whole pepper on a grill or under a broiler, turning until all the skin is charred. Place in paper bag until cool enough to handle. Remove skin under running water, then discard seeds and stem. Commercially prepared roasted bell peppers are also available in jars in most supermarkets. Makes about 4 cups.

Approximate nutritional analysis, per 2 tablespoon serving (not including salt to taste): 100 calories, 11 g total fat, 2 g saturated fat, no cholesterol, 30 mg sodium, 0.5 g carbohydrate, 0.5 g protein *

Tomato-Basil Vinaigrette

"Special Diet Celebrations" by Carol Fenster (Savory Palate, 1999, $18.95)

2 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice, or red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh basil, packed, or 1 tablespoon dried
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or 1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon sugar or honey
1/4 teaspoon EACH salt and pepper

Combine ingredients in a blender and purée. Refrigerate up to 2 days. Makes about 1/2 cup.

Approximate nutritional analysis, per 2 tablespoons: 83 calories, 7 g fat, no cholesterol, 152 mg sodium, 1 g protein, 6 g carbohydrate, 1g fiber.

Food Stuffs: Morsels

Send queries along with name and phone number to:
"By Request," Honolulu Star-Bulletin,
500 Ala Moana, No. 7-210, Honolulu 96813.
Or send e-mail to bshimabukuro@starbulletin.com

Asterisk (*) after nutritional analyses in the Body & Soul section indicates calculations by Joannie Dobbs of Exploring New Concepts, a nutritional consulting firm.