According to a recent article in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, about one out of every 13 Canadians suffers from at least one food allergy. One of the biggest culprits? Gluten.

Whether it's celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity or a simple wheat allergy, avoiding gluten is key--and it's not always easy.

At Cuisine & Passion, we carry a line of gluten-free pasta products and, to make it easier, all freshly made products in our showcase that are gluten-free are labeled as such.

We invite you to drop in and have a look. Any questions? Just ask!

Random person: Chef, you seem to have this thing about yellow and green. It's on your signs, your business cards, your labels. What's up with that?

Chef Marc: We originally chose our colours based on what we thought best represented what we do and who we are as chefs. The green and yellow represent lemons and limes, fruits that to us are fresh, bright, vibrant and show that just a subtle change in flavour can make all the difference. We think it's a perfect fit. The rumour that we chose lemons and limes because they are round and squishy is just not true.

There are several ways to sharpen your kitchen skills at Cuisine & Passion. Choose one that suits your time and budget.

1. Chef for a Night -- Although scheduled classes are over until February (except for the holiday classes), we are still offering private classes for 6-10 people. Cost: $90 per person. 
 

 2. Chef for a Week -- Spend an entire week at Chef Marc's side as his sous-chef. For $499, you will learn skills for a lifetime that will help you plan and prepare dinners your friends and family will never forget.

3. Kids in the Kitchen -- These are Saturday afternoon classes for young people between the ages of 8 and 12. About 90 minutes in length, participants get to prepare and enjoy a meal and take home the recipes. Minimum 10 people. Cost: $30 per person.

...but there are some rules.

• Water should be cold but it doesn't have to be chilled; cold from the tap is fine.
• Flour the rolling pin but use flour only as needed as you don't want to add too much to the dough.
• Chill the dough for two to three hours before rolling. Warm dough is sticky. Even more importantly, chilling prevents shrinkage. Baking it when it's stillcold also prevents shrinkage. 
• You can re-roll leftover dough but do it only once or it will get overworked and tough. 
• Although it's an old wives' tale that flipping the dough when rolling it out will ruin it, we don't do it, just in case. No good baker does. Why? We have no idea. We just do what grandma told us to do and it always comes out fine.

Finally...

• If you use foil pans, punch three or four holes in the bottom with a screwdriver to ensure more even cooking on the bottom. Do this before you put the dough in the pan...
  

When making this dish, the rice should be cooked, but firm.

1 lb. asparagus           

20 prawns, size 16-20 per pound, peeled and cleaned

1-2 French shallots, finely chopped

2 cups Arborio rice           

4+ cups chicken stock, preferably homemade

4 oz. canola oil           

2 oz. olive oil           

1 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated

2 tbsp Italian parsley, chopped

4 oz. dry white or sparkling wine           

salt and pepper to taste       

1. Prepare the asparagus: Snap a few of the asparagus tips to see where they naturally break and then cut all the same size. If dealing with larger-size asparagus, they should be peeled first. Blanch the asparagus in plenty of salted water until cooked and then shock them in cold water to stop the cooking process. Cut two inches from the tip and reserve  the tips. Divide the remaining asparagus into two groups. Purée one group in the food processor, adding a touch of water if they are too dry. Slice the other group into small pieces. Set purée and slices aside.
   
   
2. Heat the chicken stock in a large pot.
   
   
3. Put canola oil and shallots in a large, rounded-bottom sauce pan and cook for one minute. You want the shallots translucent but without colour from caramelization.
   
   
4. Add the rice and make sure it is well covered with the oil. Add wine and reduce for 30 seconds.
   
   
5. Cover the rice with warm chicken stock. When the stock has been absorbed add more stock, enough to barely cover the rice. (You will be repeating this process until the rice is cooked but still firm.)
   
   
6. About halfway through the process, add the asparagus purée and slices.
   
   
7. About three-quarters of the way through the process, add the prawns.
   
   
8. When the rice is ready, cream it with the olive oil and Parmesan by mixing it rapidly with a wooden spoon.
   
   
9. Adjust seasoning.
   
   
10. Sauté the asparagus tips in a touch of butter and use as a garnish on top of the rice.
    
    
11. Enjoy!