Lamb hotpot with celeriac topping

[Toucan]

Lamb Hotpot with Celeriac Topping.

This is a recipe I found in a recent newspaper supplement about the Newcastle diet. It is from Stage 3, the ‘Stay on Track’ section.

As I follow a low-carb diet, and this is based on calorie counting, I initially treated this with suspicion. However, on my rough count it works out at around 12 to 15 carbs per portion, which easily fits into my up to 70 carbs a day.

My husband declared it to be delicious, and ate 2 of the 4 portions! – so only one portion left for the freezer.

For 4 portions:

Brown 500g of lamb chunks in 1 tbsp. of olive oil, the set aside (I used pre-chopped pack from Iceland)

Then saute celery, onions, garlic, thyme and rosemary for about 5 mins until onions start to soften. (recipe uses carrots but I left these out to keep carb count down)

Stir in 20g of plain flour for a couple of minutes, then add 450ml of vegetable stock and some Worcester sauce. Add back the lamb and simmer for 5 minutes or so, until the sauce starts to thicken. Pour into oven proof casserole dish.

Peel and chop the celeriac into thin slices (I hate chopping celeriac as it’s so tough – but good for muscle building!)

Arrange the slices on top of the stew, overlapping them until surface is covered. – brush with olive oil and season.

Cover with tinfoil at cook at 170C (150C for fan oven) for 1.5 hrs, then remove foil and cook for another 30 minutes. – Enjoy

 

[Drummer]

That is about 15 gm of extra starch from the 20gm of flour - I would just blend some of the vegetables, including carrots to thicken the stock, rather than introducing grain, which has very little in the way of nutrients.

 

[silentsquirrel]

That is about 15 gm of extra starch from the 20gm of flour - I would just blend some of the vegetables, including carrots to thicken the stock, rather than introducing grain, which has very little in the way of nutrients.

So less than 4g carb per portion, which is very manageable for all except those on an extremely low carb WOE. Some may prefer the different feel of the sauce thickened slightly by flour rather than veg, some may prefer the pureed veg option.

 

[Drummer]

I was thinking more of the flavour and the vitamin content, and also the colour - I used to work in the food industry and it is surprising how the colour of a sauce can alter the perception of it.

 

[Toucan]

I wouldn't normally use flour either, but it did make a very nice texture to the sauce and was quite a pleasant change without too much impact on the carb count.

 

[ColinUK]

Could using coconut flour perhaps worth and keep the carb count lower?

 

[Jodee]

Well I just had lamb in the slow cooker (oiled bottom and sides), cooked with 1 med potato, 3 carrots, 2 sticks of celery Rosemary, black pepper and parsley leaf with about a cup of water. (2 lamb steaks) it lasted me 2 meals and have some veg left over, so that means less than half a medium potato with each meal. (A very easily affordable 18 g carbs in the potato portion per meal). Add spinach cooked separately 1 min in microwave. I leave the lamp steaks whole, and chop fairly small the potato, carrots and celery.

I prefer, easy prepare and no fuss cook meals myself. But of course have to be tasty 😛