Okay, so I freely admit that both chicken and pork may seem a little excessive; but sometimes life is there to be lived, so why hold back?!

This dish in no way requires the two; feel free to use either independently. Let’s just say I was feeling extravagant; but the results are well worth it!

There are some flavour-combinations which make you feel glad to be alive; and this is one of them! The sweet creaminess of coconut-milk and rich, warm depth of chicken-stock form the perfect basis for so many recipes – Jamaican, Thai, Indian… the choice is endless. But this particular dish has an added bonus – white rum!

There’s no need to worry about the carb-content of rum. This is a low-carb blog, so anything you see here will be suitable for ketogenic-dieters, diabetics and those following a paleo-regime. The net carbs of white rum is between 0 – 0.1g per 100ml, and we’re only using a fraction of that! Be careful not to mistake it for dark rum however. That’s a different kettle of fish entirely. Although not massively high, the sugar-content varies enormously, so I always feel it’s better to be safe than sorry!

The rice I use here, is my standard cauliflower-rice recipe; just with half a teaspoon of turmeric added when it goes into the pan. If you don’t know how to make this, take a quick look at the following recipe and all will become clear. It couldn’t be simpler, so don’t be put off by trying something new. You won’t be sorry you did!

Start by placing a heavy-based pan onto the hob, and browning your diced chicken & pork in a little butter mixed with oil. Then add sliced onion, chopped garlic, chilli and a sprinkle of dried thyme. Continue to hob-cook until the meat is golden brown and the vegetables soft & tender.

Once this has occurred, crank up the heat and deglaze the pan with a healthy glug of white rum. Standing with your nose over the pan at this point is an experience like no other! The rum billows out in a cloud of steam, carrying with it the alcohol-content and acidity. All you’re left with is the sweet flavour of spices, and a comforting, exotic ‘warmth’.

Once the spirit has reduced, add a cupful of water and crumble in a chicken stock-cube. Pour on half a can of coconut milk (not low fat!!) and stir in well to incorporate altogether. If you wish, you can also grate in the zest of half an orange, to add perfume; but this is entirely a matter of preference.

Simmer this on a low heat whilst you prepare your rice. After ten minutes or so, the sauce should be thick, glossy and smooth. Taste to adjust the seasoning, then squeeze in a good whack of lime juice, followed by chopped basil.

Transfer your rice to a pre-warmed serving-dish, then ladle on the meat and sauce in generous quantities.

The taste of this dish really is sublime. I can’t recommend it highly enough! Even though it’s cold outside, your kitchen is transformed into that much longed-for place in the sun. A true tonic for the soul, if ever there was one.

Just add a low-carb mojito to the mix, and paradise will be yours!

Thank you for reading and bon ap!

Adam.

Gammon is one of those incredibly warm and comforting foods. A fine crackling crust gives way to unctuously tender meat, that literally melts in the mouth. The curing & smoking process lends it a pleasing saltiness, which is incredibly moreish. And as for taste; its depth and intensity requires little fussing! Any attempt to complicate the flavour will most certainly end in a fight! You’ll end up with an over-powering muddle of flavours which is as muddy as it is disappointing. Gammon is a thing best prepared as simply as possible. And that’s equally to cook’s advantage – maximum reward for minimum effort!

Here the vegetables are cooked alongside the meat. This allows the flavours to slowly infuse together, making the resultant sauce a true triumph of taste and texture. A final swirl of creme-fraiche puts the cherry on the cake in terms of luxury; adding a velvety smoothness which is beyond compare. If you don’t take my word for it, give it a go yourself. You won’t regret the effort. Just be sure to tell me how you got on…!

Due to the salt content of gammon, it’s best to season mainly with pepper and dried herbs alone. Seal the meat on all sides in a little butter and oil, then place into the oven for 20 minutes whilst you prepare your vegetables.

Roughly dice whatever veg you have to hand. I chose a proud autumn selection – butternut squash, celery, yellow-pepper, red onion, and a little celeriac. Add these to your pan, so that they surround the meat and stir around with a wooden spoon so that they’re well coated in oil. If there’s insufficient in the pan, drizzle on a little olive oil to prevent the mix from sticking. Sprinkle on some dried thyme & chopped garlic, then dot a bay-leaf or two around the meat for background depth. Return the pan to the oven and continue to roast for one hour, or until the gammon is golden brown and succulent.

Once the meat is cooked, remove the gammon to your serving-dish and cover with tinfoil to rest and keep warm. Both the pork and vegetables with have surrendered a lot of liquid, so the dish is braised rather than roast. This is all to the good, as it means we have a ready-made sauce! Taste this to adjust for seasoning, then stir in a generous tablespoon of creme-fraiche and swirl around. Spoon the vegetables into your serving-dish alongside the gammon, then pour on your sauce.

A garnish of fresh herbs is all you need to complete the dish. It’s truly amazing how something so simple can be so packed with flavour. As I said in the title – with food this good, who needs carbs??  Not me, that’s for sure!

Thank you for reading and bon ap!

Adam.

Throughout the 16th, 17th & 18th centuries, December saw the roads into London transformed into a winter wonderland of feathers, fowl and frenzy! The Great Drove was afoot!

Hungry urban mouths had to be fed, and this meant the mass import of livestock and produce into the capital from the surrounding countryside. All in preparation for the resplendently festive Christmas table! These thoroughfares were known as ‘drove-roads’ and it was the drover’s job to slowly herd his gaggle of squawking geese and turkeys into the big city, where his lovingly tended flock would command a far higher price amongst the capital’s rapidly aspiring middle-classes.

The soul leaps for joy at the very thought! An army of slowly shuffling webbed-feet as far as the eye can see! What a cacophony of sound must have met the ear. Honking and quacking, chattering and squawking! All tended by an anxious drovesman, desperate to ensure his livelihood was delivered safe and sound in one piece!

These drove-roads extended some hundreds of miles. Such a pilgrimage must truly have been a wonder to behold! And what of the drovers? The journey was long and cold. Their solace was the conveniently dispersed network of country inns and coaching-houses, all of which offered a tempting draft of ale and good plain, simple English fare. This was meant to fill, nourish and sustain the weary traveller through whatever hardships the road might throw his way.

In return for a share of groaning tables laden with rustic cheeses, meat-pies, roasted meats and freshly-baked bread; the drover would occasionally sacrifice a straggler or two from his flock in payment. These offerings would’ve been prepared in the simplest of ways; drawing their rich flavour from the time-honoured staples of the English country larder. The mouth waters at the thought of rich, salty smoked bacon, freshly churned butter, sweet winter-store onions and hardy garden herbs.

This dish pays tribute to the drovers of old. Although their toil is long past, it is not forgotten! At this time of year, I smile to think of the trials they must have faced, and the stories they told around the warm fires of crowded coaching inns. Whilst loyal to their memory, I cannot entirely echo their diet! This is a low-carb blog; so the bread and pastry which sustained them through the cold winter nights will not be bolstering my own fat reserves! My energy needs are not a fraction of theirs; nor is my constitution! But when food is as rich and wholesome as this, who needs carbohydrate? Not we!

This recipe requires a good, sturdy cast-iron pan. Place this on the hob with a generous knob of butter. Dice your smoked bacon into small chunks and pan-fry until golden and brown. Add to this coarsely chopped onion, leeks and garlic, then add your turkey to the pan. Seal this on a high heat, before stirring in sliced fennel and a good whack of chopped fresh herbs. Warmly fragrant sage and thyme would be my choice, but this can naturally be varied to your preference.

Pour on boiling water until the liquid just laps ‘chin-height’ of the pan’s contents. Please note – no wine or alcohol is needed to deglaze this dish. The flavour is delivered solely by the plain, honest and wholesome ingredients we see before us; tangy fennel, smoked bacon and savoury herbs. We need nothing more.

Place the lid firmly on the pan and oven-roast for up to one hour, until the liquid is all but reduced and the turkey is soft and tender. I serve this with baked garlic field-mushrooms, cooked for 20 minutes in a hot oven with a generous spoon of garlic butter on top and lots of freshly milled black-pepper.

So at table in the warm; spare a thought or two to the drover on his long, hard journey. And maybe raise a glass to his memory. His food legacy will certainly not disappoint, so lets all drink to that!

Thank you for reading and bon ap!

Adam.

 

Back home late from work? Well this dish is low-carb in a hurry! Having said that, there’s no compromise on flavour, and you still get that wonderful home-cooked taste and feel! So if it’s nurture you’re after; what could be more delicious than meatballs in a rich tomato sauce covered with cheese?? Few things, I’ll wager!

As is the case with all the recipes on this site, there’s no gluten involved, so those with allergies or gluten-intolerance can tuck in without issue. Because the levels of carbohydrate are incredibly low, type 1&2 diabetics need have no fears over blood-sugar spikes or insulin-matching. This is LCHF to the core, so ketogenic-dieters and paleo-fans are all welcome at the table! There’s plenty to go around!

When I say ‘spicy chilli-beef meatballs’, the chilli is predominantly included in the sauce. If you have more time however, you can add this to the meatball mix itself. I was up against the clock to get a meal on the table, so I took the short-cut. I leave it up to you which route you follow.

Start by making your sauce. Finely slice leek, shallots or onion and sauté these in olive-oil and butter until tender and translucent. Add 2 crushed cloves of garlic and a sprinkle of dried chilli-flakes (to taste). Cook for a minute, then pour on a centimetre’s depth of port, enjoying the ‘sigh’ as it hits the pan.

Wine is not great on a ketogenic-diet due to its relatively high sugar content. To avoid opening a bottle just for cooking, I keep two bottles in the cupboard – one of dry vermouth, to take the place of white wine; and another of port to serve as red. Neither of these suffer from being consumed over a long period of time, plus it makes things considerably cheaper in the long run.

 

Strain the liquid from half a can of tomatoes and add these to the pan, plus a little water to be getting on with. Why not simply use the tomato juice? Carbs. Crumble in a beef stock-cube and a teaspoon full of mixed, dried herbs. Simmer for 20 minutes until thick and glossy.

Meanwhile make your meatballs. Season your minced beef with a generous hand and sprinkle in half a teaspoon of hot-chilli-powder. You can use fresh chillies if you wish, but I was trying to cut down on labour so opted for the powder. You can also buy excelled ‘pre-formed’ fresh-meatballs from most supermarkets. If that is your chosen option, simply dust these with a light-coating of chilli-powder and cook in the same way.

Place your meatballs onto a baking-sheet and oven bake for 15 minutes until succulently brown and delicious!

While these are in the oven, detach the romanesco-florets from the stalk one by one, so that you preserve their fine structure. Bring a pan of water to the boil then add the florets respectfully into the water. After two minutes on the boil, drain and plunge into cold water to preserve the verdant green and texture. Once cool, tumble back into the pan and place into the oven for a final 5 minutes to heat through. You can simply serve this straight from the boil, but it always seems a shame if it loses its bright vibrancy. If you too are under time-constraints, I certainly wouldn’t judge you for taking the shortcut.

When all is ready, take the meatballs and romanesco from the oven and tumble these into your pre-warmed serving-dish. Pour your sauce liberally over the top and sprinkle with a shocking amount of grated cheese. I used manchego on account of its taste and texture; but parmesan or cheddar would equally put on a splendid show! Garnish with a final flurry of chopped herbs et voila! Dinner is served.

Thanks for reading and bon ap!

Adam.

We’ve had an incredibly busy day, so I really wanted something quick & easy, but which didn’t have that feeling of a ‘rushed short-cut meal’. Black Forest Chicken it is!

The reason I call this dish ‘Black Forest’ is that it contains both the wonderful smoked ham and sausages of that region (the same area as the world-famous Black Forest Gateau). Any smoked ham or fast-cook sausages will serve in their place, but the rich smokiness of the original is the perfect thing for a chill November’s night.

We had the fire alight in the sitting-room, and the smell of the wood-smoke seemed to mingle seamlessly with the rich, cured pine-flavour of the ham. This is partnered wonderfully by the smooth creaminess of brie, which diffuses the ham’s taste on the palette, plus goes that almost ‘sticky meltedness‘, which is truly irresistible!  The combination of this, plus bacon, sausages and chicken make this the ultimate in comfort food. Give it a go yourself; you’ll soon see what I mean!

Dice your bacon and sauté in butter in a thick-bottomed pan alongside your chopped sausages. Once these start to brown, add sliced chicken fillets and finely chopped shallots (or onion). Roughly dice a red-pepper and add this, then crush in two cloves or garlic and cook on a medium-heat for a couple of minutes until the chicken is coloured all over. At this point, deglaze the pan with a good glug of dry vermouth and season well. Add water to a centimetre’s depth and crumble in a chicken stock-cube. Simmer on the hob until the liquid has reduced by two thirds of its volume.

Meanwhile prepare your zoodles, then melt a good tablespoon of butter in a wok. Stir-fry the courgette-noodles until cooked through, but still retaining their bite. Place the cooked noodles in the oven for 2 minutes, to stave off any moisture which may have collected in the bottom of the pan.

Whilst the noodles are finishing in the oven, add a large tablespoon of creme fraiche to the sauce and stir through until smooth. Finely chop some basil and sprinkle this into the sauce, stirring the whole time so that the cream doesn’t catch on the bottom of the pan.

Take the courgette-noodles out of the oven and pour over the sauce. Make sure the chicken and sausages are distributed evenly in the dish, so that no-one misses out! Dot the surface with thick slices of brie and garnish with a final flurry of chopped basil.

Serve in large, shallow pasta-bowls and eat in as relaxed a setup as possible. I wholeheartedly recommend curling up on the sofa in front of the fire, if you can. This is the perfect dish to do it with!

Thanks for reading and bon ap!

Adam.

Loin of pork is a wonderful thing to cook. It’s always incredibly tender, yet refreshingly simple to prepare. Here I’ve chosen a classic French approach, of white wine, mushrooms and creme fraiche. This combination delivers flawless results every time, and has that real wow-factor, which makes this the perfect thing to cook for a dinner party.

No such grandeur for us however! I’ve chosen this for a cosy meal for two on a cold Autumn night. This means we have the added bonus of being able to enjoy the leftover pork for lunch another day. It’ll carve beautifully into thick, succulent slices; to be served with salad, peppery radishes and fiery hot mustard. I’m all for meals which have ‘ongoing promise’ – you just have to make sure you’re disciplined enough not to eat the lot!

Romanesco is a true jewel. Sometimes the beauty of nature is breathtaking in every way. The almost crystalline turrets formed by this member of the cauliflower family, bare its ancestor’s texture but have more the delicate taste of broccoli. Romanesco is packed with nutrients, which has earned it the prestigious accolade of ‘superfood’, and yes; it’s low in carbs, so diabetics and keto-dieters can tuck in with vigour! Beyond all that however, it’s totally delicious and goes with anything. For people who think that vegetables tend to lose their colour or interest levels in winter, romanesco will be music to your ears. I challenge even the hottest of summers to come up with anything as beautiful and tasty as this!

Place a heavy-bottomed pan on the hob and melt in a generous knob of butter, with a little oil to stop it burning. Season your pork and seal it until caramelised and golden on each side. Add a large handful of sliced shallots and two cloves of finely chopped garlic. Roughly slice your mushrooms and sauté alongside the shallots, or keep them whole if you’re lucky enough to find mushrooms small enough. Once these are soft and tender, deglaze the pan with a generous glug of white-wine or vermouth.

I want to share a tip here. Wine is not great on a ketogenic-diet due to its relatively high sugar content. If you wish to use it in cooking, then invariably you’ll be stuck with the rest of the bottle which you must either drink (bye bye diet) or throw away (tragedy). To avoid this, I keep two bottles in the cupboard – one of dry vermouth, to take the place of white wine; and another of port to serve as red. Neither of these suffer from being opened and consumed over a long period of time. It also makes it considerably cheaper in the long run, as their taste is robust enough to warrant a smaller quantity in cooking.

Once the alcohol has reduced, pour in a little water, so that the pork is waist-high in liquid, then crumble in a chicken stock cube. Season well and stir in a handful of chopped herbs. Tarragon, sage, basil or oregano are all good. I used sage on account of its warm and perfumed flavour. Place the pan (lid off) into a hot oven, to braise for 20 minutes, whilst you get on preparing the romanesco.

It is almost heartbreaking to cut into this vegetable’s cryptonite crowns. It’s so pretty that it almost seems a shame to eat it! But do so we must. Detach the florets from the stalk one by one, so that you preserve their fine structure. Bring a pan of water to the boil then add the romanesco-florets respectfully into the water.

Second tip of the day. As any Victorian cook would tell you: if it grows above the ground, boil with the lid on! If it comes from below the ground, lid off! This handy mantra will see you safely through any recipe and mean your vegetables cook to deliver their optimum.

After two minutes on the boil, drain and plunge into cold water to preserve the verdant green and texture. Once cool, tumble back into the pan and place into the oven for a final 5 minutes to heat through. You can simply serve this straight from the boil, but it always seems a shame if it loses its bright vibrancy.

To make your low carb mornay sauce, heat a cupful of double cream in a saucepan and stir in a handful of grated cheese. I used cheddar and a snide amount of parmesan. It must be admitted that any cheese which delivers a noble taste-profile will serve just as well. Grind in some pepper, and leave on the simmering plate until smooth and glossy.

Take your pork out of the oven and place the loin onto your pre-warmed serving-dish. Return the pan to the hob and stir in a tablespoonful of creme fraiche for richness. Once this is incorporated and the sauce is piping hot, pour over all and around your pork, assembling the mushrooms into an accessible pile to one side. Spoon your romanesco next to the pork-loin and pour over your mornay sauce. Garnish with more chopped herbs and volia! Dinner is served.

A true treat that’s as low in carbs as it is delicious. And all done in 40 minutes!

Thanks for reading and bon ap!

Adam.

Sometimes life needs a bit of spice, and dinner is always a good place to start!

Chinese food can be problematic on a diabetic- / ketogenic-diet. This is principally due to the high carbohydrate content of ingredients like rice, soy-sauce, sweet & sour concoctions and all things in-between. That in no way means there are not low-carb dishes out there; simply that they require a little more time & creative thinking.

This recipe is a real winner. It’s incredibly straightforward to make and can be done ahead of time if you so wish.

Start by making your marinade. Blitz two ‘thumbs’ of peeled ginger and 3 cloves of garlic in a food-processor. Measure in half a tablespoon of chilli powder, a spoon-tip full of turmeric, 3.5 tablespoons of white-wine vinegar, one tablespoon of olive-oil, and a really good grind of pepper & salt. Whizz-up until smooth and pour over your chicken. Then rub in. Marinate for minimum half an hour, up to overnight. Then place your drumsticks onto a baking-tray and cook in a hot oven for circa 1 hour, or until browned & crispy.

Using a spiraliser or julienne-peeler (see zoodles), form your peeled butternut squash into noodles. Sauté these in a good quantity of butter and olive-oil until they begin to soften. At this point, add in finely-sliced shallot (or onion), sliced mushrooms, diced chilli, and a handful of chopped coriander. Stir in a teaspoon of ground cumin powder and season well.

Once cooked, take the chicken-pieces out of the oven and arrange over your noodles. Garnish with a squeeze of lime, and a final flourish of chopped herbs. Rush to the table and serve up while still piping-hot.

If you can resist picking them up & eating the drumsticks with your fingers; then you definitely have more willpower than I. Some food is just too good to stand on ceremony!

Thanks for reading and bon ap!

Adam.

Okay, so I like things that rhyme! But believe me; that’s certainly not the motivation behind this dish. So what is? Taste. Quite simply put; it’s delicious!

I never begrudge the complexity of multi-component dishes (like lasagne), where 3 saucepans & a brigade of roasting-dishes are required. Nor do I bemoan the washing-up; if you want good home-cooked food, then it’s par of the course. But sometimes I must admit that one-pot dishes are a godsend! This is never more the case than when you’re late home from work and all you want to do is relax. So if that’s tonight, then this is the dish for you!

Not only is this recipe the ultimate in ease and convenience, it’s also very low in carbohydrate. This means that diabetics and those on a ketogenic-diet can share in the easy-life, as well as gluten-intolerants and paleo-fans!

Feel free to substitute any of the ingredients, but it’s certainly worth sticking with the chicory and chorizo, as they both add hugely to the flavour.  Chicory (I believe Americans may call endive) has a slightly sharp flavour, which makes it brilliant for things like gratin where the taste will ‘hold its own’ amidst the cheese. Chorizo adds a bit of denseness to the texture and has that deep Spanish earthiness, which lies at the heart of comfort food. The chicken is inter-changeable for pork, turkey or even seafood. If you come up with any triumphs, be sure to let me know!

This dish is rendered far more straight-forward if you have a roasting-dish that can be used directly on the hob-top.

Place your dish onto the hot-plate and drizzle in a glug of olive-oil. Add your chicken-pieces and brown slightly, before mixing in a couple of handfuls of very roughly chopped shallots or onion. This is followed by crushed garlic and a good shake of dried oregano.

Halve your chicory lengthways and add it to the pan. Give the whole lot a good stir to coat with the oil, then leave to cook a few minutes until the chicory wilts down a little. Sprinkle over sliced chorizo, then layer on slices of thick-cut ham. Season well then place the dish into the oven for 30 minutes, until the endive is beautifully soft and the ham just starting to colour.

At this point, pour in a cupful of double-cream and dot the surface with slices of brie. Grate a flourish of emmental and parmesan on top, then back into the oven it goes for the dish to brown-up until it’s sizzling and golden all over.

Serve with a light salad and a big appetite! You’ll need it, as everyone tucks in for seconds!

Thank you for reading an bon ap!

Adam.