Fat reduced and deliciouse Sheperds pie

 

 

I have wanted to make a fat free version of a Shepherds pie for a long time, an finally I got the inspiration from Master Chefs on TV. The original Sheperds pie is made with lamb/mutton, but as you all know, Lamb is high in fat. I desided to try to make it with pork loin, which is low in fat. This is a recepie from Jamie Oliver that I have made some modifications so it will suit a fat free diet.

 

To get hold of minced meat that is low enough in fat, I have to ground the meat myself. I cut off all the visible fat, then I cut the meat in dices and grind it in my meat grinder. That was one of the best  investments I have done after beeing diagnosed, I grind pork, beef, chicken and fish.

 

This recepie serves 6

Ingredients

• • 1 red onion
• • 2 carrots
• • 2 sticks of celery
• • 2 cloves of garlic
• • a small bunch of fresh rosemary
• • about 1 tbsp walnut oil or the oil of your choice
• • 500g good-quality minced pork 
• • 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
• • 250ml chicken or vegetable stock, preferably organic
• • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• • 1.5kg  potatoes
• • 3-5 dl Skimmed milk
• • a dash of wallnut oil or the oil of you choice

 

To prepare and cook your mince

• Peel and roughly chop the onion and carrots
• Trim and roughly chop the celery
• Peel and finely chop the garlic cloves

 

 

 

 

• Pick the rosemary leaves, discard the stalks
•  Heat a large pan on a medium heat
•  Add a about 1 tabs of your choice of oil and onion, carrot, celery, garlic and most of the rosemary leaves

 

 

 

Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened
• Turn the heat up, add the pork mince, and brown for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally
• Use a sieve or slotted spoon to drain away any excess liquid from the pan, then tip in the tinned tomatoes

 

 

 

 

Pour in the stock, season with a good pinch of salt and pepper and stir well, then bring to the boil
• Reduce to a low heat, pop the lid on slightly ajar, and simmer for 1 hour

To make your mash topping

 

• Peel the potatoes, cut them into halves and quarters depending on their size, and put them into a pan of salted, boiling water
• Boil for about 10 minutes until tender
• Stick a knife into them to check they’re soft all the way through

 

 

 

 

• Drain in a colander and return them to the pan
• Add the milk, oil and a pinch of salt and pepper
• Mash until smooth and creamy

To assemble and cook your shepherd’s pie

 

Preheat the oven to 190ºC/375ºF/gas 5
• Transfer the pork mixture to a large ovenproof baking dish
• Spoon the mash evenly over the top and poke the remaining rosemary leaves into the top

 

 

 

 

• Then cook in the hot oven for 25 minutes, or until golden and bubbling
• Serve with broccoli, peas or the vegetable you have at hand.

 

 

 

 

Enjoy!

Red wine fondue with my favorite vegetables and fruit

A couple of times a year the five women I work with get together and have an evening with good food and wine and exellent company. A couple of months ago we were sereved red wine fondue with chicken and smoked ham with a great variety of vegetables, salads, cheese and foccacia. This dinner was a relevation for me, I can actually make an adult dish with a little style that is so low in fat that it is ridiculous. The chicken that got this nice dark red/brownish colour after it was cooked in red wine was so tender that you can cut it in two by a faint blow.
This dish can be served with a lot of different vegetables, fruits, bread, both fat free or with fat as everyone can pick and choose what they fancy the most.
So for Christmas one of my whishes was to get a fondue pot, and guess what I got for Christmas from my Mum! Yes, a fondue pot in black iron casting, I was so thrilled. Last weekend I invited a good friend of my over for dinner, red wine fondue.

Here is a list of many things you can serve along with the Chicken, ham, or beef :

Zuccini
tomatoes
cucumber
mushrooms
orange and red onion salad ( oranges slices in thin slices with thin slices of red onions)
pineapple
sugar peas
water chestnuts
asparagus
mini corn
paprika of all colours
whole garlic in a jar (water not oil)
olives
feta cheese

I also served home made foccacia with mct oil. ( I will post the recipe later on)

You will a need a bottle of red wine, not the expensice kind. My colleauge  let the wine boil for a while to be sure the alcohol evaporated, since one of us was pregnant. I know that children might not appreciate the taste of red wine, then you can use vegetable or chicken broth instead.

It is so nice to sit around this fondue pot eating, drinking and having a good time. I think I also will use this  dish when I am alone, since it is perfect for a low fat diet and it is really healthy also.

Enjoy!

How I grind meat - fat redused minced meat

I love hamburgers, meatballs and pizza with meatsauce, since I no longer can buy minced meat in the stores because of the large amount of fat I just have to make it myself. Last Winter I bought a grinder, I also mince turkey and fish.
Here is how I grind the meat:

First I cut away slinters and fat before I cut the meat into dices.

Then I feed the grinder with the meat.

When all the meat is minced I make 100 gram portaions that I freeze in plastic bags.

My Aunt who is a Wizard in the kitchen has taught me to make the portions of meat flat so they are faster to thaw later on.

Enjoy!