The EASIEST Stew in the WORLD! (AIP Friendly)

Tags

AIP, Alcohol Free Stew, Autoimmune Protocol, Beef, Braised Beef, Easy Beef Stew, Hearty Meal, Stew, Winter Warmer

It’s officially autumn – or fall – in this corner of the world. And that means we can start thinking about warming food. Food like stews and casseroles! Slow cooked numbers that fill the house with comforting aromas as they work their magic over an afternoon in the oven. My favourite kinds of food…

This number is 100% AIP compliant.

Not even a drop of wine in this baby. Traditionally, a good hearty stew will have a healthy dose of red wine. And, technically that is allowed on the protocol – the alcohol will be cooked off.

But this recipe doesn’t even have that. Mainly, because LM isn’t all that fond of alcohol. Or, perhaps it would be more accurate to say, alcohol isn’t so fond of LM.

So, this is a tee-totalling stew, too!

TSL’s Tee-totalling Stew…!
(Image by LM for TSL)

Stew’s so comforting on a rainy day.
(Dodie Smith, ‘I Capture the Castle’)

The best thing about a good stew is that it really is a doddle to make. Simply brown your meat, sauté some veggies, throw in some good quality bone broth or stock and some aromatics, pop it into your oven and walk away. Its that simple.

So simple that even a non-cook can make a great stew!

And, I know I’m always banging on about doubling a recipe or cooking once to eat twice or thrice, but I’m going to say it again. Especially here, when making a stew. Because as with a good Ragu Bolognese, it’s just as easy to cook a large portion of stew and freeze leftovers for those days you just don’t feel like spending hours in the kitchen. So, to make your life SUPER easy, this recipe is enough to comfortably feed 6 already…

Easy Stew with Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Homemade Sauerkraut
(Image by LM for TSL)

This really is the easiest stew recipe. And, because it is so easy, it’s also a great one to experiment with. Feel like adding mushrooms? Or perhaps some parsnip? Maybe you don’t have rosemary handy and want to use a different herb? Or, you have some lamb in your meat locker instead of beef (in which case, can I suggest some mint?)… The possibilities are limited only by your imagination.

Go forth and make stew!

The Easiest Stew in the World

• Servings: 6 generously
• Time: 4 hours
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

Ingredients:

1.5 kilos diced chuck steak/braising beef
1 1/2 x Tablespoons tapioca flour
fat of choice
3 x red onions. peeled and roughly chopped
4 x carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
4 x celery sticks, roughly chopped
5 x cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
1 x Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Zest of one orange
4 x sprigs fresh rosemary
Salt
800mls bone broth

Method:

1. Heat your oven to 180° C/ 350°F.

2. Coat your diced beef in tapioca flour. I find the best way to do this is to take a large plastic bag. Pop your meat and flour into the bag. Seal and roll it all around until the meat is covered.

3. Pop a heavy bottomed casserole dish over a medium-high heat (I use my le Creuset) and add a little fat. Brown your meat in batches, setting aside in a bowl as each batch is nicely caramelised.

4. When your meat is all browned and set aside, add a little more fat to the pan. Gently sauté the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, rosemary and orange zest until softened. Add the apple cider vinegar to the pan and give everything a good stir.

5. Add the bone broth and a good pinch of salt.

6. Bring to a gentle boil, pop on a lid and place into the oven for three hours.

7. The meat should now be meltingly tender! Check for seasoning before discarding the rosemary stalks.

8. Serve!

E N J O Y !

This recipe features in the Phoenix Helix Recipe Roundtable

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TSL’s ‘Anything Goes’ Meatballs (AIP Friendly)

Tags

AIP, Autoimmune Protocol, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Gluten Free, Ground Meat, Meatballs, Mince, Nightshade Free, Paleo

(Image by LM for TSL)

One of the topics of conversation at the AIP picnic on Sunday was this: –

 What do you eat on the AIP when you can’t face cooking?

And, it’s a good question. It was mooted that perhaps there might be a ‘secret squirrel’  restaurant here in Sydney that could cater to one in the elimination phase of the AIP. Sadly, if there is, I have yet to find it.

My not-so-sexy answer for those nights you can’t face cooking is this: –

Have a secret stash in your freezer!

Anyone who is well versed in cooking for a special diet – autoimmune or otherwise – knows that the first step is preparation. In fact, preparation is likely the second and third step, as well. Preparation is e v e r y t h i n g !

Here at Casa TSL, I’m a massive (not just big, baby. MASSIVE!) believer in cooking once to eat twice, thrice or even more if I can get away with it. If you’re going to the trouble of preparing good, wholesome REAL food from scratch, do yourself a favour – double the recipe and freeze the extras.

And, one of the easiest, most economical staples to have in your secret freezer stash is meatballs.

Miracles are like meatballs, because nobody can exactly agree on what they are made of, where they come from, or how often they should appear. (Lemony Snicket, ‘The Carnivorous Carnival’)

Meatballs are a bit of a wonder food. They’re portable. Kids love them. They’re versatile. And, this particular recipe can be amended to suit whatever you happen to have in your larder…

If you have lamb mince instead of beef or pork, then go with that. Fancy mint or coriander (cilantro) over parsley? – no problem! Prefer grated carrot or zucchini to silver-beet. Done! Only have spring onions (scallions)? That’s fine, too.

Here’s my stand-by freezer stash number for you:

• Servings: approx. 38 balls
• Time: 45 minutes
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

Ingredients:

450g x grass-fed beef mince (ground beef)
450g x happy pork mince (ground pork)
1 x small onion, peeled and chopped
1 x garlic clove
1 x generous handful flat leaf parsley
1/2 x cup chopped silver-beet/chard
1/2 x teaspoon salt
1 x Tablespoon fat

Method:

1. Throw all the ingredients except the meat into your food processor and give a good whizz until thoroughly minced and mixed.

2. Add your minced meat and mix again.

3. Using a Tablespoon as a measure, roll spoonfuls of the mixture into balls and pop onto a plate.

4. Heat a large fry pan over a medium heat with your fat. Fry the meatballs in batches – about 5 minutes before turning and repeating.

5. Serve!

E N J O Y !

We served our TSL ‘Anything Goes’ Meatballs in Root Vegetable Soup with Parsley Oil
Parsley Oil Recipe coming in the next post!
(Image by LM for TSL)

How do you like your meatballs?

This recipe features in the Phoenix Helix Recipe Roundtable.

You Won’t Believe it’s TOMATO-FREE Ragu Bolognese (AIP-Friendly)

Tags

AIP, Autoimmune Protocol, Best Bolognese Recipe, Best Tomato Free Bolognese Recipe, Healthy Bolognese, Nightshade Free, Paleo, Tomato Free

TSL Tomato-Free Ragu Bolognese
(Image by LM for TSL)

If kids can learn how to make a simple Bolognese sauce, they will never go hungry. It’s pretty easy to cook pasta, but a good sauce is way more useful. (Emeril Lagasse)

Until just over a year ago, when I started on this Autoimmune Protocol caper, I’d been trying to teach the teenager how to make a good Bolognese sauce for quite some time. I reckon’ everybody should have a good Bolognese recipe in their repertoire…

The thing is, a good Bolognese takes time to cook properly. Hours. And, the teenager likes food that is more immediate…

And then, I started the protocol. And my lovely BEST EVER Ragu Bolognese became naught but a memory. Because, a good Bolognese is traditionally made with tomatoes.

Until now

This week is all about Ragu Bolognese here at Casa TSL. And, my personal mission to create an AIP-friendly version of this winter staple. In other words, without tomatoes.

And, I’ve cracked it! In fact, LM says this even trumps the original tomato-based version. Bold words!

In addition to my beetroot and pumpkin-laden Tomato Passata Replacement, this number also has the added benefit of both bone broth and chicken livers. Not only does it taste great, but you can be sure you’re getting some good gut repairing bone broth and a big hit of vitamin A from the liver. It’s a great way to sneak some more liver into your diet if you’re a little funny about offal…

The thing about Bolognese is that, while it does take a long time to come to its full flavour potential, because you’re making a large amount, you have enough for a big crowd. In fact, once you portion it up and pop it in your freezer, there’s easily enough for eight to ten in this recipe.

And, with Bolognese in your freezer, you have a seriously good meal only minutes away.

Spaghetti is love. (Mario Batali)

Tomato Free Ragu Bolognese on Zoodles
aka green spaghetti!
(Image by LM for TSL)

We served ours over oodles of zoodles (zucchini noodles) this week. But it could just as easily have been placed into lettuce cups with some avocado and coriander (cilantro). Or, served over lightly steamed veggies.

Tomato Free Ragu Bolognese

• Servings: approx 8 - 10
• Time: 4 1/2 hours
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

Ingredients:

About 500g grass-fed Beef mince
About 500g happy pork or veal mince
Coconut oil (or fat of choice)
About 225g happy chicken livers
2 x medium onions (chopped)
4 x large cloves of garlic (minced)
About 150g speck (or pancetta), chopped
800mls of my tomato-free passata
500ml beef bone broth (preferably home-made!)
Fresh herbs of choice (basil, parsley or whatever you have to hand)
Salt & Pepper (omit pepper if in elimination stage of AIP)
Sea Vegetables (Optional, but so good for you! I use this one)

Method:

1. Heat your oven to 140°C/275°F
2. Heat your largest frying pan over a medium heat. Add a generous dollop of coconut oil. Gently fry the onion and garlic until softened – about ten minutes. Give it a stir every now and then.
3. Add the chopped speck to the pan and cook for another 5 minutes. Transfer to a large casserole (my beloved le Creuset holds just over 4 litres).
4. Add some more coconut oil to the pan and turn the heat up to high. Add the minced beef in batches to brown. I use a wooden fork to break it up in the pan. Add the cooked mince to the casserole. Repeat until all your beef is browned.
5. Do the same with the pork mince. While the pork mince is cooking, rinse the chicken livers and pat them dry  with a paper towel. Trim off any sinew and chop them into teeny-tiny pieces.
6. Once the pork is browned and transferred to the casserole, heat a little more coconut oil and briefly brown the chicken livers. Add these to the casserole.
7. Place the casserole over a direct medium heat and give everything a good stir. Add the tomato-free passata, bone broth and a generous seasoning of good salt and freshly ground pepper. Add the sea vegetables, if you are going to. Go on – dare you!. Stir again and allow to come to a simmer.
8. Add the chopped leaves of about half a bunch of basil or parsley, stir and place the casserole in the oven (without a lid) for 3 1/2 hours. I give it a stir every hour or so. You should end up with a thick, unctuous meaty sauce with only a teeny bit of liquid.
9. Check for seasoning and add the remaining half bunch of your herbs.
10. When the sauce has cooled, divide it up. I use my scales and measure out 250g portions which serves two.

E N J O Y !

This recipe features in the Phoenix Helix Recipe Roundtable 

 

Tom Tom’s Take on Aussie Burgers With Sweet Potato Fries

Tags

AIP, AIP Reintroduction, Autoimmune Protocol, Barbecue, Burger, Dairy Free, Grain Free, Healthy Burger, Main Course, Paleo

I’m currently on the Autoimmune Protocol, a nutrient-rich elimination diet that removes foods that irritate the gut, cause gut imbalance and activate the immune system. You can read more about the protocol and why I’m doing this here. This recipe contains eggs, mustard and black pepper – all ingredients that are part of the reintroduction phase of the protocol.

The teenager is practically an adult.

A few weeks back, he indicated that it might be time that he expanded his cooking repertoire. As someone who loves to cook AND eat good food, I couldn’t have been happier.

I’ve been telling him for years that I don’t know a woman who isn’t impressed with a man who knows his way around a kitchen. And, I’m sure his girlfriend won’t mind me mentioning that I suspect she was a big motivator in this recent desire to cook.

Credit where it is due!

“If you knew how to cook, maybe I would eat,” Jace muttered.

Isabelle froze, her spoon poised dangerously. “What did you say?”

Jace edged toward the fridge. “I said I’m going to look for a snack to eat.”

That’s what I thought you said.” Isabelle turned her attention to the soup.”  (Cassandra Clare, ‘City of Bones’)

So, we locked in a night for a cooking session. That was Wednesday night. And, the girlfriend came, too. It was a lot of fun.

I figured that one of my staple slow cooked numbers wasn’t going to cut it this time. Easy to make – yes. Fast – nope. And, in my experience, most teenagers don’t have the longest of attention spans.

So, for this cooking lesson, I decided on burgers. What teenager doesn’t love a burger?

Mince (or ground beef) is an inexpensive and versatile choice of meat. Great for students. Burgers are quick to make and allow for lots of experimentation – classic beef burgers (a little like these babies); or perhaps – lamb mince with mint and a cucumber/yogurt topping for more of a Greek flavour; or even some chicken mince with coriander and a sweet chilli sauce for an Asian inspired burger.

The possibilities are almost endless!

Tom Tom (the teenager) is a big fan of my sweet potato fries. They are a much healthier choice than the traditional deep-fried version. They’re also a doddle to make.

And, what’s a burger without fries, really?

 I’m normally a burger and chips girl – such a cheap date. (Sheridan Smith)

So these burgers are made by Tom Tom. He did all the slicing and dicing. He made the burger patties and mashed the avocado. And, LM manned the barbecue. It was a male-dominated cooking affair at Casa TSL on Wednesday night. And, it was fantastic!

And, if you’re reading this Tom Tom, you’re welcome to cook for me anytime!

There is one small matter that I feel needs to be tabled before I give you Tom Tom’s burger recipe. Traditionally, an ‘Aussie burger’ will include sliced beetroot. Possibly a fried egg.

But, here’s the thing: I’m a Kiwi. And, in New Zealand, we reckon that’s called a ‘Kiwi burger’. So this burger is our version of an Aussie burger. The Tom Tom burger. We think it tastes great!

Tom Tom's Aussie Burgers with Sweet Potato Fries

• Servings: 6
• Time: 60 minutes
• Difficulty: a teenager can make it!
• Print

Ingredients:

For the burgers:

500g happy beef mince
500g happy pork or veal mince
1 x egg yolk
1 x large handful parsley, chopped
1/2 medium red onion, minced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (optional)
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1 x small tin pineapple rounds
2 x ripe avocados
1 x lime, juiced
6 x rashers happy bacon

For the sweet potato fries:

6 large sweet potatoes
3 – 4 Tablespoons of coconut oil, melted
1 tablespoon TSL House Sweet Potato Fries Seasoning (recipe follows)

TSL’s House Sweet Potato Fries Seasoning:

4 x Tablespoons salt
1 x Tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 x Tablespoon garlic powder
1 x Tablespoon dried herbs (I used half basil, half oregano)

Directions

1. Heat your oven to 230°C (that’s 450°F). Line a couple of baking trays with baking paper.

2. In a large bowl, combine your mince, egg yolk, parsley, red onion, garlic, and optional mustard. Get your hands in there and give it a good massage. Season generously with salt and pepper.

3. Form six patties out of the beef mixture. Pop into the fridge for while you prepare your fries. You can turn the barbecue on now to heat.

4. Peel and slice your sweet potatoes into 1/2 cm slices. Now, take the slices and cut into 1/2 cm wide fries. Throw your raw sweet potato fries into a large bowl. Toss with just enough coconut oil to coat. Sprinkle with House Seasoning and give the bowl a good jiggle to coat.

5. Spread your sweet potatoes in single layer on the lined baking trays. It’s important that you don’t overcrowd (soggy fries – no bueno!).

6. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes until your fries are tender and golden brown, turning and rotating the trays occasionally.

7. While the fries are baking, pop the patties onto your barbecue for 5 to 6 minutes per side over a medium-high heat. Now’s the time to cook the bacon, too.

8. If you’re having pineapple, grill slices for 1 to 2 minutes per side.

9. peel and mash your avocado. Add a squeeze of lime juice and season with salt and pepper.

10. To assemble the burgers, top each patty with the smashed avocado, grilled pineapple, fried eggs, and any other toppings you may choose.

For the House Seasoning:

Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container. Will keep for up to 6 months.

E N J O Y !

 

 

Easy-Peasy Lemon-Squeezey Slow Cooked Pork Neck

Tags

AIP, Autoimmune Protocol, Linga Longa, Main Course, Paleo, Pork, Slow Food, Slow Roasted Pork, Whole Food, Whole30

(Image by TSL)

This magical, marvelous food on our plate, this sustenance we absorb, has a story to tell. It has a journey. It leaves a footprint. It leaves a legacy. To eat with reckless abandon, without conscience, without knowledge; folks, this ain’t normal. (Joel Salatin, farmer and author of ‘Folks, This Ain’t Normal; You Can Farm‘)

My lovely friends at Linga Longa had some beautiful looking pork neck at the markets on Saturday. So I bought a little piece to slow cook for LM and myself. Alright. That was a white lie.  I actually bought quite a lot. 2 kilos worth, in fact. That’s just under 4 1/2 pounds for those of you who don’t think ‘metric’.

The recipe we have on highest rotation here at Casa TSL is my Jamie Oliver Inspired Four Hour Lamb. Only now, instead of a leg, I usually pick up a couple of shoulders and slow cook them together, which gives us oodles of meat to play with for days…

But that’s another story for another time…

Today, I decided to play around with that 4-hour lamb number, only with my pork neck, instead. And, it ROCKED!

I’m a massive fan of slow cooking my animal protein. It’s easy. It’s a great way to batch cook. The flavour is incredible. And, did I mention it’s easy? 

Step 1: Prepare your rub by bashing 6-8 cloves of garlic with thyme leaves and lard.

Step 2: Massage garlic, herb and lard mix into your pork. Add bay leaves and pop into the oven.
That’s pretty much it.
(Images by TSL)

• Servings: 6-8
• Time: 4 1/2 hours
• Difficulty: Couldn't be easier
• Print

Ingredients

2 x kilos of happy, hormone free pork neck
6-8 x cloves of garlic, peeled (I used 8, but I love garlic!)
1 x bunch of fresh thyme, leaves stripped
1 x handful of bay leaves
1 x Tablespoon fat (I used lard)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper (omit black pepper if on strict AIP)
1 x Tablespoon Tapioca starch/Arrowroot powder (If you’re not on AIP, use your preferred flour)
375 ml chicken bone broth (or stock)
1 x bunch herbs, finely chopped (I used parsley and a little sage)
2 x Tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Method

1. Heat your oven to 220°C/425°F.

2. Using a pestle and mortar, roughly crush the garlic cloves with the thyme, fat, salt and pepper. Place your piece of pork into an ovenproof roasting dish (I used my trusty Le Creuset), pierce all over with a sharp knife and rub all over with the garlic and herb mixture. Massage for a minute or two.

3. Place the bay leaves on top of the meat.

4. Cover your roasting dish – either with a lid or firmly with foil and pop it into the oven. As soon as you close the oven door, reduce the heat to 160°C/320°F.

5. Walk away for four hours and let the meat, garlic and herbs work their magic.

6. Remove the pork from the roasting dish and onto a carving board. Cover with foil and allow to rest.

7. Discard the bay leaves. Put the roasting dish on the stove over a medium heat.

8. Mix the starch with a little bone broth and add to your roasting pan. Allow to bubble for a minute.

9. Add the rest of the bone broth, making sure you scrape all the meaty bits off the bottom with a wooden spoon. Turn the heat down and allow to simmer for a few minutes.

10. While the gravy is cooking, shred the pork with two forks.

11. Add the chopped herbs and vinegar to your sauce. Taste for seasoning. Serve!

E N J O Y !

This recipe features in the Phoenix Helix Recipe Roundtable

SUPER SIMPLE Ox Tongue with Green Caper Sauce

Tags

AIP, Autoimmune Protocol, Fergus Henderson, Offal, Ox Tongue, Paleo, Slow Cooking, Stephanie Alexander, Tongue

(Image by TSL)

I’ve long believed that good food, good eating, is all about risk. Whether we’re talking about unpasteurized Stilton, raw oysters or working for organized crime ‘associates’, food, for me, has always been an adventure. (Anthony Bourdain)

There’s a back story to this post.

Back in June of this year, my lovely blogging buddy, Petra from over at Petra8Paleo posted about how she mistakenly bought some bison tongue (thinking it was heart) and totally wimped out about cooking it because, well – if you’ve ever cooked a tongue, there’s just no escaping the reality of what it is. It looks like a ginormous tongue. It was too much for Petra.

It reminded me of how my Mum used to prepare pressed tongue for us, when we were little. Actually – it was probably mainly for my Dad. He is a big fan of things offal and secondary cuts.

I determined that it was about time I gave preparing tongue it a go myself…

I can tie a cherry stem into a knot with my tongue. Now, if only I could do the same with my shoelaces, I wouldn’t have to banana pudding my way to success.
 (Jarod Kintz, This Book Has No Title)

Now, tongue is still technically a muscle meat, so it has a nutritional profile that is similar to that of other beef muscle meats. It’s a good source of iron, zinc, choline, vitamin B12, other B vitamins, and trace minerals. It’s also a pretty fatty cut of meat, which means it is just about one of the most tender cuts of beef you can find. SUPER tender, in fact.

It’s actually a really easy cut of meat to cook – just a wee bit time-consuming (like many good things!), and it lends itself to many accompanying flavours. And, it’s a very budget friendly cut, too.

Ox Tongue with Green Caper Sauce
(Image by TSL)

The bigger challenge, it turns out, is sourcing happy tongue here in Sydney. That is – tongue from a pasture raised animal with no added hormones or antibiotics, not to mention grains.

Here in Australia, it is relatively easy to source happy meat. There is a growing awareness that we eat whatever what we eat, eats… But, unfortunately offal is more of a challenge. While premium cuts of meat are separated into grass-fed versus ‘standard raised and supplemented’ as a matter of course at the abattoir, the same cannot be said for offal. In the case of beef and pork, it is all mixed together (pretty much all lamb is pasture raised). There is not yet enough of a market to justify keeping the grass-fed offal separate for retail sales. Here’s hoping that will start to change. Soon!

I sourced my lovely ox tongue from the good peeps at Feather and Bone. If you don’t happen to have a local farmer as your best friend, here in Syders, they are the next best thing because they buy whole animals and break them down, rather than using an abattoir. But, don’t think that means there are spare tongues waiting to be snapped up – they are hard to come by!

Any-who, once I had my ox tongue in my hot little hands, I needed to work out the best way to cook it, not to mention serve it. It seems to be universally accepted that the only way to cook tongue is long and slow – you want a meltingly tender result, not one that’s tough-as-old-boots!

Two Very Useful Cookbooks
‘The Cook’s Companion’ by Stephanie Alexander
‘The Complete Nose to Tail’ by Fergus Henderson and Justin Piers Gellatly
(Image by TSL)

I have been itching to try out a recipe or two from Fergus Henderson’s GORGEOUS ‘The Complete Nose to Tail’ for quite some time. If you haven’t got a copy in your house, it’s worth acquiring it just for the delightful way he writes. He makes me want to experiment with food. Here’s an example:

Do not be afraid of cooking, as your ingredients will know, and misbehave. Enjoy your cooking and the food will behave; moreover it will pass your pleasure on to those who eat it. (Fergus Henderson, The Complete Nose to Tail)

The thing is, it was my first time preparing tongue. And after all the effort I went to in sourcing it, I didn’t want to screw it up. So, I also checked in with the Australian oracle of cookery, she who knows EVERYTHING, Stephanie Alexander.

Both Stephanie and Fergus agree that a pickled or brined tongue is preferable. While it is possible to cook ‘fresh’ tongue, it will apparently be a less appealing grey-brown colour. Often your butcher will sell tongue already pickled. Mine wasn’t. Fergus suggests brining your tongue for 7 days. Stephanie says 2 is enough (although up to a week is fine). I went with Stephanie’s two days! I was ready to cook my tongue!

I prepared a simple green caper sauce for my first tongue meal. And, I received the LM seal of approval. He later confessed to being a little nervous about eating tongue, until he worked out that it really is just a muscle. And of course, it tastes fabulous.

Next time around I’m going to press my tongue… Watch this space!

• Servings: 4
• Time: about 4 hours
• Difficulty: easy-peasey
• Print

If brining your tongue, you will need to start this recipe at least two days ahead.

Ingredients:

For the brine*:

2 x litres water
200g coconut sugar
300g sea salt
1 x bay leaf
1 x sprig thyme
1/2 teaspoon juniper berries
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/4 teaspoon all spice
1/4 teaspoon mace
3 x cloves
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds

For the tongue:

1 x ox tongue
2 x carrots
2 x leeks
2 x onions
1 x bay leaf
1 x sprig of thyme
Parsley stalks
2 x Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar

For the Green Caper Sauce:

1/2 x cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 x bunches fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped (about 2 cups)
1/4 cup capers, chopped
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
Himalayan sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper (optional, leave out if on the autoimmune protocol)

Method

For brining:

1. Pop all your spices into a piece of muslin or a spice bag and tie firmly. Heat your water, coconut sugar and salt together in a large non-reactive pot (I used stainless steel) until your sugar and salt have dissolved. Bring to the boil. Drop in your spice bag and turn off the heat.

2. Cool the brine completely. Transfer to a large glass bowl. Immerse your ox tongue completely in the brine, using weights to ensure it is fully submerged. Pop into your fridge for 2 – 7 days. When ready to cook, rinse and dry the tongue. Discard the brine.

For cooking:

3. Place your tongue in a large pot with the carrots, leeks, onions and herbs. Just cover all the ingredients with filtered water and bring to the gentlest of boils. Immediately lower the temperature to a low simmer and add the apple cider vinegar. Leave for 3 – 3 1/2 hours.

4. While the tongue is slowly cooking, make your green caper sauce by mixing together your EVOO, parsley, capers, red wine vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl. Taste for seasoning. Put aside to allow the flavours to marry until your tongue is ready.

5. You will know when your tongue is cooked because the skin will peal away easily. You should also meet with little resistance when you pierce the tongue with a sharp knife. Wait 10 minutes for the tongue to cool before carefully removing the outer skin. It should come away easily.

6. Slice the tongue and serve with the green caper sauce. We served mixed salad greens on the side.

*If you are strict Autoimmune Protocol, eliminate all spices except mace.

E N J O Y !

This recipe featured in the Phoenix Helix AIP Recipe Roundtable.

Bloody BRILLIANT Braised Beef Cheeks

Tags

AIP, Autoimmune Protocol, Beef Cheeks, Braised Beef, Braising, Happy meat, Linga Longa Farm, Paleo, Secondary Cuts, Slow Cooked Beef

(Image by TSL)

I’m currently on the Autoimmune Protocol, a nutrient-rich elimination diet that removes foods that irritate the gut, cause gut imbalance and activate the immune system. You can read more about the protocol and why I’m doing this here. And, if you want to know why I’m on the sugar-free version of the Autoimmune Protocol, you can read about that here.

Unfamiliar with beef cheeks? They are literally the cheeks of the animal, usually a cow A very tough and lean cut of meat that is most often used for braising or slow cooking to produce a tender result. And when cooked properly, they are TO DIE FOR! Meltingly good.

Here at Casa TSL, we refer to beef cheeks as ‘chief beaks’. LM coined the term. And, he gets a little bit excited when he knows they’re on the menu. I haven’t actually seen him do a ‘beef cheek’ dance, but I’m pretty sure he’s doing one on the inside…

This week, I had some gorgeous beef cheeks from Lauren and Greg at Linga Longa Farm. We look forward to seeing them every week at the Eveleigh Farmers Market. I particularly love their happy bacon.

Bloody BRILLIANT Braised Beef Cheek mis en place (and that is an enormous garlic clove, not an onion in case you’re confused after reading the recipe!)
(Image by TSL)

You are what what you eat eats. (Michael Pollan, In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto)

I know you already know how much I love a slow braise. It’s one of my favourite ways to cook (and eat!). Convenient really, since we’re in the middle of a cold snap here in Syders.

Generally, braising or slow cooking calls for a secondary cut of meat. That means it’s cheaper than the steaks and cutlets that make up the primary cuts that are so fashionable – and fast – to cook. So it’s definitely a way to make your food budget stretch a little further.

And, when you braise, the cuts you use are generally tougher. This means that they require a long, slow cook to break down some of the fibre in the meat BUT also that the flavour profile and meltingly tender texture is something that is worth waiting for.

Without such a thing as fast food, there would be no need for slow food. (Michael Pollan, The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals)

Braising is another way to get more gut-healing bone into your tummy, too. And, it’s really easy to up the vegetable quotient in a braise – you get all the flavour of the protein, but you can stretch your meals further again – both in terms of nutritional value and bang for your buck. Win~win!

Winter-warming Braised Beef Cheeks and Mash. YUM!
(Image by TSL)

We are pretty careful about buying happy meat here. And, while the environment the animal grows up in is important to me, here in Australia (and New Zealand), we don’t have the same concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) that you find in the States. I do like to make sure that the beef I eat comes from pasture raised animals.*

Beef contains the conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) compound, which has been shown by numerous studies to have health benefits. CLA levels in grass-fed cattle are 30-40% higher than in grain fed animals! So, if you want maximum health benefits you really should choose grass-fed beef!

So – here we are. My recipe for beef cheeks. It’s really tasty and autoimmune protocol friendly!

• Servings: 6 - 8
• Time: about 5 hours
• Difficulty: easy-peasey
• Print

Ingredients:

2 x Tablespoons fat of choice (I used coconut oil)
2 x kilos of happy beef cheeks (approximately)
1 x rashers of bacon
1 x large leek
3 x large carrots
3 x celery stalks
4 x cloves of garlic
150 mls verjuice
200 mls filtered water
550 mls bone broth (or stock if you have no bone broth available)
3 x anchovy fillets
2 x bay leaves
4 x sprigs of fresh thyme
3 x sprigs of fresh rosemary
1 x teaspoon Himalayan sea salt
1/2 x teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 x teaspoon freshly ground pepper (optional, leave out if on the autoimmune protocol)

Method

1. Heat your oven to 150°C/300°F. Wash, peel, slice and/or chop your leeks, carrots and celery. Roughly chop your bacon. Peel your garlic.

2. Heat the fat in a large casserole (I use my le Creuset). Brown the beef cheeks in batches on a medium heat. I usually sear the cheeks for 3 – 4 minutes per side. Take the time to get a really nice crust on your meat. Remove the meat to a dish.

3. Cook the chopped vegetables and bacon for five minutes, stirring frequently.Add the verjuice and simmer for a couple of minutes before adding the water and bone broth. Add the anchovies, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, salt, cinnamon and pepper.

4. Carefully place the beef cheeks on top of the vegetables and allow the liquid to come to the boil.

5. Pop the lid on your casserole and transfer the dish to the oven for 4 1/2 – 5 hours, by which time the meat should be lovely and tender.

6. When the cheeks are ready, remove the herbs and discard. Pop the cheeks into a heat proof dish to keep warm. (At this point, I like to shred the meat with two forks, but that’s entirely up to you.) Strain about half the liquid into a pot and bring to the boil, reducing slightly. Serve your beef cheeks on a bed of mash and spoon the sauce over the top.

E N J O Y !

We served our cheeks on a bed of herbed parsnip and celeriac mash with caramelised onion (recipe coming next week!)

 *If you’re visiting Eveleigh Markets, do check out the Linga Longa stand. Greg – the farmer, himself! – is always there and happy to answer any questions.

This recipe features in the Phoenix Helix Recipe Roundtable

The EASIEST Brisket Recipe in the World

Tags

AIP, Autoimmune Protocol, Beef, Brisket, Easy Brisket, Paleo, Slow Cooked Brisket

(Image by TSL)

I’m currently on the Autoimmune Protocol, a nutrient-rich elimination diet that removes foods that irritate the gut, cause gut imbalance and activate the immune system. You can read more about the protocol and why I’m doing this here.

The are two types of vegetarians: (1) those who have beef with chicken; and (2) those who are too chicken to have beef. (Mokokoma Mokhonoana)

You all know that I am certainly no vegetarian. And, you’re still here, so I’m guessing you’re ok with that…

And what committed meat-eater doesn’t love a good brisket? I’m not kidding when I say this is the easiest brisket recipe. It REALLY is. And, it tastes great! I promise.

I was out with a friend today. We were talking about things health related and I mentioned I didn’t think it was possible to be truly healthy without spending time cooking, from scratch, in the kitchen with quality ingredients. She’s not as confident in the kitchen as me. Hardly surprising, really – I have twenty years on her. And, I didn’t really start cooking until I was about thirty. She’s got ages ’til she reaches that milestone. But, she is a keen follower of the blog. This one’s for her…

My style of cooking is very traditional. At least in the sense that I’m not an overly fussy cook. I like to prepare hearty, uncomplicated food. I favour slow braises. Lots of flavour and really good ingredients. I leave the fancy-schmancy stuff for when I go out to dinner…

So, this brisket is pretty much idiot-proof. And, the house will smell amazing while this is working its magic. And, you’ll have leftovers. Always a good thing, I reckon!

Step 1: Slice your onions

Step 2: Add your seasoned brisket

Step 3: Cook until meltingly tender! It’s that easy.
(Images by TSL)

• Servings: 6-ish
• Time: 5 hours
• Difficulty: easy-peasey
• Print

Ingredients

1 x happy, grass-fed brisket from your favourite butcher (mine was 1.2 kilos. Small for me!)
1 x very large onion (or, you could use a couple of small ones)
salt (I use pink Himalayan salt)
1 x teaspoon each of garlic granules, dried basil, dried sage and dried oregano
2 x cups bone broth (I used chicken. Beef would be better)

Method

1. Heat your oven to 175°C (fan forced)/350°F.

2. Slice your large onion roughly and throw into the bottom of your casserole dish.

3. Mix your salt, garlic and herbs. Rub the mix into your brisket, making sure to cover the whole cut. Pop your brisket on top of the onions.

4. Place in the oven for 90 minutes. At this stage, leave the lid off. The onions will start to go brown (and smell amazing!)

5. Remove the casserole dish from the oven and pour over your bone broth. Now is the time to pop your lid on securely. Reduce the heat to 160°C/325°F and place the casserole back in the oven.

6. Cook for a further 3 – 3 1/2 hours. Every 45 minutes or so, baste the brisket with the broth to keep it lovely and moist.

7. Serve with the lovely caramelised onions on top.

E N J O Y !

The EASIEST Vegetable Frittata in the World (Bacon Optional!)

Tags

AIP, Autoimmune Protocol, Autoimmune Protocol Reintroduction, Dairy Free, Eggs, Grain Free, Lunchbox Ideas, Paleo, Primal, Quiche

(Image by TSL)

I’m currently on the Autoimmune Protocol, a nutrient-rich elimination diet that removes foods that irritate the gut, cause gut imbalance and activate the immune system. You can read more about the protocol and why I’m doing this here. This recipe is only suitable for the autoimmune protocol if you have successfully reintroduced eggs. 

I have met a lot of hardboiled eggs in my time, but you’re twenty minutes.(Oscar Wilde)

It seems Sarah Ballantyne and her autoimmune protocol are gaining considerable global traction. And, I can understand why. I’m a believer. It has taken me some time, not to mention a pretty big level of commitment, but I am currently finally free of the autoimmune symptoms that have been plaguing me for 23 years. TWENTY THREE YEARS! That’s pretty amazing…

But that’s not the purpose of this wee post.

One of the best things about undertaking a protocol like AIP, other than the health benefits you hope to achieve, is the support you receive from other people within the ‘AIP Community’ from around the world. There are blogs and Facebook groups, forums and Pinterest boards. And without exception, I have found the people in these groups to be knowledgable, encouraging and understanding. It can be a bit of a lonely road when most of your friends eat a pretty standard diet and you can no longer go out to restaurants, have a coffee or a glass of wine.

And, one of the most common questions asked within these groups is around how to provide food for a family when you are so restricted by the elimination of all potentially inflammatory foods – often for a long period of time. It’s a valid question, especially when there are young children involved.

In this, I am very lucky. LM has totally supported my weird food journey from the first. He’s happy to eat whatever I eat and considers himself my ‘Primary Recipe Tester’. And while its true that the food we eat is full of great flavour and super healthy, we are certainly limited because of the restrictions – particularly by way of spices, nightshades (tomatoes!), nuts and eggs.

First you gotta’ crack some eggs…
(Image by TSL)

Then, you mix everything together and pop it into a greased dish
(Image by TSL)

…and pop it in the oven until its ready!
(Image by TSL)

Regardless of whether we are on the autoimmune protocol or not, Casa TSL is a gluten-free and dairy-free zone*. LM has a violent reaction to cow juice and just feels better when he’s not eating gluten. But, it is fair to say that I feel a little guilty about the fact that his diet is so restricted because of me.

Because of that, even though I’m not eating eggs at the moment, I’ve taken to making him one of these SUPER easy frittatas. It takes no time to whip one up on a Sunday night and its a much healthier alternative to the sandwiches that traditionally fill a lunchbox, with a big hit of protein from the eggs and loads of vegetables.

LM calls this his frittata-ta-ta-ta-ta…. While the base recipe remains constant, I mix it up and throw in pretty much whatever I feel like (read: whatever’s in the fridge). It’s kind of LM’s Potluck Frittata-ta-ta-ta-ta…

The EASIEST Vegetable Frittata in the World

• Servings: 6 (12 for little people)
• Time: about an hour
• Difficulty: easy-peasey
• Print

Ingredients

Base Frittata:
1 x large courgette (zucchini), grated and squeezed in a clean tea towel to remove as much moisture as possible
1 x large carrot, grated
Handful of fresh parsley, chopped
salt (I use pink Himalayan salt) & freshly ground pepper
12 x happy eggs, beaten
1 x Tablespoon lard or coconut oil

Optional extras:
garlic
Shredded kumara (sweet potato),
cheese (here we use goats curd or sheep’s milk cheese)
onion
chopped bacon or pancetta
leftover roast meat
leftover roast veggies
smoked salmon
broccoli/cauli’ florets
Sliced leeks
Brussels sprouts
wilted spinach/silver-beet/chard
additional herbs

Method

1. Heat your oven to 180°C (fan forced)/360°F. Grease a ceramic dish with your lard or coconut oil (my dish is 19cm square)

2. Crack your eggs into a large bowl. Add salt and pepper. Whisk well.

3. Stir in your grated courgette and carrot, chopped fresh parsley, and any other ingredients.*

4. Pop in the oven for approximately 45 minutes (until the edges are golden brown). The frittata will puff up a little in the oven and then flatten out as it cools.

*this time I added sautéed red onion and pancetta, and a little goats curd

E N J O Y !

*I hope to be able to reintroduce some high quality dairy eventually

 

 

 

Jamie Oliver-Inspired SUBLIME Four Hour Lamb…

Tags

AIP, Autoimmune Protocol, Easy roast lamb, Gluten Free, Jamie Oliver, Lamb, Paleo, Slow Cooked Lamb, Sunday Roast

(Image by TSL)

I’m currently on the Autoimmune Protocol, a nutrient-rich elimination diet that removes foods that irritate the gut, cause gut imbalance and activate the immune system. You can read more about the protocol and why I’m doing this here.

I love roasting because you can give it love, get it in the oven and go and play with the kids or whatever you’ve got to do, and then hours later you’ve got a lovely dinner. (Jamie Oliver)

This slow cooked lamb dish makes me think of my Dad. Not for him lamb cooked ‘pink’. He likes it falling off the bone, thank you very much.

And so, this lamb does just that. Cooked long and slow in its own juices. Simply flavoured with two of lamb’s all-time best accompanying flavours – garlic and rosemary.

Less than 5 minutes prep’ before your lamb goes in the oven…
(image by TSL)

It’s about the easiest thing in the world to prepare. I’m not kidding when I tell you it is an absolute doddle. But, what you end up with is the most unctuous, falling-off-the-bone juiciness that you’ll wonder why you haven’t slow-cooked a leg of lamb before.

If you are not a cook, and you make this when you’re having friends over for a meal, they’ll think you’re Julia Child in the making. Truly. It’s THAT good.

And, if you’re feeling experimental, you could even cook it on your barbecue…

When we go on our weekly pilgrimage to the farmers market, we have recently been in the habit of picking up a rack of pork from the lovely people at Linga Longa. Their pork is so very, very good, it has fast become a staple here at Casa TSL. So, you can imagine our disappointment when last week they had run out. Clearly we are not the only Linga Longa fans in Sydney… A little bit further down the way we found the Mirool Creek Lamb stand. Now I’ve written about the fab’ lamb on offer from Mirool Creek before. Only last time, it was a speedy butterflied lamb.

This lamb recipe is different. This is the kind of dish that fills your home with smells that remind you of your childhood. And then, you are left with lovely lamb to throw into tomorrow’s hash or salad or shepherd’s pie.

We served ours with roasted pumpkin, more garlic and broccoli. Yum!

• Servings: 6
• Time: 4 1/2 hours
• Difficulty: Couldn't be easier
• Print

(Image by TSL)

Ingredients

1 x 2 kilo leg of best quality, happy & hormone free lamb (approximately)
1 x bunch fresh rosemary
8 x cloves of garlic, unpeeled
1 x Tablespoon fat (I used beef tallow)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 x Tablespoon Tapioca starch/Arrowroot powder (If you’re not on AIP, use your preferred flour)
375 ml bone broth (or stock)
1 x bunch fresh mint, finely chopped
2 x Tablespoons red wine vinegar

Method

1. Heat your oven to 220°C/425°F.

2. Lay your leg of lamb on a cutting board and score the fat across the top.

3. Lay half the sprigs of rosemary and four of the unpeeled garlic cloves in the bottom of a high sided roasting dish. My lamb fit nicely into my Le Creuset, so I used that. Place your leg of lamb on top.

4. Melt your fat and drizzle over the scored fat of your meat. Generously season with salt and pepper. Place the remaining rosemary and unpeeled garlic cloves on top of the meat.

5. Cover your roasting dish – either with a lid or firmly with foil and pop it into the oven. As soon as you close the oven door, reduce the heat to 160°C/320°F.

6. Walk away for four hours and let the meat, garlic and rosemary work their magic.

7. Remove the lamb from the roasting dish and onto a carving board. Cover with foil and allow to rest.

8. Discard the rosemary stalks. Squish the garlic cloves to remove the flesh Discard the skins. Put the dish on the stove over a medium heat.

9. Mix the starch with a little bone broth and add to your roasting pan. Allow to bubble for a minute.

10. Add the rest of the bone broth, making sure you scrape all the meaty bits off the bottom with a wooden spoon. Turn the heat down and allow to simmer for a few minutes.

11. While the gravy is cooking, shred the lamb with two forks.

12. Add the chopped mint and red wine vinegar to your sauce. Taste for seasoning. Serve!

E N J O Y !

This recipe is featured over at the Phoenix Helix AIP Recipe Roundtable.