Low-Carb Lamb Casserole with Buttery Cauliflower and Celeriac Mash
Serves 2
This is a real hearty dish which I love to cook on a rainy Sunday afternoon, says nutritional therapist Laura Lamont, author of The New Low-Carb Diet. Its rich, thick gravy accented with mint and poured over the hot buttery mash makes for great comfort food. In The New Low-Carb Diet I’ve devised a plan for a new version of a simple carbohydrate-controlled diet. Even if you are trying to lose weight, carbohydrates are still a valuable source of energy but what we want are the complex carbs that release their energy slowly, not the simple carbs that give you a sugar rush.
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour 40 minutes
1 tbsp olive oil
½ red onion, finely chopped
1 celery stick, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
300g/10½oz lamb fillet, cut into chunks
1 large leek, trimmed and chopped
2 carrots, diced
300ml/10½fl oz/scant 1¼ cups lamb stock
½ tbsp chopped rosemary leaves
1 tbsp mint sauce
1 tbsp tomato purée
1 tsp stevia powder
½ celeriac, peeled and chopped
½ small cauliflower, cut into florets
2 tbsp butter
freshly ground black pepper
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Heat the oil in a heavy-based, flameproof casserole dish over a medium heat, add the onion, celery and garlic and cook for 5 minutes until soft. Add the lamb and fry for a few minutes until lightly browned. Add the leek, carrots, stock, rosemary, mint sauce, tomato purée and stevia powder. Bring to the boil, then cover with a lid and transfer to the oven for 1½ hours until the lamb is tender and the sauce has thickened.
2. After about 1 hour, put the celeriac into a saucepan of boiling water and return it to the boil. Turn down the heat to low, cover with a lid and leave to simmer for 10 minutes. Add the cauliflower florets and cook for a further 15 minutes until the vegetables are very soft. Drain well, then return to the pan, add the butter and season to taste with pepper. Mash together well and serve with the lamb.
