Gluten Free Beef Stroganoff

Beef stroganoff is a Russian dish of sautéed pieces of beef served in a white wine sauce with sour cream. 

From its origins in 19th-century Russia, it has become popular around the world, with considerable variation from the original recipe. 

I use rump steak or topside steak and love this as a Winter warmer.

1 ½ kg          rump steak diced into 25mm (1 inch) cubes

1/2 cup         Gluten free general flour mix

2 tsp            salt

1/8 tsp          fresh ground pepper

1/2 tsp          dry mustard

2 med           onions, thinly sliced and separated into rings

200g             fresh sliced button mushrooms

1 cup            beef stock (I use 2 tsp of Tastes Divine beef stock mixed into 1 cup of water)

½ cup           dry white wine, optional

1 1/2            cups sour cream

1/4               cup Gluten free general flour mix

Trim most of the fat from steak and cut (dice) into 25mm cubes. Combine 1/2 cup flour, the salt, pepper and dry mustard in a plastic bad, add the dices rump steak and toss to coat thoroughly. Place coated, diced steak in Crock Pot and stir in onion rings and mushrooms.

Add beef stock and wine and stir well. Cover and cook on low setting for 8-10 hours. Before serving, combine sour cream with 1/4 cup flour and stir into slow cooker. Serve stroganoff with hot cooked rice or a creamy mash.


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Italian Slow Cooker Beef Stew

This is an adaptation of a family recipe that I grew up with. 


It is made with tomatoes, potatoes, onion soup mix, and garlic, along with other seasonings and vegetables.


The herb mix is what gives this slow cooker recipe that "Italian Taste" and will impress family and friends.

1 ½ kg          lean dices (25mm 1 inch) cubes of Beef Bolar or Topside roast
(trim any visible fat)

1 400g can    Italian (Roma) diced tomatoes

1 medium       onion, chopped

1 cup            dices celery

2                  large carrots, peeled and chopped into 15mm pieces

2                  medium potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size chunks

1 pkg            dry onion soup mix (Gluten free if required)

1 clove          garlic, peeled and crushed

2                  bay leafs

1 tsp            dry oregano

½ tsp           dry rosemary

1 tsp            dry thyme

1/2 tsp          ground black pepper

salt to taste if desired after cooking

Add beef cubes and other ingredients except the canned tomato and herbs into your slow cooker bowl. Top with canned tomato and herbs, stir and cook on low 8-10 hours or until tender. Remove bay leaf before serving.

I serve either in a bowl with fresh breads (Gluten free if required) or plated with seasonal fresh greens with rice or Kumara and potato mash with fresh chopped parsley on top.

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Rosemary Orange Braised Lamb Shanks

Rosemary Orange Braised Lamb Shanks

Lamb shanks that are slowly simmered with fresh rosemary, garlic, tomatoes, and red wine. Great served with polenta, or my family's favorite roasted garlic mashed potatoes, as you need something to soak up the wonderful sauce that is created with these. A fantastic dish for company, as all the prep work is done at the beginning, and then you just have to wait.

Ingredients


4-6           lamb shanks, trimmed of end knuckle
4              Tablespoons GF flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
1              tsp paprika
2              Tablespoons oil
2              onions, peeled and chopped to a medium size
2              tsp chopped fresh garlic
2              cups beef stock
1              cup orange juice
Grated rind 1 orange
1              Tablespoonp chopped fresh rosemary

Directions

Mix the seasoned flour and paprika in a plastic bag, add the lamb shanks and toss to coat. Reserve any remaining flour.

Heat the oil in a frying pan and brown the lamb shanks, a few at a time. Set aside. Stir in the onions and garlic and cook 2 minutes. Add the remaining flour and cook a further minute.

Stir in the beef stock and orange juice and, once a sauce is formed, add the rosemary. Return the lamb shanks to the casserole or transfer to one. Cover and bake at 160C for at least 2-2½ hours or until the meat is tender.

Season with salt and pepper if wished before serving.

Served on a bed of creamy mashed potato is just right for me.

Lean Lamb Mince Ragù with Basil and Tomato Sauce

Lamb Mince Ragù 
by Jimmy Boswell - Gluten Free Chef

What is it about Lamb Mince that I love so much? It’s the way that it takes up the flavours of the herbs and a traditional Ragù is a great way to cook the lamb mince.

A Ragù is a traditional Italian meat sauce that is typically served with pasta. In Italy a Ragù usually contains ground beef,  tomatoes, onions, celery, carrots, white wine and seasonings. Ragù sauce is typically a thicker meat sauce that is usually served over pasta.

What You Need

500 g lean minced lamb

4 tbsp olive oil

2        medium onions, diced

1        carrot, fine chopped

1        celery stalk, fine chopped
3        clove(s) garlic, minced
2        large bay leafs
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
2 tbsp fresh Basil rough chopped
2        large red bell peppers, washed, cored, seeded, diced
800 g canned tomatoes, peeled, crushed
250 ml           dry white wine (optional replace with stock if wine not desired)
200 ml chicken stock
            salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Bring it Together

Heat the oil in a large enough saucepan over high heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrot and celery and sauté for 5 minutes.

Add the meat and cook until it just begins to change color. Don’t play with the meat to long as you will be cooking this dish off for an hour or two.

Add the rosemary, bay leaf, basil and peppers. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally over low heat, for about 10 minutes.

Stir in tomatoes  and chicken stock and cook (simmer) sauce for about ten more minutes over a low heat. Add the wine and season with salt and pepper.

Cover and cook over low heat for about 1.5 hours, stirring frequently. Remove cover after 1.5 hours and cook to reduce the ragu until its thickened. I do not like to use thickeners as I want all the great flavours to be as natural as possible.

Just before serving, about 5-10 min check and adjust seasoning to taste.

I would serve with a wide, ribbon style Gluten free pasta.

Tip:    I quite often make the Ragù the day before and let it develop even better taste covered in the fridge overnight.

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Italian Sausage Cacciatore (slow cooker)

Cacciatore in Italian means "hunter". In cuisine, "alla cacciatora" refers to a meal prepared "hunter-style" with tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, herbs, bell pepper as well as some wine.

In the old days hunters used to take cured sausages with them and usually with one pot cast iron pot make a meal in the hunters style. This is a form of cooking that I love and the soft, mild flavour of Otello’s Sicilian Sausage make a great slow cooker recipe. This recipe can easily be expanded to serve more.


Ingredients

1 kg Italian Pork Sausages
2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 medium Cloves Garlic, minced
200 grams small button mushrooms cut in half
2 large Green Peppers, sliced
1 large Onion, sliced
1 cup Red Wine
2 teaspoon(s) Italian Seasoning (Recipe below)
800 grams Italian (Roma) diced tomatoes (2 400g tins)
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Method

Heat oil in a heavy based fry-pan on a medium to high heat so the oil is hot but not smoking. Brown Sausages 4 - 5 minutes then cut the Sausage into pieces and transfer to slow cooker. Discard all but 1 Tbsp oil.

Add garlic, mushrooms, peppers and onions to fry-pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, until vegetables soften slightly. Add wine and cook 1 - 2 minutes.

Now add the Italian seasoning and tomatos and stir together, season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to simmer and remove from heat.

Add sauce mixture carefully to slow cooker. Cover and cook 3 - 4 hours on HIGH or 6 - 7 hours on LOW.

Italian Seasoning

2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried marjoram
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried sage

Method
Combine all ingredients; store in an airtight container.

Lamb and Vegetable Stew (Slow cooker)

I love my slow cooker. In winter its always on the bench with something on the bubble. This can be anything from a tomato sauce to a complete dinner for when my wife gets home from work.

Ingredients

1              kg cubed lean boneless lamb
2              medium tomatoes, peeled and seeded, chopped
1              summer squash
1              zucchini
2              to 3 medium potatoes
10            mushrooms, sliced
1/2           cup bell peppers, chopped
1              cup onions, chopped
2              teaspoons salt
1              garlic clove, crushed
1/2           teaspoon thyme leaves
1              bay leaf
2              cups chicken stock
2              tablespoons butter
2              tablespoons gluten free flour

Directions:

Slice summer squash and zucchini. Dice potatoes.

Place lamb and vegetables in slow cooker. Mix salt, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf into stock; pour over lamb and vegetables. Cover and cook on low 8 to 9 hours, until lamb and vegetables are tender.

Turn to high setting. Blend flour and butter, then shape into small balls. Drop into stew and cook, stirring frequently, until thickened.

Serve over hot cooked brown rice.

Lamb Meatballs with Button Mushrooms Gluten Free

I love to use lamb mince as it takes on the flavours of the herbs, especially the garlic and rosemary. In my view better than beef or pork. Also it tends to have less fat in it than other minced meats.

This recipe is the same base as I use for my lamb paddies which is another old time favorite for me. People love to come for dinner when I am cooking either of these. They are basic to prepare but taste so good.

Ingredients

600          grams lean lamb mince
500          grams of small button mushrooms, whole
½            onion chopped finely
1              egg, lightly beaten
1/2           cup GF bread crumbs
1              tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
1              tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary
2              tablespoons grated carrot
1              tablespoon fresh chopped basil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 -3          tablespoons olive oil
                3-4 cups of my Sicilian Tomato Sauce

Directions

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except the oil and the mushrooms. Using your hands, mix throughout, but gently.  I use my thumb when I am mixing as it allows me to push the ingredients into the mix to make sure its all mixed evenly. Do not over mix.  Lightly oil the palms of the hands, and shape into medium sized, 2cm meatballs.

Pre-heat oven to 170C or turn slow cooker to low


Heat a medium sized frying pan large enough to hold the meatballs.  If this is not available, work in batches.  Sauté meatballs over medium-high heat, turning as you cook, to brown all sides.  When browned remove and place into a baking dish with the button mushrooms.

I use my Sicilian Tomato Sauce and cover the meatballs and mushrooms and bake in the oven for 1-1/2 hours. I do not like to cook these to fast

Slow Cooker Option

Once the meatball have been browned place in a slow cooker with the mushrooms and sauce and cook on low for 6-8 hours. The meatballs can be prepared the night before and just brown them off in the morning and into the slow cooker they go. You will come home to a house smelling like a Sicilian kitchen on a Sunday.