Roast Chicken*

Roast Chicken. A Classic. A Favourite. A quicker, fancy roast that can easily be made WDF simply by adding wheat-free flour to the gravy. Everything else is paleo anyway. Apologies for forgetting the picture of the actual chicken but please enjoy the one below of my brother who wanted to be in it. His first meal in 3 1/2 weeks thats not pasta and sauce! He may have to come over more often 🙂 The leftovers can be used for a whole variety of meals. I didn’t make roast potatoes and yorkshire puddings here simply because I don’t feel it’s wintry enough yet. The time will come…

My brother enjoying his first proper meal at uni this year!

Toad in the Hole

Again, afraid this one has yet to be mastered WDF. For now, an original homecooked recipe will have to do for you all. Delicious with onion gravy as shown here 

Toad in the Hole

Marie Rose Sauce*

This is an easy sauce to create with just two ingredients (although some people add a little paprika also). To ensure it is dairy free please use FULL FAT Hellmann’s mayonnaise found here, and ketchup here – the lower fat and “diet” alternatives often have added dairy or soya even though the original variety doesn’t, so beware!

Mix together half and half full-fat mayonnaise with Heinz tomato ketchup and then perhaps add a little more if you like it weaker/stronger. I find slightly more ketchup is my favourite.

Add to salads or BBQs for a little extra excitement.

Roast Lamb*

This is a favourite dish for my family, whether it be on a cold winters Sunday or midweek. Delicious with redcurrant or mint sauces. Once you have the WDF ingredients this recipe is very easy to adapt for food intolerances. 

INGREDIENTS

1 leg of lamb weighing 2kg (it doesn’t matter if the joint is a different size but remember to adapt the time scale for cooking proportionally!!)

75g (3oz) of WDF butter at room temperature – as always I use the pure spread 

1 tsp chopped rosemary

1 tbsp chopped mint

2 tbsp chopped parsley

1 tsp chopped thyme

1 clove garlic

salt and black pepper

For the gravy:

1-2 dessertspoon corn flour

1 tbsp Comptons gravy salt

Approx 325ml stock – vegetable stock works or lamb if you have it

seasoning

METHOD

1. Pre-heat the oven to 190C
2. Stab and score the joint in several places with a sharp knife
3. Rub the herbs and butter all over the upper side (the cuts allow the butter to run into the joint whilst cooking) – see image
4. Wrap the joint loosely in foil, sealing well
5. Place it in a roasting tin and cook for 2 hours, then open the foil and cook it for up to 30 minutes to brown the top.
6. It may not need the full 30 minutes so use the skewer test to determine how much extra time your roast needs. these cooking times the lamb will be slightly pink. If you like it otherwise, adjust the times accordingly before opening the foil
7. Remove the joint to a warm serving dish to rest while you make the gravy
8. Empty the juices from the foil into the roasting tin, then tilt it slightly – you will see the meat juices and fat separating, so spoon off most of the fat into a bowl and leave the juices in the tin
9. Now place the tin over a low heat to start, sprinkle in the corn flour and work into a smooth paste using a wooden spoon
10. Turn up the heat and pour in the stock slowly, stirring continuously and adding just enough stock to make a thin gravy. Instead of stock I sometimes use the roast potato cooking juices or the water from the vegetables for that added, natural flavour.
11. Add the gravy salt – be careful, as the gravy continues to cook the colour will get much darker so add it slowly
12. Taste to check and season to taste, pour gravy into a warmed jug and serve with the lamb

For this roast lamb, I used wedgie potatoes as can be followed in the recipe here.

PREP: 10 mins

COOK: 2hr 30min

DIFFICULTY: medium (gets easier as you practice)