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Cooking with flour on LCHF

Scandichic

Scandichic

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As I got so much helpful advice from my last post, I thought I'd ask another daft question. As I have chosen to go LCHF, I want to make chicken in tarragon and brandy sauce but the recipe involves a rounded dessert spoon of plain flour. Is this a fine/ok/what the hecky thump are you playing at, you daft woman idea? Please be gentle!
 
A few days ago I had this same puzzle but for sauce thickeners in general!

I think I'd try thick cream but not sure if the brandy would curdle it? You could try arrowroot - it's a lot less carbs, but the end results don't look quite the same, as it's sort of translucent rather than white.

And try here for a list of alternative thickeners for sauces including arrowroot & various types of cream, or do a Google search...

Robbity
 
I make something very similar and just before serving the sauce I remove the chicken,mushrooms and shallots and I whisk an egg yolk into the sauce to thicken it and then pour over the chicken,mushrooms and shallots-It works well but you musn't reheat the sauce afterwards as it'll most likely curdle.
 
I made a chicken curry today and just before serving, added a spoon of ground almonds to the sauce to thicken it, instead of cornflour or flour/butter.
 
Thank you for all your suggestions! Will post recipe in original form so if anyone is interested, then they can have a go and let me know if their method worked - I will also star experimenting and let you know!
Recipe:
4 chicken breasts
4 tsp tarragon
4oz mushrooms sliced
50ml brandy
150 ml chicken stock (warmed)
Seasoning
1/2 pint of single cream
1/2 lemon
1 onion diced
1 rounded dessert spoon plain flour
Garlic butter
Set oven to 180.
Fry chicken in garlic butter to colour and seal the meat. Lift out of pan and put in oven proof dish. Fry onions and mushrooms. You may need more butter. Add brandy, tarragon, seasoning, flour to pan and stir in the stock. Pour over chicken. Barely coats chicken - don't worry! Must use dish with lid! Put in oven for 50 mins. Add cream and juice of 1/2 lemon. Serve with lots of greens and enjoy! You can use mini fillets or diced chicken!
 
Coconut flour is better than almond flour as a thickener, but contains more carbs. Let the sauce simmer for a while with the flour.

Egg yolk is a good idea. You can combine methods.

If you use egg yolk, save some of the cream to whisk the yolk (or yolks!) in, then pour a few table spoons of the hot liquid in and whisk to combine before you put it into the hot sauce and whisk again. heat while whisking until it is just about to start to simmer but not further as the egg yolk will curdle.
 
Looks a lovely recipe, as it has 4 chicken breasts I am assuming it serves four people, a tablespoon of flour probably equates to a rounded dessert spoon has 5g of carbs that's just over 1g of carb per person for the flour, for me that is acceptable, but I know for extreme low carbers it may not be it all depends how strict you want to be.

I have been using xanthan gum to thicken sauces, it is carb free and works well but you have to use it sparingly and whisk like mad, I got it from Lakeland foe about £5, it's useful for a lot of things
 
Scandichic said:
Thank you for all your suggestions! Will post recipe in original form so if anyone is interested, then they can have a go and let me know if their method worked - I will also star experimenting and let you know!
Recipe:
4 chicken breasts
4 tsp tarragon
4oz mushrooms sliced
50ml brandy
150 ml chicken stock (warmed)
Seasoning
1/2 pint of single cream
1/2 lemon
1 onion diced
1 rounded dessert spoon plain flour
Garlic butter
Set oven to 180.
Fry chicken in garlic butter to colour and seal the meat. Lift out of pan and put in oven proof dish. Fry onions and mushrooms. You may need more butter. Add brandy, tarragon, seasoning, flour to pan and stir in the stock. Pour over chicken. Barely coats chicken - don't worry! Must use dish with lid! Put in oven for 50 mins. Add cream and juice of 1/2 lemon. Serve with lots of greens and enjoy! You can use mini fillets or diced chicken!
Click to expand...

Sounds very nice.
I may give that a shot using reduced fat creme fraiche, and a bit of rice bran oil for the frying though.:)
 
lovinglife said:
Looks a lovely recipe, as it has 4 chicken breasts I am assuming it serves four people, a tablespoon of flour probably equates to a rounded dessert spoon has 5g of carbs that's just over 1g of carb per person for the flour, for me that is acceptable, but I know for extreme low carbers it may not be it all depends how strict you want to be.

I have been using xanthan gum to thicken sauces, it is carb free and works well but you have to use it sparingly and whisk like mad, I got it from Lakeland foe about £5, it's useful for a lot of things
Click to expand...
Thanks - will try that! Well done with the weight and good luck!
 
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