Support and ideas for those on low-carb diet

loopy you need thin-cut bacon, and a heavy frying pan.
I start it off with a bit of olive oil heated first, but you don't need a lot as the fat will run out of the bacon especially if it's streaky.

Thanks for the suggestions, I'll try them out - I hadn't thought of using my griddle pan either!

I just bought a lidless one, thanks jings. I have a splatter guard, so don't mind not having an 'oink'! I looked them up and it seems that you can buy all their stuff over here except the lidded trays, for some reason. They also do a very nice little bacon keeper thing that I think I shall buy.

www.amazon.co.uk/Joie-Oink-Bacon-Fresh-Pink/dp/B007ZTJ9VU/ref=sr_1_2?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1429352914&sr=1-2&keywords=Joie+bacon

www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/meatballs_with_fennel_10756

Saw this on Saturday Kitchen this morning so I thought I'd adapt it because I've just made some beefburgers. The onion jam should be OK because we're increasing carbs just a little due to long hours working outside now that our energy levels are on the up.

I have ricotta in the fridge so I won't be messing about with milk, lemon juice and a muslin.

Thanks janer! I am getting the tomato one.

I should probably get one for DBH, he likes big tomatoes and I like cherry ones. He is always leaving tomato halves in the fridge and forgetting to use them.

Merlot that looks lovely.

It was yummy and very quick and easy. I made the onion jam in advance.

I make tons of onion jam, usually when my onions that I store from the garden start to grow soft and I give in and realise that they won't store for much longer. But I didn't grow onions last year, and DS has been steadily 'borrowing' them to take back to Uni so of course I went out to get a jar and found that we have none left!

Last time I made it I vowed to make it outdoors. Or buy swimming goggles.

Went to a BBQ yesterday. Homemade beef burgers and we wrapped them in a large iceberg lettuce leaf rather than a bun. Worth trying. The crispness of the iceberg complemented the burger.

Can you beg/borrow/steal a food processor?
I use mine to slice up loads of onions at one go and then freeze them, it saves too many teary episodes

I've just ordered a sausage maker. Going to make my own so I know exactly what's gone into them.

Anyone else tried this?

DH loves kitchen gadgets. I think a sausage maker would be right up his street. Do you have a link?

We made them once and then the sausage skins sat in the freezer for years with us finding them every so often and saying WTF are those? My MiL used to make them without skins but only in a frying pan.
Onion jam sounds delish.
Barbecued, marinated leg of lamb and roasted veg here today. OH buys the lamb when it is on offer, puts it in a marinade of oil, herbs and garlic and then freezes the whole lot in a plastic bag. Works a treat.
Now, I need some ideas. Every year on May day our village goes for a walk and a picnic. People take stuff and hand it round. In the past we have made different breads, pork pies, squares of tortilla and such like. What can we do this year? We need to be able to give a small amount to about 40-50 people. I won't be precious about low-carb, but since the whole village has asked about our diet.....

Merlot I just went to Amazon and typed in sausage maker. There were so many different kinds, but I went for a basic hand operated one (which got good enough reviews) and it should arrive tomorrow. I've also ordered some sausage casings (the skins).

If I feel it's worth it I'll get something better later on. But I'm fed up of finding bits of grizzle in sausages, even the ones made by butchers.

We get really good sausages here. Mind you there are endless exciting sausage competitions for the charcutiers so I guess it isn't surprising.
It is what passes for entertainment in rural France.

We can buy the award winning Newmarket Sausages here, made by either Powters or Musks. They're a bit pricey though.

Making our own could be fun.

That's what I thought Merlot.

Mamie I probably wouldn't bother if I lived in France - and I'll never forget my French students reaction to English sausages...increased my French vocabulary no end!

The English in France of course, are always in search of a traditional banger! When we lived in the UK we used to get the butcher to make Merguez to our own recipe though (and provided the harissa).

DBH makes his own sausages! Some of them have been rather strong. I really hated venison and orange, but it keeps him off the streets.

He uses a mincer thing with loads of disks and I have a drawer in the outside fridge with skins and things in it, there is a huge bag of rusk too. It started because I bought him a little kit from Lakeland, but it wasn't really strong enough and the skin wasn't right either. Sorry, can't give links as he has had it for ages now, but the mincing machine is quite hefty. He puts the sausage meat through several times, I find them too smooth for my liking. I would prefer them coarser. He makes quite nice chorizo-style ones though. I think the last one was black pudding, it's in the freezer.

mamie I was going to suggest a stuffed picnic loaf or two, but I suppose that's a bit hard if you are going low-carb! Delia had a few nice picnic ideas.

loopy I have a food processor! It slices too finely for my liking, though. I like to be able to see the onion shape. I suppose I ought to just make some anyway.

Mamie Must it be finger food? I have a recipe for Golden Jubilee chicken which we had in our picnic when we were successful in the lottery for Prom at the Palace years ago. It is an updated version of Coronation Chicken and uses creme fraiche, grated ginger and similar. Low carb and British!
Sausage making brought back memories of a sink full of washing up and some sausages which worked out the price of fillet steak. They did taste good but have never repeated the experience

My Mother used to make sausages and still (at 88 years old) still makes the best faggots I've ever eaten - she buys the caul from the butchers, and freeze them.

Yes does need to be finger food really PD. Every extended family has their own table set up with an elaborate picnic and you walk round from table to table, offering small portions of bits and pieces.
The men wander round with wine, cider and Calvados!

Little tartlets, then, I make lots of mushroom ones, mushroom, onion and garlic fried in olive oil, add a little balsamic vinegar and thyme, top with crumbled goats cheese and bake. I know you wanted low carb but needs must!