Mummy Kitchen: Three Ways To Cook Minced Beef

If there is one meat that is cheap yet incredibly tasty the award has to go to minced beef and I am a huge fan. I must buy at least one pack a week. Whether it is to make spaghetti and meatballs or lasagne you can do pretty much anything with it. Imagine if you sent two people into seperate kitchens with a pack of mince you can imagine that totally different items would end up being cooked.

I will often go into the kitchen and make meatballs where as Dominic is more likely to opt for cottage pie which is an old English favourite of his.

So to get you in mood for cooking mince here are three favourites of mine:

Recipe 1 – Cottage Pie

Ingredients:

1 Large Onion, Chopped
2 Medium Carrots, Chopped
2-3 Cloves Garlic, Minced
1 (14 1/2 oz) Can Beef Broth
1 1/2 lbs Minced Beef
1 (8 oz) Can Tomato Sauce
1 tspSalt
1/2 tsp Pepper
1/2 tsp Dried Oregano
1/2 tsp Dried Thyme
1/2 tsp Parsley Flakes
1/2 tsp Dried Rosemary
1/2 tsp Rubbed Sage
2 Cups Hot Mashed Potatoes

Method:

1. In a saucepan, combine onion, carrots, garlic and broth. Bring to the boil; reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

2. Drain, reserving liquid to make gravy, if desired. In a skillet, cook the beef until browned; drain. Add tomato sauce and seasonings; bring to a boil.

3. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add reserved vegetables and mix well. Transfer to a greased 2-quart baking dish.

4. Top with mashed potatoes. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until potatoes are lightly browned.

5. If desired, make gravy with reserved vegetable liquid; serve with the pie.

Recipe 2 – Meatballs

Ingredients:

500g Of Mince Beef
1 Onion Grated

1/3 Cup Uncooked Rice

1/3 Cup Breadcrumbs

1 Egg

1 440g Tomato Soup

1 Cup Of Water

1 tbsp Sugar

Salt And Pepper

Method:

1. Combine all meatball ingredients, shape into meatballs then place the balls in the casserole dish.

2. Combine the tomato soup, water, sugar salt and pepper this is for the sauce to cover the meatballs put in the oven for 1 hour @180c.

3. Cook the rice as stated on the packet.

Recipe 3 – Chill With Roasted Peppers

Ingredients:

2 fat red chillies

2 medium red peppers

Jar of tomato sauce

1 Pack of minced beef

1 pinch of cumin

1 pinch of paprika

2 cans of kidney beans

Method:

1. Preheat the grill to high and halve 2 fat red chillies and 2 red peppers, scraping out the seeds as you go. Place them on a baking tray skin side up and grill until they look blackened and blistered. As they cook, start a pan and cook your minced beef and mix it with some tomato sauce.

2. Peel off the skin of the peppers and cut it into long strips and roughly chop the chillies. In a frying pan add the cumin and mince along with the pepper and chilli. Also add two tins of kidney beans and the paprika. Once cooked through it is ready to serve.

3. I suggest that you serve it with sour cream and tortillas for the ultimate meal.

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To your food heaven