Ground Beef with Black Pepper

A great dish which largely cooks itself after you have browned the minced beef and diced the vegetables. Brown the beef at a medium heat until it begins to spark, stirring frequently. Then add the diced vegetables and cook for another five minutes, having turned the heat down to low. Then add boiling water, the beef stock, and some arrowroot (or cornflour) mixed with water, to produce a thicker gravy. Add a generous amount of freshly ground black peppercorns, according to taste. Stir together, and once thoroughly mixed, simmer under glass for about forty-five minutes. 

Serve with basmati rice. 

 

Lamb Chilli with Sultanas and Red Pepper

200g of lamb mince (ground lamb), browned in a little olive oil. Plus julienned white onion, diced red pepper, and three diced Aleyna red and green chillies. And a handful of Turkish sultanas (an unexpected detour into a Marks and Spencer store produced that find). I added lamb and vegetable stock, and some coconut, tomato puree, and water. Simmered under glass for an hour. Served with Basmati rice. 

 

Beef Chili and Potato Pie

Effectively a spicy cottage pie, with chilli, red kidney beans and chickpeas. Made to use up some leftover beef chilli. 

The beans and chickpeas were soaked in unsalted water over night, and were added to the beef chilli (which already contained onions and carrots). 

The beef chilli was decanted into a standard pie tin, and mashed potato was laid on top, and textured with a fork. Placed on the middle shelf of an oven preheated to at least 180 deg C, for between forty minutes to an hour. Check progress by eye, and remove from the oven when the pie is sufficiently browned. Serve dressed with a little coriander. 

 

Beef Bourguignon Potato Pie

I made the beef bourguignon stew first, not with cubed beef, but with ground beef instead. Cooked with carrots, onion, diced mushrooms, paprika, red wine (a delicious Italian merlot), bay leaves, garlic, and thyme. Plus beef stock. Cook for between one and two hours. Kept in the fridge for a couple of days, and then decanted into a standard pie tin. Remove the bay leaves.

The potatoes were boiled, then mashed with a little salted butter and olive oil. Creamed with a little milk. I also added some dried coriander leaf to the mash.

The mashed potato was added to the top of the pie tin, and textured with a fork, to increase crispiness.

Cooked for between forty and fifty minutes at 180 deg C on the middle shelf of the oven (check progress by eye). It may take a little longer.

It is customary to include chopped bacon in beef bourguignon, but I usually skip this ingredient.

Served with some French's American mustard. German mustard will do as well.

Ground Beef with Spring Onion and Curried Rice

5% fat ground beef, browned for twenty-five minutes in some sunflower oil. Eight chopped spring onions (cybes) plus two diced carrots were caramelised in a separate small pan at the same time.

Added together, along with some Sainsbury's gravy granules, and with some boiling water, and beef stock. Actually inferior to the traditional way of thickening beef mince, which is to use cornflour. Sainsbury's granules contain wheat flour, which I try to avoid. Always read the label before buying.

Simmered for at least an hour under glass at a low heat. Longer is better, if you like your beef tender.

The rice was cooked for ten minutes with curry powder, salt, turmeric and a green chilli. Drained, and the whole green chilli was removed before serving. 

Beef Chilli with Roast Potatoes

An unusual combination of components, but it works quite well. How to do good roast potatoes is detailed here.

The ground beef was browned for half an hour, initially at a high heat, and then at a low heat. The beef was 5% fat, so I added a little olive oil to the pan.

Then I added water, chopped tomato, julienned red onion, diced carrot, some haricot beans, red kidney beans (soaked overnight), beef stock, dried coriander, and three red chillies. Simmered for two hours until tender. Delicious!

Beef Chilli with Kidney Beans and Greek Yoghurt

A straightforward ground beef chilli, served with Greek yoghurt dressed with coriander leaf.

The 5% fat beef was browned in sunflower oil for twenty minutes, after which the julienned white onion was added, along with the diced carrot. Stirred together under glass for another thirty minutes.

I added boiling water to the pot, plus the vegetable and beef stock. Plus the red chillies, and the sliced red pepper.  Simmered under glass for an hour or so.

The dried kidney beans had been soaked for three hours in a separate pot, and then were boiled for two hours, before being added to the main dish (after draining). Along with some haricot beans.

Served with Greek yoghurt dressed in dried coriander leaf. Delicious!

Ground Beef with Smoked Paprika and Wheat-free Fusilli

This dish was made with diced Piccolo tomatoes, diced white mushrooms, diced leek, diced red pepper, sweetcorn (from a small tin) paprika, half a 400g  tin of tomatoes, and ground beef (Scottish). Plus three red chillies, and a teaspoonful of smoked paprika.

The 5% fat ground beef was browned for twenty minutes in olive oil, and then the diced leek was added. Cooked for a further twenty minutes under glass, stirring occasionally. Then the other vegetables were added, plus the herbs oregano and coriander.

Simmered under glass for another hour, after which vegetable and beef stock were added to the pot.

The wheat-free pasta (Fusilli, commonly known as Rotini in the U.S.), was cooked in boiling salted water in a pan for ten minutes, and then allowed to rest for a further five, and then drained. I used Sainsbury's pasta, since it cooks very much like the durum wheat version, and doesn't fall apart.

Wheat-free Spaghetti Bolognese, with Sweetcorn

Not a real Italian dish, as I've noted before, but a firm favourite in the UK.

This was made with diced Piccolo tomatoes, diced white mushrooms, diced leek, diced red pepper, sweetcorn (from a small tin) paprika, half a 400g  tin of tomatoes, and ground beef (Scottish). Plus three red chillies.

The 5% fat ground beef was browned for twenty minutes in olive oil, and then the diced leek was added. Cooked for a further twenty minutes under glass, stirring occasionally. Then the other vegetables were added.

Simmered under glass for another hour, after which vegetable and beef stock were added to the pot.

The wheat-free pasta was cooked in boiling salted water in a large flat pan for ten minutes, and then allowed to rest for a further five. Then drained.

The dish was served on a plate dusted with oregano, and dressed with dried (or fresh) coriander.

Cottage Pie with American Mustard

A dish which uses this beef mince recipe as its basis:

5% fat ground (minced) beef from the local Co-op. First I fried a whole Spanish onion (julienned and diced) until it was caramelised. Then I added tomato puree, red pepper, and carrots, plus 100mls of water, and simmered these for about forty minutes, along with beef and vegetable stock.

During this time I browned the beef in a drizzle of olive oil, stirring frequently (in another pan). The heat was turned down after ten minutes (brown, not burn!) I added diced chestnut mushrooms after fifteen minutes.

After thirty minutes I added the beef (etc) to the Spanish onion salsa, and simmered under glass at a low heat for about an hour.

The remaining beef mince spent 48 hours or so in the fridge, then I added it to a traditional enamelled pie dish. I boiled semi-skinned potatoes for twenty five minutes, then mashed them with about 50 grams of slightly salted butter, using a fork. The mash was decanted onto the beef with a spoon until the beef was evenly covered to a depth of about an inch. The surface of the pie was textured using the fork. 

Cook in an oven preheated to at least 180 deg C for between forty and forty five minutes (middle shelf). You can leave it in for longer than that if you prefer a more browned result.  

Ground Beef, with Greek Yoghurt dressed in Tarragon

5% fat ground (minced) beef from the local Co-op. First I fried a whole Spanish onion (julienned and diced) until it was caramelised. Then I added tomato puree, red pepper, and carrots, plus 100mls of water, and simmered these for about forty minutes, along with beef and vegetable stock.

During this time I browned the beef in a drizzle of olive oil, stirring frequently (in another pan). The heat was turned down after ten minutes (brown, not burn!) I added diced chestnut mushrooms after fifteen minutes.

After thirty minutes I added the beef (etc) to the Spanish onion salsa, and simmered under glass at a low heat for about an hour.

Served with Greek yoghurt dressed in a sprinkling of tarragon.

Mince, Peas, and Potatoes

A traditional British dish, particularly liked in Scotland, where it is known as 'mince an' tatties'.

The mince was browned in a drizzle of sunflower oil for twenty minutes, beginning at a high heat before the heat being turned down. I added half a large leek, cut into strips lengthwise, and then diced. Stirred frequently, and cooked at a low heat for another twenty minutes. Often an onion is used instead of a leek.

After that boiling water was added to the pan, plus the beef stock. Allowed to simmer under glass for an hour or so, by which time the leek has begun to dissolve and thicken the dish (stirring will speed up this process).

Served with garden peas, and boiled potatoes (peeled red rooster potatoes in this case).

That's it. No herbs used at all. Sometimes diced carrot is added in addition to onion or leek.

Lamb Chilli with Seeded Flatbread

Ground lamb, cooked in a little sunflower oil, along with white onion, peppers, and some dried red chillies, and three green chillies.

The lamb was cooked first for 45 minutes, before the onion and diced spring onion was added (three). After that, the diced carrot, and the red pepper (half, diced), and about half a pint of water. Then  the lamb stock. Simmered under glass for an hour.

Before serving, add two pinches of dried coriander (or diced coriander leaves if you have some fresh available in your kitchen).

The seeded and folded flatbread was sourced from Aldi. Soak under the tap and allow to drain for two or three minutes. Then toast.

Ground Lamb Chilli with Mushrooms

Ground lamb, cooked in a little sunflower oil, along with white onion, peppers, and some dried red chillies, and three green chillies.

The lamb was cooked first for 45 minutes, before the onion and diced spring onion was added (three). After that, the diced carrot, and the red pepper (half, diced), six quartered mushrooms, and about half a pint of water. Then  the lamb stock. Simmered under glass for an hour.

Before serving, add two pinches of dried coriander (or diced coriander leaves if you have some fresh available in your kitchen).

Served with basmati rice, cooked with a sprinkling of dried coriander.

Garlic Lamb with Penne Pasta

Ground lamb, cooked in its own fat, along with white onion, peppers, and some dried red chillies.

The lamb was cooked first for 45 minutes, before the onion was added. After that, the diced carrot was added, and the peppers, and about half a pint of water. Then herbs (oregano and basil) and the tomato passata were added, along with the lamb stock. Finally, one crushed clove of garlic was added. Simmered under glass for an hour.

This is the base for a range of meals. Use as the basis of a Shepherd's pie. Add dates and garlic for a middle eastern or Italian style dish. Served here with wheat-free penne pasta.

Ground Lamb with Peppers and Chilli

Ground lamb, cooked in its own fat, along with white onion, peppers, and some dried red chillies.

The lamb was cooked first for 45 minutes, before the onion was added. After that, the diced carrot was added, and the peppers, and about half a pint of water. Then the tomato passata was added, along with the lamb stock. Simmered under glass for an hour.

This is the base for a range of meals. Use as the basis of a Shepherd's pie. Add dates and garlic for a middle eastern style dish. Serve in a wheat (or non-wheat) wrap.

Herb options are many. The most popular are Rosemary and Thyme, followed by Oregano and Coriander. All work just great with lamb. Basil also, if the lamb  is cooked with tomatoes. Experiment!

Beef Chilli with Pan-fried Tortilla, Greek Yoghurt, and Coriander

Some bargain 5% fat ground beef from Sainsbury's prompted me to make a beef chilli. With red
onion, four deseeded green chillies, chopped carrot, diced red pepper, a tin of red kidney beans, shredded fresh coriander, garlic, beef and vegetable stock, tomato puree.

First brown the beef at a medium heat for 20 minutes. Since the fat content is so low, it needs a little oil for this. Lean meat is often a curse, since the fat content is an important component in the cooking process. So beef with most of the fat trimmed away isn't a boon to the cook.

Once the beef is browned (stir frequently), add boiling water. Add the chopped red onion, the red pepper, the kidney beans, and the carrot. Simmer at a low heat under glass for 45 minutes to an hour.

Add the tomato puree (about a third of a standard tube), the chopped green chillies, the garlic, the beef and vegetable stock, and a handful of shredded coriander, which should be stirred through the salsa. Cook for at least another half an hour at a low heat.

The Garlic and herb tortilla should be soaked under the cold water tap on both sides until soft, and then pan-fried in sunflower oil at a medium heat for three minutes on each side, until it begins to brown.

Lay the tortilla on the plate, and smear three dessert spoonfuls of yoghurt on the upper surface. Add the desired amount of the beef chilli on top, slighty to one side. The tortilla will soften again in about a minute, after which it can be folded over.

Serve with extra Greek yoghurt, and some more shredded coriander. Delicious!

Chilli con Carne with Potato

Ground beef, browned in a saute pan for twenty minutes to half an hour. Add sliced onion, diced carrot, and cook until the onions are softened and beginning to brown.

 Add some boiling water, plus six chillies with the stems removed, three chopped cloves of garlic, a tin of kidney beans in juice (add the juice), and six sliced mushroooms. Add three squirts of tomato puree, and four finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes, a pinch of paprika, beef stock, and some chopped basil leaves.

Turn down the heat and simmer the beef for two hours under glass, until tender. Stir occasionally. Remove the chillies before serving if you do not want to eat them. They provide lots of heat just by being in the dish while it is cooked.

Serve with boiled potatoes. Delicious!

Ground Lamb with Green Beans and Potatoes

A rich lamb mince made for a family meal.  The mince was browned first in a saute pan. While that process was under way, I prepared the vegetables which were going to be part of the mix. These were: mushrooms, red pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, a large onion, some celery, spring onion, paprika, two finger chillies (minus the stems), and lamb and vegetable stock. Plus two teaspoonfuls of tomato puree. the chillies were removed before serving.

Once the lamb was browned, boiling water was added to the pan, and the mince was allowed to simmer under glass for two hours (ninety minutes will do).

Served with semi-skinned potatoes, and Kenyan fine beans. The beans were cooked for five minutes in boiling water and some salt.  Serve with batoned carrots if you prefer.

Worth the preparation time for wonderfully tender minced lamb!

Ground Lamb with Brussels Sprouts

Potatoes? You don't need potatoes. It is just a cultural habit. 400g of lean Scottish ground (minced) lamb, browned in its own fat for twenty to twenty five minutes. Two chopped onions were added, and the pot covered.

Cooked at a low heat for another half an hour, stirring frequently. Lamb stock was added, and then boiling water. The lamb was allowed to simmer for two hours until tender.

The large Brussels sprouts were cooked in boiling water for 11 minutes (9 minutes if small), drained, and decanted to a serving plate along with the lamb (serves three to four).

Add freshly ground black pepper to taste.