Mince

Mince may be the poor relation of beef, pork and lamb, but it certainly has its uses, not least because it’s perfect for disguising large quantities of vegetables in. It’s also very versatile and inexpensive and a good starting point for getting kids accustomed to the taste and smell of meat, assuming that’s what you want to do.

Once again, as it’s so affordable to begin with there’s not much to be gained from buying the cheapest. However, regardless of what kind of mince you buy, you should always get rid of the extra fat by almost covering the pan with a lid once the meat is cooked, then tipping the pan and carefully straining off as much of the fatty liquid as you can. Liposuction for meat, in other words – and if you haven’t done this before you’ll be horrified at the amount of extra fat you could have been swallowing. Eugh.

Tips

Use a couple of tins of corned beef in Shepherd’s Pie instead of minced lamb if you feel like something different.

Always dry-fry mince straight from the packet; even if the label says ‘extra lean steak’ it still contains more fat than you need.

Make leftover chilli or Bolognese go further by adding a couple of tins of chopped tomatoes and some more seasoning.

Shepherd’s Pie

Not long ago I read that when Jamie Oliver asked a young mum why she didn’t make Shepherd’s Pie for her kids she said it was ‘too posh’.

Shepherd’s Pie is a lot of things – delicious, cheap and easy to put together all year round – but posh? I don’t think so.

There’s no end to what you can add to the meat in Shepherd’s Pie, so try finely chopped celery, a handful of frozen mixed vegetables, spinach, grated carrot, sweetcorn, or leftover vegetables (carrots, swede, cabbage or broccoli, for instance) cut into small pieces.

Instead of potato alone, use a mixture of potato and sweet potato or butternut squash for the topping; add an egg to make the potato drier and fluffier, or a spoonful of creamed cheese with parsley or chives, or just plain butter and milk.

Minced lamb is a bit more expensive than minced beef, (although not that much) so if you can’t get lamb or you want to use minced beef instead, just add plenty of rosemary; hardly anyone will be able to tell the difference.

Serve with green vegetables, or just baked beans, and make extra gravy if you like a wet dinner.

SERVES 4–6:
1 lb (approx 450–500 g) minced lamb
1 onion, chopped
Mushrooms
Carrot, grated
Frozen sweetcorn
1 lamb, beef or vegetable stock cube (or a teaspoon of Marmite)
1 clove of garlic
Tomato puree
1 tbsp instant gravy granules
Dried rosemary

Potatoes: however many you think would make a serving of mash for each person

Splash of milk

Grated cheese, approx 1 oz (25 g)

METHOD

1. Peel potatoes, or wash them and leave them in their skins (see above), then cut them roughly into quarters and put them on the hob in a saucepan of fresh, cold water.
2. Dry-fry the meat in a very large pan on a low heat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon now and then, while you get the vegetables ready.
3. Add the onion and garlic to the pan as soon as you like, then add the mushrooms and grated carrot, stirring every now and then until the meat is almost cooked and you can clearly see the fatty juices.
4. Strain the fat off the meat (see above), then crumble in the stock cube and add the rosemary, a couple of handfuls of frozen sweetcorn and a tablespoonful of tomato puree.
5. Add a tablespoonful of instant gravy granules to thicken and then simmer for a few minutes until the potatoes are ready, then transfer the meat into a large ovenproof dish.
6. Drain and mash the potatoes with a lump of butter and a splash of milk; add the grated cheese, then spread the potato topping over the meat, and put in the oven on Gas Mark 5 (190°C) for 15–20 minutes, or until the potatoes are brown and the gravy is bubbling.

Moussaka

SERVES 6:
1 lb (450–500 g) minced lamb
1 onion, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic
2 aubergines
4 medium-large potatoes
Mushrooms
1 lamb or beef stock cube
1 tsp all spice
Tomato puree
Very little water

FOR THE TOPPING:
1 pint (500 ml) warm milk
4 oz (100 g) butter
3 tbsp plain flour
2 egg yolks

METHOD

TO MAKE THE TOPPING:
1 pint (500 ml) warm milk
4 oz (100 g) butter
3 tbsp plain flour
2 egg yolks

Chilli Con Carne

As usual, the quantities here are all approximate, so add more, or less of the vegetables, according to what you have and what you like best; the same applies to the amount of chilli powder, cumin, etc. I always make more chilli then I need and keep (or freeze) some, which is why there’s more meat here than in most other mince recipes; in fact, the quantities below should be enough to make two meals (accompanied by pasta, rice, salad and vegetables, etc) for a family of four.

2 lb (1 kg) lean minced beef
1 large onion
2 peppers, any colour
2 courgettes
Mushrooms
Spinach
1 tin of kidney beans
1 or 2 tins of plum or chopped tomatoes
Tomato puree
Garlic puree
Chilli powder
Pinch of curry powder
Cumin
1 beef stock cube
Basil

METHOD

1. Put the mince in a large, deep-sided pan on a low heat and let it brown slowly while you wash and chop the vegetables. (Break up the lumps of meat from time to time with a wooden spoon.)
2. When the meat is just about cooked, strain off the fatty liquid (see above) and add the peppers, courgettes, mushrooms, onion, herbs and spices and give it all a good stir.
3. Wash a generous handful of spinach and add to the meat with the tinned tomatoes; keep stirring and turn the heat right up to make it bubble. Thoroughly rinse the kidney beans in a sieve and put them in too.
4. Add enough tomato puree to thicken the sauce until it's the way you like it, then turn the heat right down, cover with a lid and simmer very gently for about half an hour.