To a certain extent, the flavour of a good mince depends on careful seasoning. However, just as important is the browning of the meat. I make certain that when the mince goes in the pan that I leave it to sizzle for several minutes without stirring to give it a chance to brown. Getting the meat stickily golden at this point will make all the difference to the finished mince.
Rather good mince
Serves 4 (with potatoes, crisp polenta or pasta)
butter - 50g
cubed bacon - 70g
a medium onion
garlic - 2 fat cloves
celery - 2 stalks
mushrooms - about 100g
bay leaves - 2
minced beef or lamb - 400g
canned crushed tomatoes - 400g
stock - 200ml
a nutmeg
Melt the butter in a large, heavy-based pan then stir in the bacon and let it cook for five minutes or so, without colouring much.
Meanwhile peel and finely chop the onion and garlic and stir it into the bacon, followed by the celery, finely chopped. Lastly, finely chop the mushrooms and add to the pan, then tuck in the bay leaves and leave to cook for 10 minutes over a moderate heat, stirring frequently.
Turn up the heat and tip in the meat, breaking it up well with a fork. Now leave to colour without stirring for a good three or four minutes, then, as the meat on the bottom is starting to brown, stir again, breaking up the meat where necessary and leave to colour.
Mix in the tomatoes and stock and a grating of nutmeg, and some salt and black pepper, letting it come to the boil. Turn the heat down so that everything barely bubbles. There should be movement, but one that is gentle, not quite a simmer. Partially cover with a lid and leave to putter away for a good hour or so, stirring from time to time, regularly checking the liquid levels. Serve with pasta, potatoes or crisp polenta.
Peppers with mince, parmesan and rosemary
The thought of stuffed peppers usually makes my heart sink. But season the meat thoughtfully - in this case with rosemary, garlic and parmesan - and you have something worth eating.
Serves 4
a large onion
olive oil - 2 tbs, and a little more
garlic - 2 cloves
rosemary - 3 bushy sprigs
tomatoes - 2 large
minced pork - 350g
breadcrumbs - 50g
small red peppers - 6
grated parmesan
Set the oven at 200ºC/Gas 6.
Peel and finely chop the onion, put it into a large, shallow pan with the oil over a moderate heat. Let the onion soften without colouring. Peel and slice the garlic, chop the leaves from the sprigs of rosemary and add to the onions. When all is soft and fragrant, chop the tomatoes and stir them in. Continue cooking until the tomatoes have collapsed into the sauce. Season with salt and black pepper, then stir in the minced pork and the breadcrumbs. Remove from the heat.
Cut the peppers in half lengthways then lower them into a pan of boiling water for 6-8 minutes until they are slightly limp. Remove them with a draining spoon and put them skin-side down in a baking dish.
Divide the pork mixture between the peppers then moisten with a little olive oil. Scatter grated parmesan over the peppers and bake for 35 minutes till sizzling.
Meatloaf with porcini and bacon
A meatloaf that keeps its shape neatly is likely to be less than interesting to eat. The recipe here is moist, coarse-textured and thoughtfully seasoned, and crumbles deliciously when cut. Rather than a sauce, I ate it last weekend with a side dish of baked figs.
Serves 4
white bread - 70g
milk
dried porcini mushrooms - 25g
leeks - 2 medium-sized
butter - 30g
chopped parsley - a small handful
ground beef - 400g
smoked bacon - 75g
garlic - 2 cloves, diced
grated parmesan - a handful
You will need a loaf tin or terrine approximately 10 x 12cm and a sheet of greaseproof paper.
Set the oven at 200ºC/Gas 6. Tear the bread into rough chunks and put into a dish with enough milk to cover. Leave till the bread is thoroughly saturated with milk. Put the mushrooms in a small bowl and cover them with warm water.
Slice the leeks in half lengthways and then into small dice. Wash thoroughly in a colander with cold, running water.
Melt the butter in a deep pan, then add the leeks and the chopped parsley. Leave them to soften over a low heat. The leeks should not colour. I prevent them browning by placing a disc of greaseproof paper over the leeks, so that they partially steam.
Remove the leeks from the heat, add the beef and the bacon, diced into small pieces. Leave the meat to brown nicely on the underside before stirring. Add the chopped garlic and the mushrooms, drained of their soaking liquid and roughly chopped. Wring out the breadcrumbs and stir into the mixture with plenty of salt and pepper and the grated parmesan.
Push the meat into the lined tin and smooth the top flat. Fold the paper over the top and place the tin in a roasting tin. Pour hot water into the tin, to come halfway up the meatloaf. Place the roasting tin in the oven, and leave for an hour until fully cooked through.
Leave to settle for 10 minutes before turning out and carefully slicing.
Pork patties with thyme and mozzarella
We tend to think of burgers as being made with minced beef, but pork is an excellent mince, too, offering plenty of succulence.
The mozzarella is an unusual addition, and oozes seductively as you eat.
Serves 3-4
spring onions - 4
garlic - 2 cloves
butter - a thick slice or 25g
cubed pancetta - 100g
thyme - 4 bushy sprigs
minced pork- 350g
the grated zest of half a lemon
mozzarella - 1 ball
Chop the onions and peeled cloves of garlic finely then let them soften and colour lightly in the butter over a moderate heat. Add the cubed pancetta. Strip the thyme leaves from their stalks, chop them finely then add them to onions, letting them cook for a few minutes until coloured. Let the mixture cool a little.
Mix the minced pork into the onion, add the grated lemon and season it generously with black pepper and salt. Cut the mozzarella into cubes and stir it into the mixture.
Shape the mixture into six little burgers each about the size of a digestive biscuit, and leave to settle for half an hour.
Get a non-stick frying pan hot. Brown the patties on both sides, then leave them to cook through to the middle, a matter of eight to 10 minutes.
Serve with thick slices of lemon.
Stir-fried lamb with broccoli
A thin steel wok is ideal for this because the fierce heat will help to caramelise the sugars in the meat, but you could use a frying pan, too. The sweet taste of the meat contrasts nicely here with the hot sour notes of the seasonings.
Serves 2
broccoli - a large handful of florets
spring onions - 3
garlic - 3 plump cloves
hot red chillies - 2
groundnut oil- 3 tbs
minced lamb - 300g
a lime
nam pla (Thai fish sauce) - 1 tbs
sugar - a tsp
coriander leaves - a small handful
Blanch the florets of broccoli for one minute in boiling water. Drain and set aside. Chop the spring onion, removing the darkest green leaves as you go. Peel the garlic and chop it finely, then seed and chop the chillies. Get the oil really hot in a shallow pan then cook the onions and chillies until soft but not coloured, moving them quickly round the pan as you go. It will appear there is too much oil, but bear with me.
Add the minced lamb, let it colour appetisingly. It should go a rich golden colour. Add the drained broccoli. In a small bowl mix the juice of the lime with the nam pla and sugar. Tip into the hot pan, leave to sizzle briefly scraping at the gooey stickings on the bottom of the pan and stirring them in as you go. Check the seasoning - you may need a little salt - and stir in the coriander.
