This is my variation on the traditional "cottage pie". As I don't live in a cottage I have renamed it. I have also got a strong dislike of carrots, so I've left them out. You can add them if you want, you will need two, add them where I've added the peppers (spoilers!). This is a really good way of getting rid of those interesting vegetables you bought a while ago, forgot about and now think you should probably use them. The lentils are entirely optional, you can also add any other beans or pulses, the recipe I based this on (Delia's Special Cottage Pie) doesn't have any but I don't think there's enough base if you don't eek it out.
Equipment
Large saucepan and casserole dish
OR
Flame-proof casserole dish
Lucky implement (if you don't have a lucky implement, use a normal one)
Spoon with holes in
Spoon without holes in
Maracas (optional)
Ingredients
450g Minced Beef (1lb)
2 Medium Onions
2 Peppers
Any quantity of "interesting veg" as mentioned in the preamble (add where the peppers are) I'd chop these fairly small, especially if you're not sure what it is anymore.
1/2tsp Mixed herbs
1tsp Sweet paprika
1tbs Tomato purée
275ml Hot stock (1/2pint)
Cooking oil (if you are a bit careless and go for a wee whilst you're doing the beef so the fat burns off a bit)
for the topping
900g potatoes (about 4 average ones)
1-2 leeks (1 large, 2 medium, small ones can gratuitous swearing removed off, or you could use 3)
Method
Whack the beef in the pan then hob that on high.
Panic a bit whilst you realise you don't have the right veg, then remember you do, it's in the bottom of the fridge.
Chop your onions whilst the beef merrily browns, keep an eye on the beef and stir it fairly regularly, certainly don't go for a wee or the fat (which you will cook the onion in) will fry off.
Stick the kettle on for the stock.
Next remove the beef from the pan leaving as much juice as you can, add the onions and stir in about half a teaspoon of Paprika (experimental cooking tip, I generally add some herbs/spices when I fry onions, they absorb the taste really well at this point, however mixed herbs tend to burn so don't add them).
Chop your peppers and optional other veg, add these before the onion has burnt to the bottom of the pan.
Put the beef back in. Stick the rest of your seasoning in now.
Mix the tomato purée with the hot stock and add to the meaty mix.
Slam in your chosen beans/pulses (actually, I guess if you wanted to you could add more beef, but do this at the beginning)
Simmer on a low heat for about 10 minutes.
If you are doing this in a sauce pan put the mix into your casserole dish.
Congratulations. All your base are complete.
Preheat oven to 200°C (10π/9radC)
Prepare mash (potato)
Fry leeks in butter
Add leeks to mash
Add mash/leek to base
Add dish to oven
Cook for about half an hour.
OPTIONAL BIT
Grate cheese over the top and whack it under the grill until it starts to brown.
Enjoy!
Next week I haven't got a clue what I'll do, but I'll try and do something veggie. There will be a midweek special on TSR this week, I'll put a link up here when the balloon goes up.
Sunday, 4 December 2011
Wednesday, 23 November 2011
Greetings and 2 simple pasta sauces
Hello!
Firstly, welcome to my new food blog, as it says in the description I'm not a master chef, but you don't have to be to create passable food. When I came away to uni I had a repertoire of about three dishes, two of which were pudding. Ok, that was a lie, but I didn't have much in the way of cooking experience. It turns out it doesn't really matter, provided you leave yourself enough time and stay calm very little can go wrong.
I shall start with a few ground rules
1) Hot is your friend, when in doubt whack the heat on
2) Keep stuff moving, especially if you have employed rule 1, otherwise stuff sticks to your pans
3) Missed a step? Don't panic! Use your noggin. There's no undo button but most things can be added later.
4) Give yourself time to enjoy both cooking and eating. It's good for the soul.
The Basic Larder
It is a good idea to keep a stock of basics.
-Onions - taste and texture, these wee beasties are a good building block for loads of things, I get through about 5 or 6 a week on my own.
-Garlic - easy peasy flavour.
-Mushrooms - good for bulking out stuff. I get through about a pack and a half a week, I personally prefer chestnut mushrooms as they have a nice, slightly nutty taste
-Peppers - Pick a colour, any colour! Last for a fair while these and go well with anything Italian tasting, or on there own to keep the scurvy at bay.
-Herbs and Spices, I keep a stock of; paprika (hot and sweet), chilli powder, cumin, coriander, mixed herbs, salt and pepper.
-Chopped Tomatoes - Boxes or tins of these, I buy them in bulk, an absolute God send. No need to buy fancy ones, supermarket basics are just the same.
-Tomato purée - trust me.
-Crème fraiche - Good for thickening sauces, gives a good creamy texture.
-Flour - For emergency sauce thickening and more!
Now, on to the recipes. The first is the first thing I learn to do, a really basic tomato sauce, super flexible and really easy to do. This particular version is really good with pasta or potato, I'm not too keen on rice but I dare say if you are this would probably go with it too. If you are a real fuss arse and don't like any of the optional extras it's still perfectly edible without, it just won't stretch as far. If you don't add the beans it'll probably only be good for 2.
Serves 2-3 (or you 2-3 times!)
Ingredients
400g chopped tomatoes (one box)
1 1/2 to 2 medium onions
1 clove garlic - crushed
1 pepper (optional)
4-6 mushrooms (optional)
1 tin kidney or borlotti beans
1/2 tsp mixed herbs
1 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp hot paprika or chilli powder(optional)
1-2 tbs crème fraiche
Oil for frying
Chop the onions, pepper and mushrooms. Heat the oil in a largish saucepan and add the onions. Once these begin to brown add the pepper, mushrooms, garlic, coriander and paprika. Keep the heat on and the stuff moving around (you don't need to stay with it all the time, a couple of pokes a minute's fine). Once the mushroom has softened (probably after about 3 minutes) add the drain off the beans and add to the mix. After about 2 minutes add the mixed herbs and tomatoes. Put the lid on (if you have one) and turn down the heat. Simmer for about 10 minutes (just enough time to do the pasta)
Finally stir in the crème fraiche and serve.
Sauce 2 is even simpler but sorry my vegetarian friends, its main ingredient is BACON!!!
Serves 2
Ingredients
4 rashers of bacon
100g Mushrooms
1/2 to 1 onion (optional)
OR 1 leek (optional)
1tsp sweet paprika
1tsp coriander
3-4 tbs crème fraiche
Oil for frying
Chop your bacon into strips no larger than about 1/4" by 1" (basically go wild with bacon and scissors) and fry in a saucepan. Chop the mushrooms, onion/leek and add to the pot with the coriander and paprika. Keeping the heat on high until the mushrooms have softened. Add the crème fraiche. Serve.
Until next time. Thanks for reading and good luck. May the forks be with you.
Firstly, welcome to my new food blog, as it says in the description I'm not a master chef, but you don't have to be to create passable food. When I came away to uni I had a repertoire of about three dishes, two of which were pudding. Ok, that was a lie, but I didn't have much in the way of cooking experience. It turns out it doesn't really matter, provided you leave yourself enough time and stay calm very little can go wrong.
I shall start with a few ground rules
1) Hot is your friend, when in doubt whack the heat on
2) Keep stuff moving, especially if you have employed rule 1, otherwise stuff sticks to your pans
3) Missed a step? Don't panic! Use your noggin. There's no undo button but most things can be added later.
4) Give yourself time to enjoy both cooking and eating. It's good for the soul.
The Basic Larder
It is a good idea to keep a stock of basics.
-Onions - taste and texture, these wee beasties are a good building block for loads of things, I get through about 5 or 6 a week on my own.
-Garlic - easy peasy flavour.
-Mushrooms - good for bulking out stuff. I get through about a pack and a half a week, I personally prefer chestnut mushrooms as they have a nice, slightly nutty taste
-Peppers - Pick a colour, any colour! Last for a fair while these and go well with anything Italian tasting, or on there own to keep the scurvy at bay.
-Herbs and Spices, I keep a stock of; paprika (hot and sweet), chilli powder, cumin, coriander, mixed herbs, salt and pepper.
-Chopped Tomatoes - Boxes or tins of these, I buy them in bulk, an absolute God send. No need to buy fancy ones, supermarket basics are just the same.
-Tomato purée - trust me.
-Crème fraiche - Good for thickening sauces, gives a good creamy texture.
-Flour - For emergency sauce thickening and more!
Now, on to the recipes. The first is the first thing I learn to do, a really basic tomato sauce, super flexible and really easy to do. This particular version is really good with pasta or potato, I'm not too keen on rice but I dare say if you are this would probably go with it too. If you are a real fuss arse and don't like any of the optional extras it's still perfectly edible without, it just won't stretch as far. If you don't add the beans it'll probably only be good for 2.
Serves 2-3 (or you 2-3 times!)
Ingredients
400g chopped tomatoes (one box)
1 1/2 to 2 medium onions
1 clove garlic - crushed
1 pepper (optional)
4-6 mushrooms (optional)
1 tin kidney or borlotti beans
1/2 tsp mixed herbs
1 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp hot paprika or chilli powder(optional)
1-2 tbs crème fraiche
Oil for frying
Chop the onions, pepper and mushrooms. Heat the oil in a largish saucepan and add the onions. Once these begin to brown add the pepper, mushrooms, garlic, coriander and paprika. Keep the heat on and the stuff moving around (you don't need to stay with it all the time, a couple of pokes a minute's fine). Once the mushroom has softened (probably after about 3 minutes) add the drain off the beans and add to the mix. After about 2 minutes add the mixed herbs and tomatoes. Put the lid on (if you have one) and turn down the heat. Simmer for about 10 minutes (just enough time to do the pasta)
Finally stir in the crème fraiche and serve.
Sauce 2 is even simpler but sorry my vegetarian friends, its main ingredient is BACON!!!
Serves 2
Ingredients
4 rashers of bacon
100g Mushrooms
1/2 to 1 onion (optional)
OR 1 leek (optional)
1tsp sweet paprika
1tsp coriander
3-4 tbs crème fraiche
Oil for frying
Chop your bacon into strips no larger than about 1/4" by 1" (basically go wild with bacon and scissors) and fry in a saucepan. Chop the mushrooms, onion/leek and add to the pot with the coriander and paprika. Keeping the heat on high until the mushrooms have softened. Add the crème fraiche. Serve.
Until next time. Thanks for reading and good luck. May the forks be with you.
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