Phil's easy mince recipes
Phil Vickery’s here with his look at some of the best deals in the supermarkets, and this week he's focusing on beef mince.
Here he shows us three different ways it can be cooked so that you can make the most of discounts and buying in bulk.
Easy mince and potatoes
Serves 6-8 people
Ingredients
2 tbsp vegetable oil2 small onions, peeled & chopped2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped200g mushrooms, thickly sliced500g beef mince3 tbsp brown sauce2 x Oxo cubes, crushedWater to cover5 large potatoes, peeled, chopped into 3cm chunksPepper1 tbsp flour, 2 tbsp cold water, mixed well together
Method
Heat the 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a shallow saucepan.
Add the chopped onions, garlic and mushrooms.
Cook over a high heat for 10 minutes, to get heat into the dish.
Add the mince, break up well, and cook until it changes colour from red to fawny colour.
Add the 2 Oxo cubes and brown sauce and really mix well.
Add the potatoes and simmer gently for 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked and slightly falling apart. You can thicken with a little flour and water mixed together.
Tex Mex black eyed pea chilli
Serves: 4-6 people
Ingredients
1 tbsp vegetable oil4 large onions, peeled and finely chopped4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped500g beef mince, best with a 20% fat content3 tsp cumin2 tsp ground cinnamon1 tbsp paprika, optional3 tsp dried oregano1 tsp dried chilli flakes400g can chopped tomatoes in sauce2 glasses of water, say 300 mls roughly2 tbsp tomato puree2 tsp sugarSaltPepper1x 400g can black eyed peas, drained
Method
Heat the oil and add the onions and garlic and soften.
Add the mince and break up well with a wooden spoon. Then cook until all the moisture has evaporated and the meat is starting to brown nicely.
Next add the spices, herbs, tomatoes, water, puree and sugar.
Mix well and taste - adjust the seasoning if needed.
Finally, add the drained beans and cook for 30-40 minutes, gently.
Serve with steamed rice, soft tortillas or cornbread and tuck in.
Glazed meatballs
Serves 4 people
Ingredients
500g mince1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped1 egg white1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed1 tsp tomato puree2 tsp ground cumin2 tsp ground black pepper25g unsalted butter
For the glaze
2 tbsp runny honey2 tbsp tomato ketchup1 tbsp Worcester sauce2-3tbsp water or beef stock4 tbsp chopped fresh corianderPepperSalt
Method
Place the mince, onion, egg white, garlic, tomato paste, cumin and black pepper and mix well. Then form into about 16 small balls.
Heat the butter in a frying pan and add the balls, cooking on all sides for about 10 minutes. Tip off any fat that may come from the balls, this will ensure the meat browns nicely.
When cooked, tip off most of the fat and add the honey, tomato ketchup, Worcester sauce and stock or water. Swirl around the pan and reduce slightly so the meatballs coat evenly.
Serve with chunky sweet potato puree