MINCE AND PASTA BAKE
Serves 4-6
15ml olive oil
1 onion, chopped
10ml chopped garlic
500g beef mince
5ml ground cinnamon
250ml beef stock
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
10ml dried oreganum
salt and pepper
125ml olives, halved
125g feta cheese, diced
250g macaroni
250ml sour cream
60ml milk
125ml grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
extra Parmesan for sprinkling
Heat the oil and fry the onion and garlic until soft. Add the mince and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up lumps. Once browned, add the cinnamon and fry for a few seconds.
Add the stock, tomatoes and oreganum and seasoning. Simmer covered for 15 minutes then uncovered for about 10 minutes. Stir in the olives and feta. Spoon into an ovenproof casserole.
Meanwhile, cook the macaroni until al dente. Drain and mix with the sour cream, milk, Parmesan and seasoning.
Spoon over the mince and sprinkle with extra Parmesan. Bake at 180°C for 20 minutes until top is golden.
MINCED STUFFED BRINJALS
Serves 4
4 medium sized brinjals
45ml olive oil
1 onion, chopped
10ml chopped garlic
10ml ground coriander
10ml ground cumin
10ml ground all spice
5ml sumac (optional)
500g lamb mince
grated rind of 1 lemon
15ml lemon juice
60ml chopped mint
60ml chopped coriander
50g toasted pine nuts
60ml pomegranate rubies
Sauce
125ml Greek yoghurt
1 small garlic clove, crushed
3ml ground cumin
3ml ground coriander
5ml sumac
salt and pepper
Halve the brinjals lengthways. Scoop out the flesh leaving a border of about half a centimetre.
Dice up the flesh.
Brush the shells with a little olive oil and place on a baking tray. Bake at 180°C for 10-15 minutes or until soft. Remove and set aside.
Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion and garlic until soft. Add the spices and seasoning and cook until fragrant. Add the mince and fry, breaking up the lumps with a wooden spoon.
Add the diced brinjals and fry until nicely browned and cooked.
Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon rind, juice, herbs and pine nuts.
Arrange the cooked brinjal shells in a serving dish. Spoon the warm mince mixture into the shells.
Top with a spoonful of the yoghurt sauce and sprinkle with the rubies. Serve immediately.
SAUCE: Combine all the ingredients together and mix well.
STUFFED MEATBALLS
Makes 8
15ml olive oil
4 rashers of streaky bacon, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
10ml chopped garlic
1kg beef mince
250ml fresh white breadcrumbs
1 egg
60ml grated Parmesan cheese
60ml chopped basil leaves
salt and pepper
8 bocconcini mozzarella balls
Sauce
30 olive oil
1 onion, chopped
10ml chopped garlic
1 red chilli, seeded and chopped
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
700g bottle of tomato passata
10ml sugar
salt and pepper
60ml chopped basil
Heat the oil and fry the bacon until golden. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft. Remove and cool slightly. Put the mince in a bowl and add the cooled bacon, breadcrumbs, egg, Parmesan, basil and seasoning. Mix until well combined.
Divide the mixture into 8 portions. Shape each around a mozzarella ball. Place on a greased baking tray and bake at 180°C for 10-15 minutes until just firm but not cooked through. Remove.
Put the meatballs in an ovenproof dish and pour over the tomato sauce. Return to the oven for another 20-30 minutes.
Serve sprinkled with basil.
SAUCE: Heat the oil in a pot and fry the onion and garlic until soft. Add the chilli, tinned tomatoes and tomato passata. Bring to the boil and add the sugar and season well. Simmer until sauce has reduced and thickened. Stir in the chopped basil.
THAI-STYLE CHICKEN SAUSAGE ROLLS
Makes 24
Sour cream pastry
750ml flour
250g cold butter, cubed
250g tub of sour cream
Chicken filling
750g chicken mince
250ml fresh breadcrumbs
6 spring onions, finely sliced
5ml crushed garlic
5ml finely grated ginger
1 chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
60ml sweet chilli sauce
15ml fish sauce
5ml lime zest
250ml chopped coriander
3ml salt
1 egg, lightly beaten for glazing
sesame seeds
PASTRY: Put the flour and butter into a processor and pulse until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the sour cream and blend until the mixture comes together to form a ball.
Knead gently on the work surface, cover in cling film and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 200°C.
FILLING: Combine all the ingredients, except egg and sesame seeds, in a bowl and mix well.
Remove pastry from the fridge and cut in half. Roll the one half of pastry out into a rectangle about 20cm x 30cm and cut in half lengthways.
Place a sausage of the filling down the middle of each strip.
Brush the sides with egg and roll over the strip, joining the pastry together and forming a long sausage shape.
Cut into cocktail sausage rolls and place onto a greased baking tray, joined side down.
Repeat with the remaining half of pastry.
Pierce the top of each sausage roll with a fork. Brush with egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden.
LOW GI OSTRICH COTTAGE PIE
Serves 6
600g cauliflower, cut into florets
250g ricotta
250ml grated Parmesan
salt and pepper
30ml olive oil
500g ostrich mince
350g pork mince
1 onion, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced
2 sticks of celery, sliced
5ml crushed garlic
5ml dried oregano
4 springs of fresh thyme, leaves only
325ml chicken stock
30ml tomato paste
2 apples, peeled, cored and diced
250ml frozen peas
In saucepan, bring water to a boil, add the cauliflower and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain.
Place cauliflower and ricotta in a food processor. Process until smooth.
Add half the Parmesan and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Heat oil in a pot over a medium-high heat. Add the ostrich and pork mince and brown, stirring, with a wooden spoon to break up the mince, about 10 minutes.
Add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic and herbs and fry for a further 5 minutes, until the vegetables are softened.
Add the stock and paste and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the apples and peas and stir until combined.
Spoon the mince mixture into an ovenproof baking dish.
Top with cauliflower mixture. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.
Bake for 20-25 minutes in a preheated oven at 180°C or until bubbling and golden.
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