frikkadels with spicy paprika-tomato sauce

for the frikkadels, mix together 750g beef mince, 2 eggs, ½ cup breadcrumbs, ½ cup chopped chives, 1 finely chopped red onion, salt and freshly ground black pepper. form into bite-sized meatballs and gently fry until browned. set aside.

for the sauce, heat a glug of olive oil and fry 4 fresh tomatoes cut into chunks, 1 finely chopped red onion, and 4 cloves of garlic over a medium heat until softened and fragrant.

add 2 tablespoons of smoked paprika, 1 tin (450g) of chopped tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of worcester sauce, 1 crushed dried chilli and 1 tablespoon of sugar. simmer for about 10 minutes until thickened, add the meatballs and simmer for a further 20 minutes.

serve with either a pasta of your choice, or with crusty bread, and top with a generous scoop of guacamole.

to make guacamole, mash 1 ripe avocado with a finely chopped fresh chili, freshly chopped coriander, a squeeze of lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.

moroccan meatballs with poached eggs

meatballs:

combine 500g lamb mince, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 1 tablespoon ground coriander, 1 tablespoon paprika, the zest of 1 lemon, 1 finely chopped onion, ½ cup of finely chopped mint, 2 crushed cloves of garlic, salt and freshly ground black pepper.

roll into small, bite-sized balls. heat a glug of olive oil in a pan and brown the meatballs. set aside.

sauce:

gently fry 1 chopped onion and 2 cloves of crushed garlic in a glug of olive oil until soft. add 1 tablespoon of mixed dried herbs, 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, 1 410g tin of chopped tomatoes and a pinch of sugar.

add the meatballs to the sauce, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly.

create hollows between the meatballs and crack 4 eggs into the hollows. cover and simmer until the eggs have set to your liking.

serve immediately with crusty bread to mop up the sauce.

mediterranean burgers

this is anything but a burger, but for something more delicious, you’ll have to search a long way……

for the patties:
mix 3 tablespoons of breadcrumbs (preferably home-made), 6 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped, the grated rind of 1 lemon, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon white pepper, 5 finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes and 175ml milk, and leave to swell for a few minutes. add 800g of minced beef and combine well. form into patties and brown in a little butter. set aside.

for the sauce:
combine 750ml cream, 15 finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes, 10 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped, 3 tablespoons capers, salt and pepper in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. add the browned burgers and let them cook through. it’s okay to leave them for longer, but it will only take a few minutes.

serve with pasta of your choice boiled in plenty of salted water.

cheesy gnocchi bolognaise

pre-heat oven to 200º celsius.

in a frying pan, gently fry 1 finely chopped onion and 2 crushed cloves of garlic in olive oil until soft. increase heat and add 750g lean beef mince. break up with a wooden spoon and cook until browned.

add 600ml pasta sauce (of your choice), season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and bring to a boil. reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, until sauce thickens.

in the meantime, cook 650g gnocchi in salted water according to instructions and drain.

spoon the bolognaise mixture in an oven-proof dish. top with the cooked gnocchi. sprinkle with grated cheddar cheese.

bake for about 20 minutes until the cheese has browned.

bobotie

this is a traditional cape malay curry dish called bobotie. try it, you’ll love it!


heat olive oil in a large saucepan, and gently fry 2 sliced onions until soft and transparent. add 1kg ground beef mince and fry until lightly browned and crumbly.

soak 2 slices of bread in 1 cup of milk until soft, squeeze out the milk and add to the beef mixture. reserve the milk!

add to the beef mixture: 1 tablespoon medium curry powder, 2 teaspoons salt, ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, ¾ teaspoon turmeric, 1½ tablespoons malt vinegar, ½ cup of seedless raisins and 2 tablespoons chutney. stir until well combined and spoon into a greased baking dish. push 2 bay leaves into the mixture.

bake for 25 minutes at 180º celsius.

beat 2 eggs with the reserved milk from the bread, and pour it over the mixture. bake for a further 25 minutes until the egg has set and has browned.

serve with steamed rice (traditionally a dash of turmeric is added to the rice for a yellow colour) and extra chutney.

great in winter to warm the soul, equally delicious cold in the summer with a salad.

sloppy joes

in a little bit of olive oil, gently fry 1 finely chopped onion, 2 celery sticks and 500g ground beef mince until browned.

stir in 1 x 425g tin of chopped tomatoes, 2 tablespoons of oats, 1 tablespoon of worcestershire sauce, ½ teaspoon of chili powder, salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste and a dash of tabasco sauce.

simmer uncovered for about 25 minutes, until the mixture has reduced to a thick sauce.

spoon the ground beef mixture into buttered rolls, top with grated cheese if so inclined and enjoy. perfect easy yummy saturday food…

special meatballs

in a large bowl, mix 1 egg, 1 tablespoon grated parmesan, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 clove of garlic, 1 teaspoon dried oregano or basil, 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs and salt and pepper. add 500g minced beef and combine well. shape into small balls and place on a plate until you are ready to cook them.

using a food processor, mix 1 large onion, 2 cloves of garlic and 1 teaspoon oregano to a paste. heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan, and fry the onion mixture on medium heat for about 10 minutes. puree 2 tins of whole tomatoes (with the juice) in the food processor and add to the onions. season with salt and pepper and add 1 tablespoon of sugar (to break the acidity). bring to boil and let bubble for another 10 minutes. stir through ½ cup of milk and add the meatballs to sauce. don’t stir until the meatballs have changed brown in color, or they might break. cook together for about 20 minutes, adjust the seasoning and enjoy with spaghetti or tagliatelle.

best ever meatloaf

well, hubby’s on a protein diet, so spaghetti bolognaise fell by the wayside. now what to do with the mince i’d defrosted… mmm, it calls for the world’s best ever meatloaf!

soak 2 slices of bread in just enough milk to disintegrate. add 2 eggs, 1 finely chopped onion, ½ cup of grated cheddar cheese, ½ cup of grated carrot, 1 chopped clove of garlic, 500g beef mince and salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. mix thoroughly and place mixture in a loaf tin.

mix together ¼ cup of brown sugar, ¼ cup of tomato sauce and a ¼ cup of dijon mustard. pour on top of the mixture.

bake in the oven at 180º celsius for 1 hour, turn the oven off and leave to rest for a further 15 minutes. turn out onto a platter, all done!

spaghetti bolognese

gently fry 1 chopped onion and 1 red pepper in olive oil until soft. add 500g beef mince, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until nicely browned. stir through 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, 1 x 410g tin of chopped tomatoes, 2 tablespoons dried parmesan cheese, 2 cloves of crushed garlic, 2 teaspoons oregano, and finally salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. bring to boil, reduce heat, partly cover with a lid and cook over a medium heat for about 30 minutes. the bolognese should have reduced and thickened and be a deep rich red in colour.

boil spaghetti according to instructions and serve with grated cheese. i either add a garlic bread and, you guessed it, green salad.

easy friday food!

baked peppers with spiced beef and pasta

this is one of the bean’s favourites.


gently fry 1 chopped onion in olive oil until softened. stir in 2 teaspoon crushed garlic, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and a ¼ teaspoon allspice. add 500g lean beef mince, break up and stir until it changes color. add 3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley, 1 tin drained chopped tomatoes and 1 cup of cooked arborio pasta rice. add salt and pepper to taste. cover and cook gently for about ½ an hour.

slice the tops of 6 sweet peppers, I usually use the red ones, and scrape out the seeds and core. stuff the peppers with the mince mixture and top with the lids.

place into an oiled baking dish, be sure that they will remain upright. drizzle some olive oil over and back at 190º celsius for 45 minutes, or until the peppers start to wrinkle and are tender.

serve with crispy rolls and a salad of your choice.

depending on the size of the peppers, 1 per person is usually ample.