Accidental Lasagna

This is one of those dishes which makes 1 kg of minced beef go a long way and includes plenty of vegetables.  I called this "Accidental Lasagna" because when I first made it reminded me a lot of lasagna.  It's good to eat right away but after a day or two when the flavours have gone through it more it is quite delicious.

Brown 1 kg (2.2 lbs) of beef mince in a large wok or pan and then set aside.

Peel and chop 3 onions and 8 cloves of garlic  and brown in the pan.

Return the minced beef to the pan, combine and add about 3 cups of beef stock.

Bring to the boil while adding:
3 diced carrots
1 or 2 diced capsicums
1 can of creamed corn or corn kernels (around 1 - 2 cups)
2 cans of tomatoes (around 3 cups)
1 tsp garlic powder (optional)
1 tsp of curry powder
2 Tbsps of soy sauce
2 Tbsps of Worcestershire sauce
3 Tbsps of sweet chili sauce
1 tsp dried mixed herbs
 Simmer for around 30 minutes

Make sure there is enough liquid (you may need to add some more) at this point and then add:
4 cups (250 grams) of dried pasta spirals (or macaroni or other pasta)
1 Tbsp finely diced fresh chives (if available)
1 cup of frozen peas (or canned or fresh)
Salt and pepper according to your tastes

Simmer for around 15 minutes till the pasta is cooked al dente.

Spoon the mixture into pie dishes (mine will usually make 3 fairly large sized pie dishes), cover with grated cheese and grill in the oven until the cheese is melted and lightly browned. 

 

Spicy Meatloaf

This is a very yummy meatloaf.  It makes a 500 gm pack of sausage meat and about the same amount of minced beef go a long way.

Ingredients

Loaf
2 onions, chopped
1 apple, grated (leave skin on)
1 carrot, grated
1 egg
1 cup of breadcrumbs or cooked rice or cooked pasta
2 teaspoons of curry powder
500 gms (1.1 lbs) of beef steak mince
500 gms (1.1 lbs) of sausage meat
1/2 cup of water
1/2 cup of milk
Salt & pepper to taste

Method
Combine all ingredients together in a large bowl.  Put into two greased, medium sized oven-proof dishes.

Bake together at 180C or 350F for an hour, then remove from oven and drain off excess fat and liquid, cover with sauce and return to oven for another 30 minutes.

Ingredients

Sauce:
1 cup of water
1/2 cup of Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup of tomato sauce
4 tablespoons of vinegar
4 tablespoons of lemon juice
1/2 cup of brown sugar
50 grams of butter
2 teaspoons of instant coffee powder.

Method:

Combine and simmer in a saucepan on the stove for 5 minutes or otherwise combine and microwave on high for 2 - 3 minutes. 

This is very nice served with mashed potatoes and green vegetables. It's even better the day after and the day after that!