Mexican Minced Beef Cobbler

Makes 2 meals, each serving 8
Takes 1 hour to make and 20 minutes in the oven

8 tbsp sunflower oil
4 medium onions, finely chopped
8 garlic cloves, crushed
1½ tsp crushed dried chillies
4 tsp freshly ground cumin seeds
1 tsp cayenne pepper
2kg lean minced beef
6 tbsp tomato purée
1 tbsp light muscovado sugar
2 tsp dried oregano
600ml beef stock, hot
400g can chopped tomatoes
4 roasted red peppers from a jar, drained
2 x 400g cans red kidney beans in water, rinsed and drained

For the spicy polenta cobbler:
400g plain flour
2 tbsp baking powder
2 tbsp soft brown sugar
½ tsp salt
½ tsp crushed dried chillies
175g polenta
125g Cheddar, finely grated
2 medium eggs
350ml milk
4 tbsp sunflower oil
50g butter, melted


1. Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onions and garlic and cook for 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Add the chillies, cumin and cayenne and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the beef and cook over a high heat, breaking up with a wooden spoon as it browns. Add the purée, sugar, oregano, beef stock and tomatoes, bring to the boil, then simmer for 25 minutes, until reduced and thickened.

2. Finely chop the peppers and stir into the meat with the kidney beans. Season, then spoon into 2 x 2.75-3-litre shallow, oval ovenproof dishes.

3. Make the cobbler. Sift the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt into a large mixing bowl and stir in the chillies, polenta and 100g grated cheese. Beat the eggs, milk, oil and melted butter together and stir into the dry ingredients.

4. Drop 8 spoonfuls of the mixture around the edge of each dish, about 2.5cm apart, and sprinkle with the remaining grated cheese.

5. To freeze, cool, then cover 1 dish with cling film and freeze until firm. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw for 24 hours in the fridge, then bring up to room temperature.

6. To cook, preheat the oven to 220°C/fan200°C/gas 7. Bake for 20 minutes, until bubbling and the topping is puffed up and golden.

Nutritional Information

Per serving:
590kcals
30.7g fat (10.5g saturated)
40.2g protein
43.9g carbs
8.3g sugar
1.8g salt

Sticky Soy Beef in Do-Fo-Ru with Garlic Mushrooms

Serves 2
Takes 15 minutes to make, plus chilling

300g piece beef fillet, sliced lengthways into 4 thin slices
4 do-fu ru cubes or tempeh (from oriental supermarkets and health food shops)
2 tbsp groundnut oil
50ml light soy sauce
1 tsp brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
250g oyster mushrooms, halved if large
Finely sliced spring onions, to garnish

1. Season the beef, then rub a cube of do-fu ru or tempeh over each slice. Cover and chill for 20 minutes or overnight.

2. Place a wok over a high heat. When hot, add half the oil and all the beef. Cook for 1-2 minutes each side, until golden. Mix together the soy and sugar, add to the wok and bubble until sticky. Remove from the heat.

3. Heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the garlic and mushrooms and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes. Divide between plates, top with the beef and garnish with the spring onions to serve.

Nutritional Information

Per serving:
377kcals
21.6g fat (6.5g saturated)
39.1g protein
7.2g carbs
3.8g sugar
3.8g salt

Smoked Salmon Linguine

Ready in 12 minutes

Serves 2

200g linguine
Butter, for frying
2 garlic cloves, crushed
200ml pot half-fat crème fraiche
Zest of 1 large lemon
25g fresh Parmesan, grated
75g sliced smoked salmon, cut into strips
Few wild rocket leaves, to serve (optional)

1. Cook the linguine according to packet instructions.

2. Meanwhile, melt a little butter in a pan and cook the garlic until softened. Add the crème fraiche, lemon zest and Parmesan. Cook for 1 minute and remove from the heat.

3. Drain the pasta and toss with the sauce and smoked salmon. Divide between 2 bowls and garnish with the rocket to serve, if you like.

Roasted Orange Sweet Potato and Ditalini Patties

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Total cooking time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Serves 4

Difficulty: Easy

2 orange sweet potatoes (about 800g/1lb 10oz in total)
½ cup (90g/3oz) ditalini
30g (1oz) toasted pine nuts
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
½ cup (50g/1½oz) grated Parmesan
35g (1¼oz) dry breadcrumbs
Plain flour, for dusting
Olive oil, for shallow-frying

1. Preheat the oven to very hot 250°C (500°F/Gas 10). Pierce the sweet potatoes several times with a fork, then place in a roasting tin and roast for about 1 hour, or until soft. Remove from the oven and cool. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water until al dente. Drain and rinse under running water.

2. Peel the sweet potato and mash the flesh with a potato masher or fork, then add the pine nuts, garlic, basil, Parmesan, breadcrumbs and the pasta and combine. Season.

3. Shape the mixture into eight even patties (about 1.5cm thick) with floured hands, then lightly dust the patties with flour. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the patties in batches over medium heat for 2 minutes each side, or until golden and heated through. Drain on crumpled paper towels, sprinkle with salt and serve immediately. grreat with a fresh green salad.

Nutrition per serving:
Protein 13.5g; Fat 15g; Carbohydrate 51g; Dietary Fibre 5.5g; Cholesterol 12mg; 1650kJ (395kcal)

Note:
To save time, drop spoonfuls of the mixture into the pan and flatten with an oiled spatula.

Serving suggestion:
The patties are great with aïoli - mix 1 clove of crused garlic into 90g/3oz whole-egg mayonnaise with a squeeze of lemon juice and season.

Beetroot Hummus

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Total cooking time: 40 minutes

Serves 8

Difficulty: Easy

500g (1lb) beetroot, trimmed
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
400g (13oz) can chickpeas, drained
1 tablespoon tahini
90g (3oz) plain yoghurt
3 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ cup (60ml/2 fl oz) lemon juice
½ cup (125ml/4 fl oz) vegetable stock

1. Scrub the beetroot well. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and cook the beetroot for 40 minutes, or until soft and cooked through. Drain and cool slightly before peeling.

2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and cook the onion for 2 minutes, or until soft. Add the cumin and cook for a further 1 minute, or until fragrant.

3. Chop the beetroot and place in a food processor or blender with the onion mixture, chickpeas, tahini, yoghurt, garlic, lemon juice and stock, and process until smooth. With the motor running, add the remaining oil in a thin steady stream. Process until the mixture is thoroughly combined. Spoon the hummus into a serving bowl and serve with Turkish bread.

Nutrition per serving

Protein 5g; Fat 11.5g; Carbohydrate 12g; Dietary Fibre 4.5g; Cholesterol 1.5mg; 725kJ (175kcal)

Note

Beetroot hummus can be a great accompaniment to a main meal or is delicious as part of a meze platter with bruschetta or crusty bread. Its vivid colour sparks up any table.

Variation

You can use 500g (1lb) of any vegetable to make the hummus. Try carrot or pumpkin.