Multi-purpose Mince Recipe

Everyone needs a go-to recipe for whipping up a quick mince based family dinner dish. This super versatile recipe takes little more than half an hour to cook and can be served with Taco or tortilla wraps, mixed with cooked pasta shapes or spaghetti, used in lasegna or cannaloni, served with nachos or simply with toast. Make a big batch and freeze until later. It easily defrosts in the microwave or in a pot on the stove for a quick mid-week dinner solution. It will happily keep in the fridge for a few days; just be sure to reheat it well.

Savoury Mince

550g beef mince
1 onion
1 heaped teaspoon crushed garlic
1 tablespoon vegatable oil
1 standard can tomatoes
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon hot pimento powder - I used La Chinata Pimenton

Finely slice the onion and crush the garlic. Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the onion and garlic until they begin to soften.

Add the mince and cook until all the water evaporates and the mince is brown. I mean really brown, not just no longer pink. This will take about 10 minutes, but is worth doing for the extra flavour it provides. Stir it frequently to ensure all the mince is browned.

Add the canned tomatoes and approximately a can full of water. Add the pimento powder, sugar and salt.

Simmer until the mince is cooked, the water has evaporated and the mixture is thick.

Taste and adjust the seasoning as required.









I made a simple salsa out of de-seeded tomatoes from the garden, an avocado, a green pepper, the juice of half a lemon and a splash or two of good olive oil.
We had tacos with the mince, iceberg lettuce, sliced peppers and the salsa.

While I was cooking, Little Miss 4 helped out with some gardening. She was so excited about planting the flowers.

Dinner on the table.


  
 

Auditioning the Party Food

This was a bowl full of delicious Bacon Wrapped Beef and Goat Feta Meatballs. As often happens when we have guests, I forget to get the final shot before the dish goes to the table. The proof of all dishes is in the eating, and these, as you can tell by the almost empty plate, were delicious. Little Miss 3 has a birthday soon - much excitement in our house - and with lots of her little buddies and their parents coming to the party, I need to try out some possible yummy cocktail food solutions.

Some lovely friends of ours came around this morning for coffee and a catch up - the perfect guinea pigs for a bit of party food.

Bacon Wrapped Beef and Goat Feta Meatballs

750g beef mince
150g fresh white bread crumbs
2 cloves garlic
2 tomatoes 
1 onion
a handful of fresh herbs - parsley, basil, mint
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon chilli sauce
2 teaspoons salt
75g goats milk feta
approximately 28 strips of streaky bacon 

Preheat the oven to 200deg. C. Line an oven tray with cooking foil.
Put the peeled onion and garlic into the food processor; cut a cross into the top of the tomatoes, squeeze out the seeds and add to the processor with the oil, chilli sauce and salt. Blend into a semi-smooth paste. Crumble the feta.
Combine the mince, crumbs and tomato mix.








Lastly mix in the feta - you don't want it to crumble too small, so try not to over mix.













Roll the meatballs about the size of a small walnut. Cut the streaky bacon slices in half, and wrap each meatball in a section of bacon. Skewer two meatballs onto each small cocktail stick and place them onto the oven tray. At this stage the meatballs can be stored in the fridge until required.







I baked them for about 20 minutes in total, turning them half way through the cooking process. The bacon should be crispy and the meat balls cooked through.

Then just serve them up and enjoy. Lucky last ones left. Yes I had eaten two previously - quality control of course!

I'm thinking of just serving one per stick for the party, as there will be plenty more treats on offer for our little guests.