The wonderful world of mince

Even though we don't all run cafe's there's no reason why we can't organise our kitchens like one. 

In a professional kitchen preparation and efficiency is everything. It keeps costs down. This includes ingredients, labour, electricity etc.

You can relate this to your own home. Unless you're a die hard chef wannabe, or have plenty of time on your hands, why spend loads of time in the kitchen after being at work all day if you don't have to?

So for the next few days I'm going to go through something I did at the cafe to cut my time in half, or by a third for that matter.

Mince is probably one of the most versatile sorts of meat you can cook with.

So I'm going to talk about mince sauce of the tomato based variety. What this is about is saving time in the kitchen, and having something decent to eat at the end of the day.

If you've got the main part of your meal already prepped it takes the decision out of cooking, and saves you running off to the shop to pick up extra ingredients. Plus, it frees up your time so you can even make a little extra something special to go with dinner. Like a sauce, a bread, or even a dessert. 

You won't believe how much time and washing up you'll save, not to mention the emotional stress after a rough day at work!

I also do this beacause it's hard cooking for two without making a big amount of something, and you don't want to be eating the same thing every day. Plus, I'm not a fan of the freezer. A lot of people are so if you like you can make a double amount and freeze this one away. It thaws just fine.

So my mince sauce journey starts today.

It's Monday, the start of the week. It was always going to be a hard slog, so I'm going to make it count by doing the majority of my prep tonight. 

That's just me. I like to get the hard stuff out of the way in one hit. 

If this is too emotionally taxing for you, do it on Sunday, or Tuesday, or whatever day you feel you're emotionally up for it.

Mince Sauce

1/4 cup olive oil

1 bay leaf

500g beef mince

1 large onion finely chopped

4 cloves garlic

3 carrots peeled and chopped

400g can chopped tomatoes

200g tomato paste (a small jar)

1 tsp pepper

2 cubes of beef stock

1/2 tsp salt or to taste

In a deep fry pan or large saucepan heat the olive oil on high. Once hot drop the bay leaf in and fry until fragrant. Add the onion and cook until transparent.

Add beef mince, salt, and pepper and seperate with your spoon so you don't get big uneven chunks.

browned mince

Cook until just brown, don't over cook it. It should look like the photo.

Then add and mix through carrot, can of tomatoes, tomato paste, and garlic. In a glass mix the stock cubes in with 250mL of boiled hot water, stir until dissolved, and add to the sauce. Bring to the boil and then simmer on low for 10 mins.

There, you have mince sauce.

Take it off the heat and store 1/2 in an airtight container. 

I like glass bowls with airtight lids because they dont stain like plastic.

Spaghetti bologniase for two

a small handful of freshly chopped or dried oregano leaves

1/4 cup red wine

1/4 tsp sugar (only add this if you don't like things too tomatoey)

200g pasta

Put the pan with remaining sauce back on the stove, and add oregano leaves, red wine, and sugar. Then get your pasta going for the bologniase.

Bring a medium pot half full of water to the boil, add pasta and cook for 8 mins or until pasta is al dante (just cooked, still a bit chewy)

While that's cooking, you're going to make some steamed vegies for tonight because you can't just load up on meat and carbo's. And there needs to be variety on the table. 

So throw some in a bowl with a bit of water, cover and heat on high for about 3 minutes.

Also, you're going to prep your next dinner.

You've got 8 minutes, you're in the kitchen anyway. Move it!

Chilli con carne prep

In the container full of left over sauce add:

1tsp ground coriander

1tsp ground cummin
1 tsp tumeric

1 tsp sweet, hot or smoked paprika

1/4 tsp dried chilli flakes (double if you like it spicy)

Stir it up, leave to cool, then refrigerate.

By then your vegies will be done, and your pasta cooked.

Strain the pasta and mix in the pan with your sauce to get some flavours through.

Serve with parmesan or tasty cheese (whatever's in the fridge), and your steamed vegies.

 

Dinner date no. 1 finished!