Cookies and cream fudge brownies

Ingredients

165g/5½oz butter, plus extra for greasing

200g/7oz dark chocolate, grated or finely chopped

3 free-range eggs

2 free-range egg yolks

1 vanilla pod, seeds only (or alternatively 2 tsp vanilla extract)

165g/5½ oz soft light brown sugar

2 tbsp plain flour

1 tbsp cocoa powder

pinch salt

154g/5½oz pack chocolate biscuits, such as Oreos, broken into quarters

icing sugar, for dusting

Preparation method

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Grease a 20cm/8in square baking tin with butter, then line with baking paper with the paper overlapping the sides a little.

Melt the butter in a pan over a medium heat. When the butter has melted, remove the pan from the heat and add the grated (or chopped) chocolate. Leave to stand for a few minutes, or until the chocolate melts, and then stir together. Alternatively, you can put the chocolate and butter in a bowl and melt in the microwave in 25-second blasts, stirring well each time.

Whisk the eggs, egg yolks and vanilla together in a large bowl until the eggs begin to get light and fluffy. Add the sugar in two additions, whisking between each. Pour it around the side of the egg mix so as not to knock out the air that has been whisked in. Keep whisking until the mixture becomes stiffer. Once the egg mixture is ready, pour the chocolate into it - again around the sides so as not to knock the air out.

Add the flour, cocoa powder, salt and a third of the biscuits and stir until fully combined, then pour the mixture into the prepared tin. Scatter the remaining biscuits over the top, pressing them in slightly. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 25–30 minutes. The middle should be very so slightly gooey. Leave the brownies to cool in the tin - the top will sink and crack a little.

Pull the brownies out using the overlapping paper and cut into squares. Dust with icing sugar.

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Shepherd's pie with spiced parsnip mash

Ingredients

For the topping

900g/2lbs large parsnips, peeled and cut into large chunks

2 onions, sliced

50g/2oz butter

large pinch ground cumin

1 tbsp freshly ground coriander seeds

1 tbsp garam masala

about 50g/2oz butter

salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the filling

2 leeks or onions, chopped

1 carrot, diced

3 tbsp dripping or butter

4 Italian brown mushrooms, sliced

450g/1lb cooked roast lamb, minced, or raw lamb mince

1 tbsp flour

1 tbsp tomato purée

250ml/9 oz hot lamb or chicken stock

1 bay leaf

1 sprig thyme

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Preparation method

Simmer the parsnips in salted water until tender - about fifteen to twenty minutes.

While they are cooking, fry the onions in the butter over a moderate heat until soft and translucent.

Stir in the spices and continue cooking for a further two minutes, until fragrant.

Drain the parsnips. Mash them with a potato masher, stirring in the butter, salt and freshly ground black pepper, then the sliced onions. Set aside.

In a large pan, cook the chopped leeks (or onions) and the diced carrot with the dripping or butter, until they are meltingly soft and golden - don't worry if they have caught slightly at the edges.

Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for a further five minutes, then stir in the minced meat. The meat must brown a little here and there, so do not stir it too often. Leave to cook for five minutes or so, breaking it up as necessary.

Add the flour and the tomato purée. Continue to cook, stirring regularly, for three or four minutes - tomato purée is bitter if not thoroughly cooked.

Pour on the hot stock, add a bay leaf and a sprig of thyme and bring to the boil.

Turn down the heat and leave to simmer very gently for 25-30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.

Season the filling with salt, Worcestershire sauce and a few grinds of black pepper - be generous.

Scoop the mixture into a large baking dish and spoon dollops of mashed parsnip over the top. Bake for about 25 minutes until the topping is golden brown.

READ MORE - Shepherd's pie with spiced parsnip mash

Beef and chorizo with horseradish mash and rosemary dumplings

Ingredients

For the beef

3 tbsp olive oil

1kg/2lb 4oz shin of beef, cut into 4cm/1½in pieces

225g/8oz chorizo, diced

1 large onion, diced

2 large carrots, cut to same size as beef

2 large parsnips, cut to same size as beef

2 tbsp plain flour

300ml/½ pint red wine

600ml/1 pint beef stock

salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the dumplings

225g/8oz self-raising flour

pinch salt

100g/4oz shredded suet

1-2 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped

For the mash

900g/2lb potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

25g/1oz fresh grated horseradish, or to taste

25g/1oz butter

about 100ml/4floz single cream

Preparation method

For the beef, make sure there are two available shelves in your oven and preheat the oven to 160C/320F/Gas 3. Heat the olive oil in a flameproof casserole and brown the beef. (You will need to do this in batches, so don't overcrowd the pan.) Using a slotted spoon, lift out the meat and set aside.
Add the chorizo and onion to the pan and fry until softened and the fat runs from the chorizo.
Add the carrots and parsnips and continue to cook until tinged with colour and beginning to soften. Sprinkle in the flour and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently. Pour over the wine and stirring constantly, bring to the boil. Stir in the beef stock.
Return the beef to the pan and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover with a tight fitting lid and braise on the bottom shelf of the oven for two hours, or until the meat is tender - check during the cooking time to ensure that the meat doesn't become too dry. If it does, add a splash of boiled water.
For the dumplings, line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Sift the flour into a bowl with a pinch of salt. Add the suet and rosemary and bind together with enough cold water to form a soft dough.
Using floured hands and working as lightly fingered as possible, divide the mixture into eight and shape into oval dumplings. Place on a baking tray slightly spaced apart.
Bake the dumplings on the shelf above the beef for the last 25 minutes of the beef’s cooking time, until they are puffed up and cooked through.
Meanwhile, for the mash, boil the potatoes in a pan of boiling, salted water for 15 minutes, or until tender. Drain well and press through a potato ricer into a warm bowl. Mix in the horseradish, butter and cream. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Serve the mash with the beef and dumplings.

READ MORE - Beef and chorizo with horseradish mash and rosemary dumplings

Philippine cuisine

Philippine cuisine consists of the food, preparation methods and eating customs found in the Philippines. The style of cooking and the food associated with it have evolved over several centuries from its Austronesian origins to a mixed cuisine with many Hispanic, Chinese, American, and other Asian influences adapted to indigenous ingredients and the local palate

READ MORE - Philippine cuisine

Vietnamese cuisine

Vietnamese cuisine is a style of cooking derived from Vietnam. Fish sauce and paste, soy paste, rice, fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables are commonly used. Vietnamese recipes utilize a diverse range of herbs, including lemongrass, mint, Vietnamese mint, long coriander and Thai basil leaves

Traditional Vietnamese cooking is greatly admired for its fresh ingredients, minimal use of oil, and heavy reliance on herbs. Vietnamese food is commonly ranked as one of the healthiest cuisines in the world.

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Japanese cuisine

Japanese cuisine has developed over the centuries as a result of many political and social changes throughout Japan. The cuisine eventually changed with the advent of the Medieval age which ushered in a shedding of elitism with the age of shogun rule. In the early modern era significant changes occurred resulting in the introduction of non-Japanese cultures, most notably Western culture, to Japan.

The modern term "Japanese cuisine" (nihon ryōri (日本料理?) or washoku (和食?)) means traditional-style Japanese food, similar to that already existing before the end of national seclusion in 1868. In a broader sense of the word, it could also include foods whose ingredients or cooking methods were subsequently introduced from abroad, but which have been developed by Japanese people who have made these methods their own. Japanese cuisine is known for its emphasis on seasonality of food (旬, shun), quality of ingredients and presentation. The Michelin Guide has awarded Japanese cities by far the most Michelin stars of any country in the world (for example, Tokyo alone has more Michelin stars than Paris, Hong Kong, New York, LA and London combined).

READ MORE - Japanese cuisine

Thai cuisine

Thai cuisine is the national cuisine of Thailand. Blending elements of several Southeast Asian traditions, Thai cooking places emphasis on lightly prepared dishes with strong aromatic components. The spiciness of Thai cuisine is well known. As with other Asian cuisines, balance, detail and variety are of great significance to Thai chefs. Thai food is known for its balance of three to four fundamental taste senses in each dish or the overall meal: sour, sweet, salty, and sometimes bitter.

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Indian cuisine

Indian cuisine consists of thousands of regional cuisines which date back thousands of years. The dishes of India are characterised by the extensive use of various Indian spices, herbs, vegetables and fruit. Indian cuisine is also known for the widespread practice of vegetarianism in Indian society. Each family of Indian cuisine includes a wide assortment of dishes and cooking techniques. Indian cuisine also varies from region to region, reflecting the varied demographics of the ethnically-diverse subcontinent.


Hindu beliefs and culture have played an influential role in the evolution of Indian cuisine.However, cuisine across India also evolved as a result of the subcontinent's large-scale cultural interactions with Mongols and Britain making it a unique blend of some various cuisines. The spice trade between India and Europe is often cited as the main catalyst for Europe's Age of Discovery.Indian cuisine has influenced cuisines across the world, especially those from Southeast Asia and the Caribbean.

READ MORE - Indian cuisine

Philippine cuisine

Philippine cuisine consists of the food, preparation methods and eating customs found in the Philippines. The style of cooking and the food associated with it have evolved over several centuries from its Austronesian origins to a mixed cuisine with many Hispanic, Chinese, American, and other Asian influences adapted to indigenous ingredients and the local palate.

Dishes range from the very simple, like a meal of fried salted fish and rice, to the elaborate paellas and cocidos created for fiestas. Popular dishes include: lechón (whole roasted pig), longganisa (Philippine sausage), tapa (cured beef), torta (omelette), adobo (chicken and/or pork braised in garlic, vinegar, oil and soy sauce, or cooked until dry), kaldereta (meat in tomato sauce stew), mechado (larded beef in soy and tomato sauce), puchero (beef in bananas and tomato sauce), afritada (chicken and/or pork simmered in a tomato sauce with vegetables), kare-kare (oxtail and vegetables cooked in peanut sauce), crispy pata (deep-fried pig's leg), hamonado (pork sweetened in pineapple sauce), sinigang (meat or seafood in sour broth), pancit (noodles), and lumpia (fresh or fried spring rolls).

READ MORE - Philippine cuisine

Desserts

Chinese desserts are sweet foods and dishes that are served with tea, along with meals or at the end of meals in Chinese cuisine.Bings are baked wheat flour based confections, and include moon cake Red bean paste pancake and sun cakes. Chinese candies and sweets, called táng are usually made with cane sugar, malt sugar, honey, nuts and fruit. Gao or Guo are rice based snacks that are typically steame and may be made from glutinous or normal rice. Ice cream is commonly available throughout China. Another cold dessert is called baobing, which is shaved ice with sweet syrup. Chinese jellies are known collectively in the language as ices. Many jelly desserts are traditionally set with agar and are flavored with fruits, though gelatin based jellies are also common in contemporary desserts. Chinese dessert soups typically consist of sweet and usually hot soups and custards.

READ MORE - Desserts

Staple foods

Rice

Rice is a major staple food for people from rice farming areas in southern China. It is most commonly eaten in the form of steamed rice. Rice is also used to produce beers, wines and vinegars.

Noodles
Misua noodle making in Lukang, Taiwan Chinese noodles come dry or fresh in a variety of sizes, shapes and textures and are often served in soups or fried as toppings. Some varieties, such as Shou Mian (寿面, literally noodles of longevity), are symbolic of long life and good health according to Chinese tradition.

Soybeans

Tofu is made of soybeans and is another popular product that supplies protein.


Wheat

In wheat farming areas in Northern China, people largely rely on flour based food such as noodles, breads, dumplings and steamed buns.

Vegetables

Some common vegetables used in Chinese cuisine include bok choy (Chinese cabbage), Chinese Spinach (dao-mieu), On Choy, Yu Choy, and gailan (guy-lahn).

Herbs

Herbs were important to the Chinese people, especially during the Han Dynasty.

Seasonings

When it comes to sauces, China is home to soy sauce, which is made from fermented soya beans and wheat. Oyster sauce, transparent rice vinegar, Chinkiang black rice vinegar, fish sauce and fermented tofu (furu) are also widely used. A number of sauces are based on fermented soybeans, including Hoisin sauce, ground bean sauce and yellow bean sauce. Spices and seasonings such as fresh root ginger, garlic, spring onion, white pepper, sesame oil are widely used in many regional cuisines. Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, cinnamon, fennel, cloves

READ MORE - Staple foods

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING AND ENVIRONMENT

The Republic of the Philippines consists of a group of 7,107 islands situated southeast of mainland Asia and separated from it by the South China Sea. The two largest islands are Luzon (40,814 square miles/105,708 square kilometers), and Mindanao (36,906 square miles/95,586 square kilometers). Comparatively, the area occupied by the Philippines is slightly larger than the state of Arizona. The land is varied, with volcanic mountain masses forming the cores of most of the larger islands. A number of volcanoes are active, and the islands have been subject to destructive earthquakes. Lowlands are generally narrow coastal strips except for larger plains in Luzon and Mindanao. Forests cover almost one-half of the land area and are typically tropical, with vines and other climbing plants.
Pollution from industrial sources and mining operations is a significant environmental problem in the Philippines. Almost forty of the country's rivers contain high levels of toxic contaminants. About 23 percent of the nation's rural dwellers do not have pure water, while 93 percent of the city dwellers do not have pure water. Also threatened are the coastal mangrove swamps, which serve as important fish breeding grounds, and offshore corals, about 50 percent of which are rated dead or dying as a result of pollution and dynamiting by fishermen. The nation is also vulnerable to typhoons, earthquakes, floods, and volcanoes.

READ MORE - GEOGRAPHIC SETTING AND ENVIRONMENT

How to make Roast turkey with bread sauce

Ingredients

1 free-range turkey weighing 4kg/8lb 11oz

salt and freshly ground black pepper

175g/6oz unsalted or lightly salted butter

For the bread sauce

450ml/15fl oz full-cream milk

1 small onion

4 cloves

75-100g (2½ to 3½ oz) fresh white breadcrumbs

freshly grated nutmeg, to taste

40g/1½oz butter or 2 tbsp double cream

cayenne pepper, for sprinkling

Preparation method

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Check that you have not left the plastic bag of giblets lurking inside the bird. Put the turkey in a large, deep roasting tin. Season generously all over with salt and pepper and massage the seasoning into the skin.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Fold the muslin in four and lower it into the melted butter, pushing it in so that it soaks up virtually all the butter.

Lift out the butter-soaked muslin and lay it over the turkey, making sure that it completely covers the breast and upper thighs.

Pour about 300ml/½ pint water into the roasting tin and slide it into the oven. Cook for approximately 3 hours 20 minutes, basting the bird approximately every 30 minutes with the pan juices.

Test that the turkey is properly cooked in just the same way as you would a chicken. Pierce the thickest part of the thigh with a skewer. If the juices run clear then the turkey is done. If they are pink, slide it straight back into the oven for a further 15 minutes before testing again and continue to do this until they do run clear.

Once it's done, transfer the turkey to a large serving dish, discard the muslin and leave in a warm place to rest for at least half an hour. Cover with foil to stop the meat going cold.

While the turkey is cooking, make the bread sauce. Pour the milk into a heavy-based saucepan. Stick the four cloves into the onion, add to the milk and bring very, very slowly up to the boil, so that the milk has plenty of time to absorb the flavours of the onion and the cloves.

Remove the onion and cloves and stir enough breadcrumbs into the milk to give a thick sauce. Season to taste with nutmeg and salt. Stir in the butter or cream, adjust the seasoning, then spoon into a warm serving bowl, sprinkle with a little cayenne pepper and place on the table. If making in advance, leave to cool, then cover with cling film and store in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat thoroughly before serving. Sprinkle with the cayenne pepper just before serving.

READ MORE - How to make Roast turkey with bread sauce

Chilli garlic razor clams with saffron mayonnaise (Recipe Food)

Happy make that: 

Ingredients:

For the saffron mayonnaise

good pinch saffron

2 tsp just-boiled water

1 tsp harissa

100g/3½oz good-quality mayonnaise

For the breadcrumbs

1 tbsp virgin olive oil

50g/2oz crusty bread, torn into small pieces

small bunch fresh flatleaf parsley, roughly chopped

For the clams

12 fresh, live razor clams, discard any clams that do not open when tapped sharply or those with cracked or damaged shells

200ml/7fl oz virgin olive oil

1 red chilli, very finely chopped

8 garlic cloves, very finely sliced

Preparation method

1. For the saffron mayonnaise, mix the saffron and water together and set aside to 15 minutes.
   
2. Mix the harissa, mayonnaise and saffron mixture together in a bowl until well combined. Cover the surface of the mayonnaise with cling film and set aside.
   
3. For the breadcrumbs, heat the oil in a small frying pan and cook the breadcrumbs for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly, until golden-browned and crisp. Set aside to cool, the stir in the parsley.
   
4. Cook the clams in a pan of boiling water for 5-10 seconds, or until the shells open. Drain immediately and discard any clams that do not open.
   
5. Heat the oil over a low heat in a small saucepan and add the garlic, chilli, salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. (Caution: do not leave unattended.) leave unattended. Remove the pan from the heat.
   
6. When the clams are cool enough to handle, carefully ease the clam out of its shell and using a small pair of scissors or a sharp knife, separate the two sides of the clam shell. Cut out the brown sack which runs along the length of each clam and discard. Also trim off the dark tipped end and pull away the long feathery gills. Wipe any sandy bits clean with a damp piece of kitchen paper. Snip diagonally with scissors and return the pieces to one half of the shell.
   
7. Preheat the grill to high. Arrange the clams in a large ovenproof dish. Gently reheat the oil until warm and carefully pour over the clams. Place the clams about 12cm/4½in from the grill and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until warmed through.
   
8. Scatter with the breadcrumbs and serve with the saffron mayonnaise.
   

READ MORE - Chilli garlic razor clams with saffron mayonnaise (Recipe Food)

Cookery: Bread sauce

Ingredients

1 day-old loaf unsliced white bread

1 litre/2 pints full-fat milk

1 onion, peeled and quartered

4 cloves

2 fresh bay leaves

1 tsp white peppercorns

2 blades fresh mace or heaped ¼ tsp ground mace

2 tsp salt

30g/1oz butter

2 tbsp double cream, optional

1 fresh nutmeg, for grating

Preparation method

1. Remove the crust from the bread and tear the stripped loaf into a mound of rough chunks or cubes about 2cm/¾in in size. You should end up with 175-200g (6¼-7¼oz) of cubes. If the bread is not slightly stale already, leave the pieces out on a wire rack to dry out.
   
2. Pour the milk into a saucepan. Press a clove into each quarter of the onion.
   
3. Add the onion quarters, bay leaves, peppercorns and the blades of mace (or sprinkle the ground mace into the pan) along with the salt and bring to the mixture almost to its boiling point.
   
4. Remove the pan from the heat. Cover the pan with a lid and let the ingredients infuse for at least half an hour, though you can leave it for a few hours if that helps with your cooking schedule.
   
5. After the mixture has infused, place the pan back on a very low heat. Using a slotted spoon, remove the onions, peppercorns, cloves, bay leaves and the blades of mace.
   
6. Add the bread to the saucepan and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring every now and then, by which time the sauce should have become thick and warm.
   
7. Just before serving the bread sauce, add the butter to the saucepan and stir until the butter has melted and combined with the sauce and season, to taste, with salt.
   
8. Add the cream (if using). Grate over quite a bit of nutmeg, adding more once you have poured the bread sauce into a warmed bowl or gravy boat.
   

READ MORE - Cookery: Bread sauce

how to do it : Cranberry and Cumberland sauce

How make Recipe:
This classic cranberry sauce recipe bursting with citrus flavours is an essential part of Christmas dinner.

Ingredients

• 450g/1lb fresh cranberries
• 300ml/10fl oz ruby port
• 115g/4oz caster sugar
• 125ml/4fl oz fresh orange juice
• 1 tsp corn flour
• 1 tsp English mustard powder
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• pinch of ground cloves
• 75g/3oz sultanas
• 55g/2oz flaked almonds
• 1 tbsp grated orange rind
• 1 tsp grated lemon rind
• salt

Preparation method

1. Combine the cranberries, port, sugar and orange juice in a pan over a medium heat, for ten minutes, until the fruit bursts.
   
2. Combine the corn flour, mustard, lemon juice and cloves with a little water to make a paste and stir into the berry mixture.
   
3. Next, add the sultanas, almonds, orange and lemon rind, simmer for five minutes, season and then chill. Serve with your Christmas turkey.
   

READ MORE - how to do it : Cranberry and Cumberland sauce

Shortbread

Try making these easy, buttery biscuits as homemade Christmas presents, with chocolate chips worked into the dough.

Ingredients

125g/4oz butter

55g/2oz caster sugar

180g/6oz plain flour

Preparation method

Heat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.

Beat the butter and the sugar together until smooth.

Stir in the flour to get a smooth paste. Turn on to a work surface and gently roll out until the paste is 1cm/½in thick.

Cut into rounds or fingers and place onto a baking tray. Sprinkle with icing sugar and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.

Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until pale golden-brown. Set aside to cool on a wire rack.

READ MORE - Shortbread

Scotch broth

Ingredients

75g/3oz pearl barley

1.15kg/2½lb lamb shoulder

2 litres/3½ pints cold water or lamb stock

2 onions, chopped

1 bay leaf

bunch fresh thyme

2 carrots, cut in 2.5cm/1in pieces

2 turnips, cut in 2.5cm/1in pieces (optional)

2 celery stalks, trimmed, cut in 2.5cm/1in pieces

1 heaped tsp sea salt flakes, plus extra to taste

2 potatoes, cut in 2.5cm/1in pieces

½ savoy cabbage, trimmed, cored and finely shredded

handful fresh parsley, roughly chopped

freshly ground black pepper

Preparation method

Put the pearl barley into a bowl and cover with cold water. Set aside to soak.
Meanwhile, pace the lamb in a large saucepan or flameproof casserole and cover with the cold water or lamb stock. Bring to a simmer and skim off the scum. Add the onion, bay leaf and thyme to the pan. Return to a gentle simmer and cook for one hour, skimming occasionally.
Add the carrots, turnips and celery to the casserole with the lamb. Season with the salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bring to a very gentle simmer, cover with a lid and cook for 30 minutes.
After the vegetables and lamb have been simmering for 30 minutes, rinse the pearl barley in a sieve under cold running water. Turn the lamb over. Add the pearl barley and potatoes to the casserole. Cook gently for a further 30 minutes, uncovered.
Stir in the cabbage and return to a gentle simmer. Continue cooking uncovered for a further 15 minutes or until the lamb is very tender and is falling off the bone and the barley is softened. Remove the pan from the heat
Lift the lamb out of the pot with tongs or a large fork and put on a board. Carve off all the meat, slicing or tearing into largish chunks and discarding any skin and bone. Season the broth with more salt and pepper to taste and spoon into large, deep plates. Divide the lamb between the plates and sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley.

READ MORE - Scotch broth

Cake recipes

A step-by-step recipe for a foolproof sponge cake.
Ingredients

    125g/4oz butter or margarine, softened

    125g/4oz caster sugar

    2 medium eggs

    125g/4oz self raising flour

Preparation method

    1-Heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

    2-Line two 18cm/7in cake tins with baking parchment

    3-Cream the butter and the sugar together until pale. Use an electric hand mixer if you have one.

    4-Beat in the eggs.

    5-Sift over the flour and fold in using a large metal spoon.

    6-The mixture should be of a dropping consistency; if it is not, add a little milk.

    7-Divide the mixture between the cake tins and gently spread out with a spatula. Bake for 20-25 minutes until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Allow to stand for 5 minutes before turning on to a wire rack to cool.
   
    8-Sandwich the cakes together with jam, lemon curd or whipped cream and berries or just enjoy on its own.

  

   

READ MORE - Cake recipes

Basic braised mince

This easy braised mince can be used as a base for lots of recipes and makes enough to freeze half for a quick supper.

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 onions, peeled, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled, chopped
• 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
• 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 kg/2¼lb beef mince
• 1 x 400g/14oz can chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 3 beef stock cubes

Preparation method

1. Heat half of the vegetable oil in a large pan over a high heat. Add the onions, garlic and herbs and fry for 3-4 minutes, or until softened and golden-brown. Turn off the heat and set the pan aside.
   
2. Heat half a tablespoon of the remaining oil in a separate pan over a medium heat. Add a third of the beef mince and fry for 4-5 minutes, or until browned.
   
3. Transfer the browned mince to the pan containing the onions, garlic and herbs.
   
4. Repeat the process twice more with the remaining oil and the remaining batches of mince. (NB: Overloading the pan will not speed things up because the pan will lose heat, so take your time.)
   
5. Return the pan containing the cooked mince and vegetables to a medium heat. Add the canned tomatoes and Worcestershire sauce and stir the mixture well to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
   
6. Meanwhile, crumble the stock cubes into a large heatproof jug and add 1 litre/1¾ pints of boiling water. Stir until the stock cubes have dissolved.
   
7. Add the stock to the beef and tomatoes mixture and bring to a simmer. Simmer for one hour, uncovered, or until the volume of liquid has reduced slightly and the sauce has thickened.
   
8. The braised mince can be eaten straightaway, served with rice or spaghetti.
   
9. To make cottage pie: Spoon half of the mince into a baking dish, top with about 750g/1lb 10oz mashed potato and bake at 190C/375F/Gas 5 for 30 minutes, until bubbling and golden-brown on top.
   
10. To make chilli: Stir a can of kidney beans in chilli sauce into half of the mince mixture and warm through. Serve with soured cream, tortillas and guacamole.
    
11. The remaining mince can be set aside to cool, then frozen or chilled in the fridge until needed (it can be kept in the fridge for up to three days).
    
    
    
    

READ MORE - Basic braised mince