Chef's Corner

Macbeth's Healthy Spaghetti Bolognese
This has bags of flavour, is very easy to put together, and is a good way of persuading children to eat their meat and vegetables!

Ingredients
  • 500g best steak mince
  • 100g back bacon – green or smoked, cut into strips
  • 2 cans chopped tomatoes
  • 3 bay leaves
  • half teaspoon mixed Italian herbs
  • 2 medium onions - chopped
  • 1 large or 2 medium carrots - grated
  • 1 red, I yellow pepper – diced into centimetre cubes
  • 1 medium aubergine – diced into centimetre cubes
  • 4 tomatoes quartered – preferably the ‘on the vine’ type as they have more flavour
  • 200g mushrooms - diced
  • 3 fat cloves garlic – unpeeled
  • either 1 tablespoon tomato puree or 1 tablespoon sundried tomato paste (M&S do a good one)
To Cook
Put the tomatoes, bay leaves and herbs into your chosen casserole and place over a medium heat. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally. Place the onions, peppers, aubergine, tomatoes, mushrooms and garlic on a baking tray that you have brushed with a small amount of olive oil and then put into a hot oven (gas mark 8, 230C, or Aga hot oven) and leave to roast for 20 minutes. Place a non-stick frying pan over a high heat. When it is hot, start frying the meat in batches, and when brown add to the simmering tomatoes. Lastly sauté the bacon and add to the casserole.

By now the veggies in the oven should be starting to go brown and the onion should be translucent. Remove the baking sheet and turn the oven down to gas mark 3 or 170C. Slide the veggies into the casserole, leaving the garlic to one side. When the garlic is cool enough to handle, skin and chop the now soft flesh and add to the pot with the tomato purée. Season with sea salt and milled pepper, stir well and put in the oven for 1 hour 30 minutes. (If using an Aga put it in the cool oven). This is a gentle way to cook the sauce, which fuses the flavours together, and will not spoil if left in the oven for a little longer.

Serve with the pasta shape or strand of the moment.

What a great way to feed the children when they are home for the holidays!

© Emma Elkerton 2002