- The Observer,
- Sunday June 10 2001
Serves 4
450g organic beef mince (from Portwine in Seven Dials, Covent Garden)
2 medium red onions, coarsely chopped
3 Thai chillis, finely chopped (de-seed and de-vein for less heat)
3 tbsps of olive oil
1 can of Sainsbury's beef and sherry consommé
a few shakes of Tabasco
1 tsp of tomato purée
3 tbsps of Worcestershire sauce
freshly ground pepper and salt
4 medium sized Maris Piper potatoes
generous lump of unsalted butter
splash of milk
Heat the olive oil and sweat the chillies to infuse in the oil for a couple of minutes. Add the onions and cook over a low heat until soft and brown (about 5 minutes). Turn up the heat a little and add the mince in handfuls, stirring into the onion. When all the onion and beef is mixed together and browned, add the tomato purée and mix again. After a minute, pour in the consommé. Add the Worcester sauce and Tabasco and stir. Turn the heat down, simmer and reduce for about 30 minutes. Keep tasting to make sure it is ok.
As this is reducing, peel the potatoes and throw into a large pan of cold, salted water. Bring to the boil and simmer until soft. Drain, put back in the pan and over the heat (to dry off any excess water). Add the butter, a splash of milk and mash. Put the mince into a shallow baking dish and cover with the potato. Dot the potato with chunks of butter, season with salt and pepper and put into the oven (at 190C, 375F or gas mark 5) for 25 minutes. Serve with peas or small broad beans, drenched in butter.
· This recipe first appeared as part of the interview 'Top nosh, not too posh'
