Savoury Mince And Potato Bake

SAVOURY MINCE AND POTATO BAKE

A hearty oven bake with seasoned mince and soft sliced potatoes baked in a rich gravy, topped with small knobs of butter until golden.

• SERVES: 6 people
• PREP TIME: 20 minutes
• COOK TIME: 1 hour 15 minutes
• TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 35 minutes

INGREDIENTS

For the mince layer:

• 500 g lean beef mince
• 1 large onion, finely chopped - about 150 g
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 medium carrot, finely grated - optional for extra nutrition
• 15 ml sunflower oil
• 15 ml tomato paste
• 30 ml chutney
• 15 ml Worcestershire sauce
• 5 ml ground cumin
• 5 ml paprika
• 2 ml black pepper
• 5 ml salt, or to taste
• 5 ml beef stock powder
• 250 ml warm water

For the potato layer:

• 1 kg medium potatoes, peeled and sliced into 5 mm rounds
• 15 ml salt for parboiling water
• 2 ml black pepper
• 2 ml paprika for sprinkling

For the topping:

• 40 g butter, cut into 8 small cubes
• 15 ml fresh parsley, finely chopped

METHOD

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Lightly grease a large oven dish of about 25 cm x 20 cm with a little oil or butter.

Place the sliced potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water, add 15 ml salt and bring to a boil. Parboil for 5 to 7 minutes until they just start to soften but are not fully cooked. Drain well and set aside. This step prevents a watery bake and ensures even cooking.

Heat 15 ml oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and fry for 3 to 4 minutes until soft. Add the crushed garlic and fry for another minute.

Add the mince and break it up with a spoon. Fry until browned. If there is excess fat, drain it off. Add the grated carrot if using and fry for 2 minutes.

Stir in the tomato paste, chutney, Worcestershire sauce, cumin, paprika, black pepper, salt and beef stock powder. Pour in 250 ml warm water and let it simmer for 10 minutes until thick and saucy, not watery. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Spoon the mince mixture into your greased oven dish and spread it evenly. Arrange the parboiled potato slices in overlapping layers on top of the mince. Season lightly with a little extra black pepper and paprika.

Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil, place the small cubes of butter on top of the potatoes and bake uncovered for another 15 to 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the top is golden brown.

Remove from the oven and let it stand for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve hot with a green salad or steamed vegetables.

WASTAGE SAVING TIP: This bake uses all of the potato and any leftover can be frozen in portions. Leftover bake makes a wonderful lunchbox the next day.