Vegetable and beef jacket potato filling recipe

This is a great recipe for making in bulk and can be used as a base for many meals. It’s easy to freeze in portions so ideal for a quick tea midweek, when you are too tired to cook. It amazingly contains 6 different types of vegetable and a hidden fruit too which is perfect for getting your 5-a-day. This recipe is suitable for children and is a great way of sneaky veggies into their diet.

Ingredients

• 2-3tbsp oil
• 1 medium onion.
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 red pepper.
• 1 courgette
• 1 butternut squash (peeled)
• 2 carrots.
• 450g lean minced beef (fresh)
• 2 tins plum tomatoes.
• 3tbsp tomato puree
• Pinch of bicarbonate of soda.
• 8 dried apricots chopped into small pieces
• 1 handful of frozen peas.
• 2 beef stock pots
• 200ml boiling water
• 1 tbsp cornflour mixed into 60 ml of cold water
• Salt and pepper to taste.

Method

1. Finely chop the onion and garlic and fry in oil until almost caramelised. While the onions and garlic are colouring chop the remaining vegetables.
2. Add the beef mince to the pan and fry until it turns brown. Add the chopped vegetables and stir while frying for 5 minutes.
3. Put the tomatoes and tomato puree in the saucepan and stir in 2 stock pots portions along with 150ml boiling water.
4. Bring to the boil, then add the pinch of bicarbonate and stir thoroughly.
5. Partially cover with a lid and simmer on a low to medium heat for 45-50 minutes stirring occasionally.
6. Serve with a ready-made jacket potato and your favourite salad.