Spiced mince and gravy on swede mash with broccoli trees
This is inspired by a childhood favourite of mine. My childminder Sonia’s husband, Lew, was an amazing cook and the food was always hearty and belly-warming; this is my version of one of my favourite dishes – mince on mash with broccoli. The mince was cooked with baked beans and onions and served runny, around a mound of mash, and I used to stand the broccoli florets on the mound like they were trees on a white hill surrounded by a muddy river. We even gave it a drizzle of tomato sauce before we tucked in. Not sure what that symbolised! In this version I add some spices to gently flavour the mince while making it easier to digest. I’ve swapped out the baked beans for carrot and tomato, which makes up for the sweetness and adds a little acidity.
I like to make this in my slowcooker on a wet and wintry day. Of course, winter is not really the season for broccoli so when that’s not around, swap for seasonal greens. Serve it on a pile of mashed swede, which adds a delicious flavour dimension and makes a less starchy accompaniment to meat than potato mash. This recipe calls for 1½ average-sized swedes, which can feed four. Save the other half of the swede for the Quinoa Minestrone here.
Serves 4
1 tbsp ghee
1 tsp mustard seeds
2½ tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground turmeric
1½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground cinnamon
5cm (2in) piece of fresh ginger, grated
1 medium leek or 1 medium–large onion, finely sliced
350g lamb mince
3 carrots, grated
4 large tomatoes (about 300g), skinned and deseeded (see here)
400ml bone broth (see here) or bouillon stock
½ tsp sea salt and ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper, to taste
450–500g broccoli
100ml water
100g (⅔ cup) peas
handful coriander leaves (optional)
FOR THE MASH
2 swedes, topped and tailed, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
200ml water
2 bay leaves
½ tsp sea salt
1½ tbsp butter
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
generous pinch of ground white or black pepper
1 In a ceramic-lined or seasoned cast-iron frying pan, melt the ghee, add the mustard seeds and fry them until they start to pop. Add the rest of the spices and fry for a few minutes before adding the fresh ginger, leek and mince, sautéeing over a high heat for 5–7 minutes and breaking up the mince as you go.
2 Stir in the grated carrots and the tomatoes, then pour in the bone broth, and bring to the boil. Reduce to a rapid simmer and cook for 25 minutes, lid off, until the gravy has reduced to your desired thickness.
3 Meanwhile, make the mash. Pop the swede into a large saucepan with the water, bay leaves and a pinch of salt. Gently bring the water to the boil over a medium heat. Then place the lid on tightly and cook for about 30–35 minutes, or until tender, keeping an eye on the water level.
4 Drain well, removing the bay leaves and reserving the cooking water. Return the swede to the pan over a very low heat, add the butter, nutmeg and white pepper and mash coarsely, adding more of the cooking water if needed. Replace the lid and remove from the heat.
5 When there is 7 minutes left of the mince cooking time, place the broccoli in a medium saucepan with 100ml water and bring to a simmer, lid on. Remove the lid and cook for another 3 minutes, or until tender.
6 Around 2 minutes before serving, add the peas to the pan of mince. Divide the mash between the plates, pour the mince around it, then top with the broccoli. Garnish with the coriander, if using, and serve.
TIP
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If you like, try blending the mash in a food processor to give you a smoother purée – but I prefer the rough texture of the mash with the mince.