Mince and Bean Hotpot

• 3 tbspolive oil
• 300gbeef mince
• 1onion, finely chopped
• 2carrots, diced
• 2celery sticks, diced
• 150gmushrooms, sliced
• 3garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tbsptomato puree
• 1 tbspplain flour
• 1 tspdried thyme
• 500mlbeef stock
• 1 tbspWorcestershire sauce
• 2 x 400gtins kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 150gfrozen peas
• 700gpotatoes, peeled and sliced 3mm thick
• fine salt
• black pepper

Method

1. 1Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in an ovenproof casserole over a high heat and brown the mince for 5 minutes, breaking it up and then leaving it alone so it catches and goes dark brown in patches. Those dark bits are the base of the gravy.
2. 2Turn the heat to medium, add another tablespoon of oil with the onion, carrots, celery and mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Cook for 8 minutes until the vegetables have softened and the mushrooms have given up their liquid.
3. 3Stir in the garlic, tomato puree, flour and thyme for 1 minute until the puree darkens and the flour disappears. Pour in the stock and Worcestershire sauce, scraping the bottom of the pan, then add the kidney beans with black pepper.
4. 4Simmer for 6 minutes until the gravy has thickened enough to coat the beans rather than pool around them and the mince has no pink left. Stir in the peas and taste; it should be savoury and slightly sharp from the Worcestershire sauce, so add salt if it is flat.
5. 5Take the pan off the heat and lay the potato slices over the top in overlapping rows, starting at the outside and working in. Brush with the last tablespoon of oil and season with salt and pepper.
6. 6Cover the casserole with a lid or foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 25–30 minutes until the potatoes are tender all the way through and golden at the edges. Rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Per serving

kcal

678

protein

32.7g

fibre

16.5g

carbs

78.9g

fat

27.3g