Mince and Tatties

I'm alive!  I've had the worst cold I've had in years for the entire past week. Except for my day trip last Friday, I was on the sofa with my laptop the entire time.  To while away the time, I did a lot of research on my Scottish/Welsh heritage and read a lot about the food.  Yesterday, I finally felt more like myself and I cooked for the first time in a week.  I can't remember the last time I went for a week without cooking.  As I perused Scottish recipes, this one came up over and over and it looked like the perfect comfort food so it was the first thing I made, Mince and Tatties.  We now have a new favorite dish in this house.  I will be making this a lot.

 As you can see, I added anchovies to the onions, parsnips, carrots and garlic.  I always add them to any beef dish I cook.  Yesterday it dawned on me that it is the same as using Worcestershire Sauce in a recipe since it is made from anchovies and this dish calls for it. Anchovies bring out the 'beefiness' in a recipe though you can't taste them at all.  If the wee fish make you queasy, just use Worcestershire.

 I used beef and pork since that is what I had on hand.

 Some recipes call for flour as the thickener but I used oatmeal.  It adds an earthy flavor and gives you the best consistency.

 A big pot of goodness.

So, get your Scottish on and make some mince and tatties. And make sure you serve it with buttered peas!

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients

• 1 onions diced
  
• 1 large diced parsnip
• 1 large diced carrot
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 pounds of ground beef (mince)
• 4 tablespoons of tomato paste
• a scarce handful of oatmeal
• 1 shotglass of Worcestershire sauce (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1/3 bottle of hearty red wine
• 1large or 2 small beef bouillon cubes
• beef stock( enough to keep it from getting too thick)
• salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon of fresh minced rosemary 
• 1/2 tsp. of thyme
• 1 bay leaf

Instructions

1. In a large pan, sweat the onion, parsnip, carrot and garlic in the olive oil until softened. Add the mince, giving it a healthy stir to break it up. Add the tomato paste. Keep stirring and add the oatmeal, not so much that you end up with a porridge. Stir, add the Worcestershire sauce and red wine, then stir again. Add all the remaining ingredients. Take a view on the liquid content; if it seems a wee bit dry, add some stock. You are looking for a 'chili-like' consistency. Check for seasoning.
2. Now allow the mince to simmer gently for 1½ hours, if not 2 (if it is drying out, add more stock). Time allows the mince to become itself, as is the case for most of us. Taste for seasoning and serve with mashed potatoes (tatties).  And peas!  Don't forget the peas.

   
   

   Deagh Bhiadh!!!