BBC - Radio 4 Woman's Hour -Mince

Modernising recipes for mince

Sales of mince have risen significantly as families everywhere try to keep a lid on food bills in these days of early recession. Andrew Nutter, award-winning chef and butcher’s son, joins Jenni to show how mince for tea can really be the tastiest meal of the week.

Pork Balls with Ginger and Spring Onion

Makes 30 Balls

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion – chopped
1 clove garlic – chopped
Pinch 5 spice powder
200g minced pork
4 spring onions – chopped
½ egg
1 tablespoon white breadcrumbs
Plain flour
Vegetable oil for frying

1) Heat the olive oil and sweat the onion , garlic and 5 spice together for 3 minutes until softened, remove from the heat and leave to cool.
2) Mix the onion mixture into the minced pork with the spring onions, egg, breadcrumbs and season.
3) Shape into balls the size of a large marble and roll into flour to stop them sticking.
4) Heat the oil so it sizzles when you place some mixture in, and fry the balls until golden and cooked through.
5) Serve as a substantial canapé, with noodles as a light lunch or with a spicy bean casserole as a winter warmer.

Venison Plait

Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
180g minced venison
1 onion - chopped fine
1 clove garlic - chopped fine
1 juniper berry - crushed
Pinch cinnamon
1 carrot - chopped fine
1 stick celery - chopped fine
Splash Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon tomato puree
300ml red wine
500ml beef stock
200g puff pastry
1 beaten egg
Poppy seeds

1) Heat the olive oil in a casserole pan and fry the venison untill lightly browned.
2) Add the onion, garlic, juniper, cinnamon, carrot and celery and cook for a further 2 minutes.
3) Add the Worcestershire sauce, tomato puree, red wine and stock and simmer gently for 30 minutes, until the venison is tender and the stock reduced. Remove from heat, season to taste and leave to cool.
4) Roll out the pastry 3mm thick into a rectangle, place the cooked meat mixture on top, shape into a lattice and brush with egg and poppy seeds.
5) Bake in a hot oven 180°c for 18 minutes until the pastry is cooked and golden. Serve with some mixed leaves.

Lamb, Spinach and Feta Fritter

Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion – chopped fine
1 clove garlic – chopped fine
200g minced lamb
2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
100g feta cheese – diced
50g fresh spinach leaves – shredded
2 spring onions – chopped
Few sheets spring roll pastry

To Serve
2 tablespoons olive oil
Few mixed salad leaves
100ml yoghurt
Squeeze fresh lem

1) Heat the olive oil and fry the onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add the lamb, cumin and coriander and sauté for 5 minutes – leave to cool.
2) Mix together the cheese, spinach, spring onions and lamb mixture and season to taste.
3) Lay out the spring roll pastry, place spoonfuls of the mixture at one end of the pastry – roll to form a triangle – brush with water to stick.
4) Shallow fry in some hot vegetable oil for 2 minutes, until golden and crisp.
5) Serve the parcels with the yoghurt, lemon and salad leaves.

Andrew Nutter
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