Bolognese Recipe

The secret to a seriously good Bolognese is to make a big batch and cook it low and slow.

This one contains lentils and veg, and is super-quick to pull together, with the hob doing all the hard work.

I like to make it at the weekend when I have a bit more time, then pop it into the freezer in batches for amazing midweek meals.

Enjoy it with your favourite pasta, in a cottage pie or as the base for a smoky chilli.

Ingredients

• 2 rashers of higher-welfare smoked streaky bacon
• ½ a bunch of fresh rosemary (15g)
• olive oil
• 6 cloves of garlic
• 3 onions
• 4 carrots
• 500g chestnut mushrooms
• 500g quality lean minced beef
• 500g higher-welfare lean minced pork
• 200g dried lentilles vertes
• 4 x 400g tins of quality peeled plum tomatoes

1. Finely slice the bacon and pick and finely chop the rosemary, then place in a large pan with 1 tbsp oil over a medium heat.
2. Peel and finely chop the garlic, onions and carrots, then finely slice the mushrooms, adding them to the pan as you go (or finely chop everything together in a food processor).
3. Cook for 15 mins, or until softened, stirring regularly.
4. Add the pork and beef mince, breaking it up with the back of a wooden spoon, then stir in the lentils.
5. Season with black pepper and cook for a further 15 mins.
6. Scrunch in the tomatoes, along with 4 tins’ worth of water.
7. Bring to the boil, then simmer on a low heat for 2 hrs, or until thickened and reduced.

traditional mincemeat

highquality topnotch steak mince fit

meat to consider for mincing