Simple beef mince

Batch-cook this Italian-style ragu to use as a base for other delicious mince dishes

This is not as simple as the mince and tatties – mince and potatoes – that I grew up on, but it’s still kept plain for batch-cooking purposes, so that ingredients can be added afterwards to flavour each portion differently. It’s basically an Italian-style ragu but without the herbs that would be used in Italy.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1kg good-quality minced beef
• 100g bacon lardons
• 2 celery sticks, diced
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 500ml beef stock (or chicken stock if that's all you have)
• 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp tomato purée

Method

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan and brown 1kg good-quality minced beef in batches; if you overcrowd the pan it just steams.

As each batch is done, remove it to a bowl.

Cook 100g bacon lardons in the pan until golden and add it to the beef.

Tumble 2 diced celery sticks, 1 diced medium carrot and 1 finely chopped large onion into the pan. Sauté for 12-15 minutes, or until they’re softening and golden brown.

Put the mince and bacon back into the pan.

Season, and add 500ml beef stock, 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes and 1 tbsp tomato purée. You might need a little water too – about 75ml – if the mixture is dry.

Bring to the boil then turn the heat down low, cover the pan – leaving a little gap between the lid and the pan at one side – and cook for an hour (75 minutes if you have time), stirring once in a while.

Make sure everything stays moist; add a splash of water if you need to.

Taste for seasoning and leave to cool.

Divide between 3 boxes, label and date them, and freeze, to turn into future dishes.