Trusty old mince. It’s so versatile, always cheap and easy to get, and it keeps well in the freezer and is easy to defrost. But, let’s face it, mince has a pretty low-brow reputation which is frankly undeserved. We’re here to change that with some stellar recipes that celebrate the achievements of this under-appreciated kitchen champion.
Without mince, a burger would just be a steak sandwich. Not that there’s anything wrong with a steak sanga, but there’s no squillion-dollar industry devoted to them, is there? This double cheeseburger recipe from Ben O'Donoghue uses 100% beef mince. Thank you mince, for giving us burgers.
Okay, some sausage rolls are decidedly low-brow, but this recipe from Rachael Lane is anything but. Made with pork mince complemented by pork’s best buddies fennel seeds and apple, we thank you, mince, for bringing these sausage rolls into our lives.
Usually made with lamb mince and mixed with spices and onion, these tasty morsels are ubiquitous throughout Eastern Europe, the Middle East and south-western Asia, and there are as many variants on the recipe as there are names for the dish. This kofte recipe from Sevtap Yüce is our favourite. Thank you mince – without you much of the world would be without its favourite snack.
Dumplings, yes
Well, maybe not ALL of the dumplings, but think about it: xiao long bao, siu mai, pastels, pierogi, chilli wontons – and our personal favourite, gyoza – they’d be nothing without mince. Pork, beef, prawn, pork and prawn: thank you for the all of the delicious dumplings, mince.
Ah, meatballs. Tasty, meaty balls of joy, smothered in your favourite sauce. You can make meatballs from any kind of mince, but we love this recipe from Michele Curtis which uses chicken mince. Mince, we love meatballs – please accept our sincerest thanks for making them happen.
Sure, you can stuff your veg with rice, or cheese, but for best results, we recommend stuffing with mince. Check out this divine lamb-mince stuffed eggplant recipe from Rebecca Seal. Thank you mince, for making it so easy to fill our vegies with meat.
So this is one we just couldn’t live without. We could eat bolognese sauce for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day and never get sick of it. And who else would you turn to for the ultimate bolognese recipe but Stefano de Pieri? Stefano uses a combination of beef and pork mince for the most rich and flavoursome sauce. We would like to extend our most heartfelt thanks to you, mince – we don’t know what we’d do without you.