Warming Moroccan Bolognese

Warming Moroccan Bolognese

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 250g lean minced beef

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 small onion, minced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed

• 300g garlic and herb tomato passata

• 100g fresh tomatoes, chopped

• 1 tbsp high quality balsamic vinegar

• 1 tsp honey

• 1 1/2 tbsp ras el hanout

• 4 tsp harissa

• black pepper, to taste

• 1 beef stock cube

• plenty of water

• 500ml wine ( you can use less but the more you use, the richer )

• 70g lentils ( the darker the better )

• 2 handfuls mint, to serve

• 30g apricots, chopped

• 30g roasted almonds or hazelnuts

• 4 tsp finely grated lemon zest

• 1 tsp fennel seeds

• 1 tsp coriander seeds

• 1/2 tsp cumin

• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

• baked potatoes, wholemeal pitta, and cous cous, to serve

• Greek yoghurt, to serve

Method

- Heat the oil in a deep-set saucepan. Once hot, add the beef and cook until browned and separated.

- Add in the onions and stir. Cook until softened. Pour in the balsamic vinegar and honey and stir. Continue to cook until the onions have caramelised.

- Stir in the minced garlic and fry briefly before adding the ras el hangout. Stir then add in the stock and wine. Stir to combine everything.

- Add the harissa in and season well. Pour in the lentils and bring everything to a boil before reducing and simmering.

- You want to reduce it till its a thick stew but you can keep adding water/wine and cooking further to richen the stew and make it all the more flavoursome. I actually cooked mine for 3 hours to get it a thick, rich stew but it's up to you. And of course, if you want a soup, make sure you add more water and don't reduce as much. *

- Combine the lemon zest, chopped nuts and apricots in a bowl.

- Toast the fennel, cumin and coriander seeds until fragrant then add to the bowl.

- Serve the Stew in potato shells or pitta with a dollop of yoghurt, the fruit and nut mix and some mint leaves or stir the fruit/nut mix into cous cous and serve with that!

I hope you enjoy this dish as much as I did. It takes a little effort but if you have a quiet day when it's frosty and cold outside, this is the perfect thing to make!

* Make sure that you stir occasionally ( don't just leave it for 3 hours ), otherwise the stew will burn on the bottom and you will get burnt bits. You can put the pot in the oven at 180 degrees celsius, fan and that way you don't have to tend the stew as much.