Savoury Mince

02Method

1. Heat a large, deep frying pan or pot over medium heat. Add the carrot, onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes until softened.
2. Add the mince, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, and cook for about 10 minutes until browned all over and no pink remains.
3. Stir in the mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes until they release their moisture and start to colour.
4. Sprinkle over the flour and stir in the tomato paste, then cook for 1 minute so the flour loses its raw taste.
5. Pour in the beef stock, then add the thyme, bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce and Vegemite. Stir well, scraping up anything stuck to the base of the pan.
6. Add the corn and peas, bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until thick and glossy. Remove the bay leaves before serving.
7. Serve over rice, mashed potato or buttered toast.

03Notes & substitutions

• Very lean mince can stick - add a splash of olive oil with the onion if the pan looks dry. Mince with a little fat browns better and tastes richer.
• Frozen peas and corn go in straight from the freezer, no thawing needed.
• Bulk it out with a grated zucchini, a handful of lentils or a diced potato to stretch it further.

04Common mistakes

• Crowding the pan — too much mince at once steams instead of browns, and it loses the deep flavour; use the widest pan you have, or brown in two batches.
• Skipping the flour and paste step — cooking them for a minute removes the raw taste and thickens the sauce properly; going straight to the stock leaves it thin.

05Storage & leftovers