Teriyaki Beef

Tasty, versatile and easy to clean up afterwards, this meal with mince is perfect for the weeknights.

Recipe adapted  from Super Food Ideas Magazine, September 2010 issue, page 64

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 medium brown onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 600g beef mince
• 1 tablespoon cornflour
• ½ cup teriyaki sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 150g snow or sugar snap peas, trimmed, sliced
• 3 green onions, thickly sliced
• Toasted sesame seeds and steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Method

1. Heat vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add brown onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until onion has softened. Add mince. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up mince, for 8 to 10 minutes or until browned and cooked through.
2. Add flour. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add teriyaki sauce, sugar and sesame oil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until sauce thickens. Add snow peas and green onion. Cook for 2 minutes or until snow peas are tender. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve with rice.

Meatball Cacciatore with Polenta

Recipe adapted from Recipes +, April 2011 issue, page 56-57

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
2 x 420g packets beef meatballs
1 small brown onion, finely chopped
200g button mushrooms, sliced
500g bottle tomato pasta sauce
1.25 litres (5 cups) chicken stock
2 tablespoons chopped basil
1 cup milk
1½ cups instant polenta (cornmeal)
1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
¼ cup chopped parsley

Method

1. Heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan over moderately high heat. Add meatballs; cook and turn for 5 minutes or until browned. Transfer to a heatproof plate. Add onion and mushroom to pan; cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until softened. Add pasta sauce, ½ cup of the stock and 2 tablespoons of basil. Season with pepper. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Add meatballs and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly and meatballs are cooked.
2. Meanwhile, bring the chicken stock to the boil in a large heavy-based saucepan over high heat. Use a wire balloon whisk to stir the stock. Gradually add the polenta in a thin steady stream, whisking constantly until all the polenta is incorporated into the liquid (whisking ensures the polenta is dispersed through the liquid as quickly as possible). Don't add the polenta too quickly or it will turn lumpy. 
3. Reduce heat to low (cook the polenta over low heat otherwise it will cook too quickly and you will need to add extra water/stock). Simmer, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for 10 minutes or until the mixture thickens and the polenta is soft. (To test whether the polenta is soft, spoon a little of the polenta mixture onto a small plate and set aside to cool slightly. Rub a little of the polenta mixture between 2 fingers to see if the grains have softened. If the grains are still firm, continue to cook, stirring constantly, over low heat until the polenta is soft.)  
4. Remove from heat. Add the milk and parmesan cheese, and stir until well combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
5. Spoon polenta into shallow serving bowls. Add cacciatore; sprinkle with chopped parsley and pepper. Serve immediately.