Aubergine Lasagne

Ingredients

400g lean minced beef
500g passata
2 aubergines
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped/minced
12 mushrooms, chopped
2 tbsp dried or fresh basil
2 tbsp dried or fresh tarragon
2 tbsp dried or fresh oregano
3 tbsp tomato purée
200g cream cheese
100g parmesan, grated


Method

1. Fry onion until soft
2. Add garlic and fry for another minute
3. Add mince and fry until brown
4. Add passata, mushrooms, herbs and tomato purée
5. Simmer for 20 minutes
6. Thinly slice aubergine length ways and griddle each slice on both sides for approximately 2 minutes until tender
7. Melt cream cheese in a small pan
8. Place 1/3 of the mince sauce into a square oven dish
9. Cover with sliced aubergine
10. Sprinkle 1/3 parmesan over the aubergine
11. Repeat until all sauce and aubergine has been used
12. Cover last layer of aubergine with the melted cream cheese and sprinkle top with last of the parmesan
13. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes at 200°C

Bolognese stuffed peppers

This recipe uses the same bolognese sauce as my Leeksagne but I've included it below for convenience. Stuffing the peppers with the sauce was Ronan's idea!

Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped
10 button mushrooms, sliced
400g lean minced beef
1 400g tin chopped tomatoes
4 tbsp tomato purée
1 beef stock cube
1 tsp Stevia
3 red or orange peppers or a mix of the two
2 large buffalo mozzarrella balls, sliced
20g grated cheddar

1. Pan fry onion until soft
2. Add mince and cook until browned
3. Add chopped mushrooms, tomatoes, tomato purée, stock cube and Stevia
4. Mix well and simmer for 10 minutes
5. Slice peppers in half, down the centre
6. Place peppers in an ovenproof dish and fill with bolognese mixture
7. Cover each pepper with sliced mozzarella
8. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for 30-40 minutes until cheddar is melted and browned
9. Serve on their own or with a green salad

N.B. This recipe is not suitable if you avoid nightshade foods.

Leeksagne

Ingredients:

2 large leeks
1 onion, chopped
10 button mushrooms, sliced
400g lean minced beef
1 400g tin chopped tomatoes
4 tbsp tomato purée
fresh basil
oregano
1 beef stock cube
1 tsp Stevia
1 tub cream cheese
20g grated cheddar

1. Peel and rinse the leeks. Cut each stalk in half and place in a large saucepan. Boil for 8 minutes. Drain and soak in cold water for 10 minutes
2. Pan fry onion until soft
3. Add mince and cook until browned
4. Add chopped mushrooms, tomatoes, tomato purée, stock cube, oregano, basil and Stevia
5. Mix well and simmer for 10 minutes
6. Remove leeks from water and separate into their layers. Pat dry with kitchen towel
7. Place half the mince mixture into an oven proof dish
8. Cover with leek layers, using only as much as you need to cover the sauce
9. Place the other half of the mince over the leek layer
10. Cover the mince with rest of the leeks. Again, only using as much as you need
11. Melt cream cheese in small pan and pour over the leeks, smoothing it to cover them
12. Sprinkle grated cheddar over the top
13. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for 30-40 minutes until cheddar is melted and browned
14. Serve on its own or with a green salad

 Leek layer

N.B. This recipe is not suitable if you avoid nightshade foods.