1leek, cleaned, sliced lengthways in half, then sliced across
1celery, sliced across
1carrot, peeled, sliced lengthways in half, then sliced across
4garlic cloves, minced
1kgbeef mince
2plum tomatoes
1handful of oatmeal
25mlof Worcestershire sauce
1/2bottle of red wine
4slices of white bread, top quality, a day old and 1-2cm thick
beefdripping, for shallow frying
chickenstock, if needed
seasalt
freshlyground black pepper
horseradishsauce, to serve
Method:-
Splash the olive oil into a large, heavy-bottomed pan and sweat the onion, leek, celery, carrot and garlic cloves until softened
Add the mince, breaking it up as it cooks, then add the tomatoes. These should be crushed in your hand as you add them, a squeeze, again a gentle gesture; to purée the tomatoes would be a different thing entirely. Keep stirring as you sprinkle in your handful of oatmeal, then add the Worcestershire sauce and red wine. Add a little salt and pepper, stir again, and simmer gently for 1 to 2 hours
As you cook the mince should take on a wobble of thickness, the vegetables expressing themselves while starting to become very much part of the whole. If it is looking too stiff, a ladle of chicken stock should return its lava-like qualities
chicken stock, if needed
When the mince is nearly ready, make the dripping toast by shallow-frying the bread in rendered beef dripping. Turn the bread every 30 seconds until golden brown, then place onto plates
Spoon the hot mince over your dripping toast, with a spoonful of horseradish on the side