Beef and Tomato Bake

I love the simplicity of this one-pot-meal featuring beef, tomatoes, and BACON!! It’s comfort food with the volume turned up. Can also be used as a stuffed pepper filling. Yum!

We'll start by chopping some "rashers" (aka slices) of streaky bacon.

Saute the bacon in an oven-proof pan until it browns.

Add the chopped onion, bell pepper, and minced garlic.

Continue to saute until the onions and peppers are soft and tender, stirring frequently to keep the garlic from burning.

Add the "mince" (aka ground beef) and continue to saute until the beef is cooked through.

Ready for the next step.

Add the rice and stir for a minute or so.

Next we'll need chopped tomatoes and tomato paste.  Have you found tomato paste in a tube yet?  It's so much easier to use than the canned stuff.

I like to cook the tomato paste a little before adding anything else. 

Add the remaining ingredients - tomatoes, beef stock, dried basil, and ground black pepper.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn the heat off.

Cover the pan and place it in a preheated 180C oven (356F) for about 30 minutes.  

I added a few fresh basil leaves just before serving - it was super tasty.  We also discovered a sprinkling of shredded cheddar cheese finishes this dish off well.  Enjoy!

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• braiser https://amzn.to/2J2S79Z

• tomato paste in a tube https://amzn.to/3dlzMCT

• nakiri knife https://amzn.to/2Wvg2qA

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Beef and Tomato Bake with Bacon

makes 4 servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 8 rashers of streaky bacon, chopped

• 1 bell pepper, chopped

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 500g ground beef (just over 1 pound)

• 200g uncooked white rice (about 1 cup)

• 6 tomatoes, chopped

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• 1 beef stock cube dissolved in 300ml water (or 1 1/4 cups beef stock)

• 1 teaspoon dried basil

• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 355F.

2. Saute bacon in an oven-safe pan over medium high heat until brown.

3. Add onions, peppers, and garlic; continue to saute until the onions and peppers soften.

4. Add the rice the cook for about a minute, then add the remaining ingredients.

5. Bring the mixture to a boil, remove from heat and cover.

6. Bake in preheated oven for 20-30 minutes.

adapted from Searching for Spice

Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner

You don't have to be Irish or wait for St. Patrick's Day to enjoy Corned Beef and Cabbage - it simmers away on your stovetop for hours, making your house smell amazing and giving you plenty of time to do other things.  Every time I make it, I look forward to having leftovers so I can make other yummy things like Corned Beef Hash and Reuben Sandwiches. 

Buy a package of corned beef.  The one pictured above is the flat cut.

Place in a stock pot and cover with cold water by 1 or 2 inches.

Add the seasoning packet.

Bring to a gentle boil, then lower heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 50 minutes per pound.  Skim as needed.

An hour before it's done, add the carrots.  A half hour before it's done, add the potatoes.  Be sure to keep covered.

Fifteen minutes before it's done, add the cabbage wedges - again, being sure to keep the stockpot covered so the cabbage can steam (it does not need to be submerged under the water).  

When done, carefully remove veggies and corned beef.  Trim excess fat from corned beef and slice thinly across the grain.  

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate link)

• dutch oven https://amzn.to/3fCJjqz

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Traditional Corned Beef and Cabbage

serves 2-3 people per pound

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 pound packaged corned beef (point or flat cut)

• 1 pound red new potatoes, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces

• 1 pound baby carrots

• 1 small head green cabbage, cut into 8 wedges (keep core in tact to keep wedges from falling apart)

Directions

1. Place corned beef and seasoning packet in 6 or 8-quart stock pot.

2. Fill stock pot with enough water to cover the corned beef by an inch or two.

3. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to a simmer, cooking for a total of 50 minutes per pound (my 4 pound corned beef cooked for a total of about 3 hours and 20 minutes). Feel free to skim any scum that rises to the surface, being careful not to remove seasonings.

4. An hour before the corned beef is done, put the carrots in the stockpot, making sure they go do down into the water.

5. a half hour before the corned beef is done, put the potatoes in the stockpot, making sure they go down into the water.

6. Fifteen minutes before the corned beef is done, place wedges on top of corned beef . It's okay if the cabbage wedges don't get submerged under the water - cover the stockpot and the steam in the pot will cook the cabbage.

7. Carefully remove the cabbage wedges from the pot and place on serving platter.

8. Remove corned beef from stockpot and place on cutting board; slice thinly across the grain and arrange on serving platter.

9. Remove carrots and potatoes from stock pot and arrange on serving platter.