I recently found out the difference between cottage pie and shepherd’s pie. Apparently, shepherd’s pie is made with lamb mince and cottage pie is made with beef mince. So I have been making cottage pie and calling it shepherds pie all along! Well!
Moving along, let us get started on another of my comfort food classics. I love this recipe as it reminds me of home, has my favourite goat cheese and is delicious and filling. My kids love this dish too and if one of them had their way, we could be eating this every other day.
I already had some leftover mashed tubers from this recipe, (you guys have to try it please)and the mash made a delicious topping for the filling. You can also use good ol’ mashed potatoes.
Ingredients: 1 chopped onion, minced garlic, coriander stalks, carrots, courgettes (chopped into small pieces), two grated tomatoes, 1 cup green peas, about 1 kg beef mince, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp mixed ground spices, 1/2 tsp black pepper and salt to taste.Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan, add the beef mince and break it down as it cooks, once it is dry and brown, add your onions, coriander stalks and garlic, then add your mixed spices and mix well. Then add the tomatoes, and let cook a bit.Add your vegetables and the Worcestershire sauce.If too dry, add a splash of water, cover and let simmer for about 40 minutes till its completely cooked and a bit dry, but not too dry.
Preheat your oven to 180°C. And prepare your baking dish.
I really really love this cheese. It is fresh and has some rosemary mixed in that makes every bite a delight. The mash is tasty too with pumpkins, green bananas, potatoes and arrowroots; the two blend in so well together. Mix in the Goat cheese with a fork into the mashed tubers. Arrange your mince and vegetables into your baking dish. Top with the mash and bake for about 25- 30 minutes or until Browned on top. MY little sous chefs enjoy ‘decorating’ the mash before it goes into the oven. Let it rest for about 10 minutes before serving.
This is a complete meal on its own, so I usually serve it as it is. It has all the food groups and you really don’t want other flavours competing with the main star do you?
A perfect comfort food that is pleasing to adults and kids, easy to make and so delicious!
The best things about salads is not only are they so easy to put together, but they also give you the chance to load more vegetables in your little ones’ tummies and give different flavour and texture to the same old way of having your vegetables or fruits.
Grapes are quite tasty on their own, but roasting them introduces a whole other flavour profile and you can use them for dessert, to top cakes or salads or even as a snack on their own when chilled.
They are quite easy to roast too. Preheat your oven to 200° C, clean your seedless grapes, About a punnet and a half, toss them in a little bit of olive oil, pinch of salt and thyme (optional). Roast them in a baking pan lined with grease proof paper for 20-30 minutes till they shrivel a bit and the skin is blistering. Keep checking on them and turning them as they roast. Let them cool for a while. Once cooled completely, refrigerate in an airtight container and snack on them or use them in your different dishes.
Let’s get started on the salad:-
Half a red onion, sliced thinly, I garlic clove, minced, 2 small cucumbers, peeled and deseeded, 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1/2 cup of goat cheee, crumbled, 1 tsp dried oregano, salt and black pepper, 1 cup of roasted grapes, half an avocado sliced (optional) and not in picture. Mix the vinaigrette and set aside (the oil, vinegar, salt, black pepper, minced garlic and oregano)Slice the cucumbers into half moons and arrange in your salad bowl, add I cup of the roasted grapes. Add the onions.if using avocado, you an add it here.Add the goat cheese and pour the vinaigrette all around the salad.Mix gently and serve immediately.It went pretty well with this greek lemon roasted chicken and potato dish.
This salad is so good you can have it on its own as a snack or light lunch, but it also works well with roast chicken and roast potatoes.
The roasted grapes have a ‘soft’ sweetness that blends well with the creamy goat cheese. The cheese I used here is not sharp and had some hints of rosemary that went well with the other herbs in the dish and the salad dressing. As usual cucumber was the chiller adding the refreshing layer to the salad.
This salad is really tasty, try it and let me know what you think.
One of the things I love about Kampala is easily accessible food and ingredient choices that are healthy, delicious and easy on the pocket.
Butter, cheese and ghee are much cheaper here than back home and the cheese I have had so far is definitely better in terms of quality and taste.
One of my favourites is goat cheese by Kyaninga Dairy. You can read more about them here. I like the Mpanga and Toro options. Creamy, delicious, decadent goodness right here my mouth is watering right now.
This creamy goodness right here has me drooling…
You can have it as a spread, in a salad, on its own as a decadent treat. Or make some great pizza with it as we did one time. I used this recipe and do not forget that glaze, the flavours work so well together!
This was just before the pizza was ready, I made it in a double sided pan and let me say it tasted much better than it looks!
I also like Sanatos Cheese options. Especially their gouda and cheddar options.
You can actually taste the black pepper in this one. And they also have a plain cheddar one too.
I like this on pasta dishes, or mashed a bit with the potatoes when making shepherd’s pie.
Beef mince pasta bake with a black pepper cheddar cheese sauce topping
