Curry... innit - with steak mince and veg

Longish day at work, got home about 7:30... hungry, but wanted something tasty.  Steak mince from my butcher mate needed using - could have done spag bol, chili or no end of other classics - but fancied more complex flavours.  Hunted in spice cupboard, and found a curry mix I liked the smell of, cumin, cardomon and hot stuff.  Probably a "waste" of steak mince, but it was yummy.

1 leek, chopped
1 tbsp oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
400g steak mince (doesn't have to be steak, obv)
1 tbsp spice mix (or mix your own)
1 pepper (orange this time)
Mushrooms
Fresh tomatoes
Green beans
Tin chopped tomatoes
Spinach

Chapatis - out of packet - microwave

1.  Gently sweat leeks in oil, turn up heat add mince, keep stirring around.
2.  When a bit browned (doesn't need a lot) make sure it's separated into mincy bits, not lumps.
3.  Add chopped veg, garlic and spices.
4.  Keep stirring, add water and simmer for a bit, chuck in tomatoes.
5.  Simmer, when veg is ready stir in spinach til wilted.
6. Scoff - I did, with chapatis.

aubergine ragu with penne

No fancy picture as I couldn't hold the victims back.  This was a lovely rich mince and veg sauce with mozzarella, cheddar and parmensan with penne... yums.  Usual start to the ragu, onions, garlic, celery, red pepper, mushrooms chopped and sauteed - then added minced beef, probably about 250 grams for 6 people, add some mixed herbs.  Meanwhile sliced 2 aubergines and 2 courgettes into 1 cm slices - sprinkle with salt - pat dry after 10 minutes - drizzle on olive oil and griddle slices for a couple of minutes each side.  Chop and add to meat mixture, add 2 tins tomatoes and  and simmer for about 30 minutes.  Boil pasta.  About 3 minutes shorter than packet instructions, drain and add to sauce.  Tear in mozzarella, add cheddar and parmesan - save half of each type of cheese for the top.  Stir mixture up, add cheese to top, grate on black pepper - bake for about 30 minutes until cheese has melted and its all rich and steamy.  Victims had seconds.

Spaghetti bolognaise

Well, despite my warning - if you have spaggy bog now - I won't be making it again until March - victim was insistent - so spag bog it was.  And I have to say ... mmmmm mmmm mmmm.  Sauteed chopped leek, 2 cloves crushed garlic, 3 inches of celery, peeled and chopped carrot and 500g minced steak.... then added mixed herbs, chopped red pepper and 2 chopped, big field mushrooms.  Stir, simmer, stir etc  - added chicken stock cube, 2 x tins chopped tomatoes, big squirt of hot dog mustard, tomato ketchup and some worcestershire sauce.  Simmer, season, taste , season. Serve on spaghetti - grate on parmesan.  Scoff.  Mixed feelings ... yum yum yum - comfort food at its best ... bugger... there's the favourite gone for the rest of the month.  (Victim has already made suggestions eg.  if you don't add carrot it'll be a different dish .. to squeeze in another version - will try to avoid.)

Aubergine stuffed with ostrich (or other mince)

Lovely glossy aubergines waiting for a destination, and some ostrich mince bought after the promise of ultimate low fat healthiness, prompted the combination.  I don't like aubergines, so this seemed a very obvious treatment which would be horrid - BUT - as long as you scrape the aubergine flesh out with the spicy filling, and leave the skin this is actually officially DELISH.
Cut 2 (or however many - adjust the recipe to about three quarters of an aubergine per person) aubergines in half longways - keeping stalk on.  Fairly liberally drizzle olive oil on a baking pan (enough to moisten, but not enough to completely counterat the fat free-ness of the ostrich mince - add halves of aubergine, drizzle oil over the top - roast in hottish oven turn over after about 20 mins.  Meanwhile saute ostrich (or whichever) mince with onion, garlic and chili - add sprinkles of cumin, coriander, mixed herbs and whichever mediterranean herbs you have to hand  - we had some mint and marjoram - add these flavourings to taste.  Chuck in small handful of pinenuts and the same of sultanas.  Make a pocket in baked aubergines by scooping out a little of the flesh - chop the extra and add to the mince mixture - this helps the final dish retain some moisture.  Spoon the mince mix into the aubergine halves, top with tomato slices and return to the oven for 20 mins ish.  Serve with garlic yogurt sauce (tzatziki would be nice).  We had chard and beans, as they were in the veg box.  Victim scoffed spicy mince, sauce and pitta but only picked at the other veg - but I will keep trying.  I reckon this could be at least 3, if not 4, of your 5  a day.