recipes / Beef

Welsh Beef Bolognese in Cheesy Jackets

Time 1:30

ingredients

Basic Bolognese Mix

  • 450g (1lb) lean Welsh beef mince
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
  • 1 onion, peeled, chopped into small pieces
  • 400g can chopped tomatoes
  • 15ml (1 tbsp) tomato puree or 30ml (2 tbsp) tomato ketchup
  • 150ml (1/4pt) beef or vegetable stock
  • 5ml (1 teasp) mixed herbs
  • Sprinkle of black pepper

Cheesy Jackets

  • 4 large potatoes, about 250g each
  • 50g butter
  • Sprinkle of black pepper
  • 1/2 the bolognaise mixture
  • 120g grated cheddar cheese

Basic Bolognese Mix

First you need to make upt he beef bolognese. Cooking time 20-25 minutes, then cool before using. 

  1. Place the mince in a non-stick wok or saucepan and dry fry for 6 minutes, until browned.
  2. Add the onion and garlic and cook for a few minutes more.
  3. Add tomatoes, puree or ketchup, stock, herbs and pepper.
  4. Cook gently over a low heat for 15 minutes.
  5. You could serve with cooked spaghetti as spaghetti bolognese or cool the mixture slightly to make mini pizzas or bolognese jacket potatoes.

Cheesy Jackets

Makes 8 potato jackets, cooking time 60-80 minutes for the potatoes, 10-15 minutes to finish. 

  1. Preheat your oven to Gas Mark 6/200°C.
  2. Wash the potatoes and prick with a fork, place on a baking tray and cook in the oven until cooked – they should be soft inside with crispy skins (approx 60-80 minutes).
  3. Cool slightly, cut in half and using a spoon, scoop out the soft inside into a large bowl. You may need to hold the potato with an oven glove.
  4. Mash the potato, add the butter and black pepper. Put a spoonful of the bolognaise mixture into each potato skin, mix the rest with the potato mixture and spoon back into the shell. Sprinkle the grated cheese on top of the potatoes.
  5. Pop them back into the oven for 10-15 minutes until they look crispy and golden.

Dry Fry

Don’t add any oil or fat to fry. Start with a low heat then a litle fat and juice will come out of the meat, then turn up the heat to brown the meat. This is healthier as you use less fat. 

Mash

Use a fork or potato masher, squash the potato to make it smooth and fluffy.