Le Creuset Toughened Non-stick 30cm Stir-fry Pan

Serves 6
Using the stir-fry pan with an optional glass lid makes it the ideal “one pan” cooking pot, which can be used for a whole variety of recipes. Here a delicious mid-week main course of minced beef, flavoured with herbs and tomatoes has fusilli pasta added towards the end of cooking, so you really do have only one, very easy to clean pan to wash after your meal.

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped finely
1 red pepper, de-seeded and chopped into small dice
2 garlic cloves, crushed
750g (1 ½ pounds) fine minced beef
2 x 400g cans plum tomatoes, chopped with their juice
2 tablespoons tomato purée
1 rounded teaspoon dried oregano
2 rounded teaspoons dried parsley
375ml (1 ½ cups) hot brown stock
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
225g (2 ¼ cups) easy cook dried fusilli pasta

1. Heat the oil in the stir-fry pan over a medium setting. Add the onion, red pepper and garlic, cook for 2 – 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Raise the heat a little and add the minced beef. Fry briskly until the meat is evenly browned. Drain off any excess fat.

3. Stir in the chopped tomatoes with their juice, the tomato purée, dried herbs and 250ml (1 cup) of the stock. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with the lid, reduce the heat and simmer for 25 minutes.

4. Stir in the fusilli with the remaining 125ml (1/2 cup) of hot stock. Cover and cook for 8 – 10 minutes or until the fusilli is “al dente”. Stir once during this time to ensure the fusilli cooks evenly.

Serve with a mixed leaf salad and some hunks of crusty wholemeal bread. A little freshly grated parmesan can be sprinkled over the top of each portion.

UK terms    USA terms
   
Red pepper             Red bell pepper
Fine minced beef   Fine ground beef
Tomato purée         Tomato paste
Brown stock            Beef broth

SC/November 2008