• 30 ml olive or canola oil
•  500 g lean beef or ostrich mince
•  1 large onion, chopped
•  2 celery stalks, finely chopped
•  2 baby marrows, coarsely grated
•  5 ml paprika
•  10 ml ground coriander
•  10 ml dried origanum
•  2 410 g tins chopped tomatoes
•  5 ml Worcestershire sauce
•  90 ml chopped fresh parsley
•  lemon juice and black pepper to taste
•  1 medium brinjal, thinly sliced lengthwise
•  3-4 spinach leaves
•  300 ml buttermilk
•  100 ml grated cheddar cheese

Serving size: 4
Preparation Time: 1 hour 45 mins

Veggies are layered instead of pasta, making a tasty and equally filling meal. The buttermilk topping is a great way to reduce the cheese – do try it.

1. Heat 2 tsp (10 ml) of the oil in a large saucepan. Fry mince until brown.
2. Spoon out the mince. Add another 1 tsp (5 ml) oil and fry the onion until soft. Add celery and baby marrows and fry for a few minutes. Add paprika, coriander, origanum, tomatoes and Worcestershire sauce.
3. Stir in the mince. Simmer for 30 minutes with a lid. Add 4 tbsp (60 ml) of the parsley and season with lemon juice and pepper.
4. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180 ˚C. Place brinjal on a baking tray and brush on both sides with remaining oil. Roast for 15 minutes until golden and cooked.
5. Spoon half of the mince into a deep oven dish. Cover with spinach. Spoon remaining mince on top and cover with a layer of brinjal.
6. Mix buttermilk, remaining herbs and cheese and spread over the brinjal. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden and cooked.
7. Serve with a tomato salad with fresh herbs or lightly cooked green veggies.

Tips

1. Use the veggies on page 57, instead of the mince, to make a vegetarian lasagne.
2. To make sure that the buttermilk topping covers the dish completely, rather use a deeper than wider oven dish.

Recipe by Pharma Dynamics
Cooking from the heart