Minced meat is suitable not only for making cutlets and meatballs fried in a pan, or meatballs boiled in soup. There are dozens of minced meat dishes cooked in the oven.
Stuffed vegetables
Stuffed vegetables are a great way to combine essential proteins with healthy carbohydrates without excess fat for an aromatic and tasty meal. Most often, minced meat is used as a filling for peppers, eggplants, zucchini, pumpkin, but besides them, potatoes and large fleshy tomatoes are quite suitable for stuffing. Grits, pieces of vegetables, spices and aromatic herbs, thick sauces, chopped mushrooms, grated hard cheese and other ingredients are added to the minced meat.
You can also fill some fruits with meat filling, for example, sour strong apples or quince.
In order to stuff the peppers, you will need:
- 350 grams of minced meat;
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil;
- 2 cloves of garlic;
- 3 sprigs of rosemary;
- 2 large tomatoes;
- 6 strong bell peppers;
- 50 grams of bread crumbs;
- 1 head of onion;
- grated parmesan.
Preheat oven to 200C. Peel the onion and cut into small cubes. Fry it in warmed olive oil until transparent, add chopped garlic and rosemary leaves. Cook until the garlic starts to smell. Meanwhile, cut the tomato into cubes and add to the rest of the vegetables. Season with salt and black pepper and cook until thick sauce is obtained. Remove from heat and cool. Toss with minced meat and breadcrumbs. Cut the peppers lengthwise, remove the stalk, seeds and jumpers. Rinse under running water, dry and fill with minced meat. Place in a baking dish, sprinkle with grated cheese and bake for 30-35 minutes.
Rolls and terrine
A variety of minced meat rolls and terrines are obtained juicy and tasty. Filling is often placed in the middle of the rolls - fried mushrooms, pieces of bell pepper, spinach. One of the most popular additives is boiled eggs. Terrines - minced meat mixed with various additives, baked in the oven and cut into slices. Not only various vegetables are put into the terrines, but also nuts, dried fruits, pieces of diced meat or liver, creating not only an interesting taste, but also an unusual texture.
The classic meatloaf, roll - especially popular in American cuisine, can be prepared by taking:
- 750 grams of lean ground beef;
- 2 tablespoons of butter;
- 1 glass of chopped onions;
- 1 stalk of celery;
- 1 tablespoon of minced garlic;
- 1 carrot;
- 2 teaspoons of salt;
- 1 glass of ketchup;
- 1 cup of bread crumbs;
- 2 chicken eggs;
- ½ cup chopped parsley;
- salt and pepper.
Preheat oven to 170C. In a large heavy skillet, melt the butter and sauté the onions until translucent. Grate the carrots on a fine grater and chop the celery, add along with the garlic to the onion and fry, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, refrigerate and mix with minced meat, adding half measured ketchup, lightly beaten eggs and bread crumbs. Place the mixture in a rectangular muffin pan or simply form a loaf of it, brush with the remaining ketchup on top and bake for an hour. Remove from the oven, let it rest for 10 minutes under the foil and serve.
Meat loaves, rolls and terrines can be served hot or cold.
Casseroles and pies
Numerous casseroles can be prepared with minced meat. These include the famous Italian lasagna and a variety of French gratins with a layer of meat. Minced meat is also put in various closed pies and pies. You can add not only the popular fried onions, herbs and spices to the filling, but also ingredients less familiar for this type of dish - raisins, pieces of sour apples, as well as cinnamon, rum and even powdered sugar.
