Essentially, I am a Joburg girl through and through. When I moved to London, I ached to the core of my being for the temperate climate (I am big into stable weather patterns after 11 years in Blighty), the sub-tropical vegetation and the village-like familiarity; which right now is my biggest bugbear. At the moment what I crave more than anything is anonymity and wish I could slip out of my flat, throw some crappy clothes on and go for a walk without bumping into anyone I know. Not for any reason other than I am feeling a little claustrophobic and I can't so much as go to a petrol station without seeing someone I know. Perhaps I should change petrol stations, just a thought. Although I say this after going to a random petrol station this morning after the gym (for cigarettes), sweating profusely and naturally, bumped into someone.
The above being said, I remember I went to the dermatologist in London in my pajamas, a coat and a beanie shortly before I came back to South Africa. Anyhow, I had finished my treatment and was all red-faced and looking like a guttersnipe in the reception area as they prepared my bill. Naturally, their systems were down and they asked me to take a seat in one of three chairs in a waiting room the size of a shoebox as they attempted to manually process the payment. So I see there is another body in the chair next to me as I sit down and being naturally curious, I looked up to check out the sardine who was virtually sitting on my lap. To my horror, the sardine was Ewan McGregor.
With my claustrophobia having set in good and proper, I have managed to shun all invitations this weekend other than a quick dinner tonight and a birthday lunch tomorrow. I have spent most of the weekend on my own and if I hadn't had to work, it would have been perfect.
Last night I was exhausted, I got 2 DVD's and ingredients for a Spag Bol and prepared to settle in for the evening. Damn the video store guy to hell though, I managed to take out one of the worst DVD's I have ever seen in my life. I should have known I was in for trouble when every trailer was a rom-com.
Bolognese is the perfect comfort meal and everyone says theirs is best and this is a point I have learnt not to argue, I have come to blows with people debating this. This is how I do mine and I like it.
INGREDIENTS (serves 4)
Extra virgin olive oil for frying
2 onions finely chopped
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
1 bouquet garni (see past post)
4 sticks of celery finely chopped
4 large carrots finely chopped
500 grams of lean beef mince
1 tablespoon of fish sauce
1 heaped tablespoon of sugar (this regulates the acidity of the tomatoes)
2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon of ketchup (yes, ketchup, even some of the world's best restaurants have been known to use it from time to time)
1 small tin of tomato puree
1 tin of plum tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste
METHOD
Preheat your oven to 160 degrees.
Brown your mince in a little olive oil on a medium heat. Once brown and cooked through, set aside in a bowl. Do not salt the mince, it will lose all it's juice and flavour which you want in the sauce.
Fry off your onion till soft, add garlic and then your carrots and celery (this is traditionally called 'trinity'). Fry this off for about 10 minutes or so.
Transfer the onion, garlic, celery and carrots to an oven proof dish and add your browned mince and mix well.
Place the mixture back on the stove and add the tomato puree and mix in well.
Add the tin of plum tomatoes and squish them into the mince to break the tomatoes up and mix well.
Add fish sauce, sugar, balsamic vinegar, sugar and ketchup and again mix this altogether thoroughly.
Add salt and pepper to taste. Make sure the there is the right amount of salt to balance the sweet and sour of the sauce.
Add the bouquet garni.
Place the dish in the preheated oven and cook for 90 minutes but take it out halfway and give it a bit of a stir.
20 minutes before you are ready to take your Bolognese out the oven, get your pasta on the boil and DO NOT overcook it (pasta lesson to follow shortly).
Remove the dish from the oven and let it stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Serve with a generous glass of red wine, on a Friday night, on your own.
Best enjoyed the next day and apparently very healthy for you too, check this out: http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Health/Cancer-Tomatoes-spaghetti-bolognese-antioxidants/Article/200808315083647?chooseNews=videos)
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