Broccoli Beef Fare

Broccoli Beef Fare, with Beet Salad and Pumpkin Pudding

I had 3 heads of broccoli they were needing to be eaten. They were in my food box that I got from my friend in the Netherlands who started an organic delivery, like Klesick Family Farms whom I used when I lived in Lake Stevens. She has called her business Biologisch Winkelplein which translated means Organic Storefront. So starting with lots of broccoli I came up with this recipe. After all was done, I realised I had made quite a lot of food. So I thought who could I share this with. I called Frans Göbel and Ineke who live close by and shared a wonderful evening with them. Two challenges, 1. broccoli needing to be eaten 2. too much food, turned into a great solution of a shared meal that would not have come about if this was not the case.

Broccoli Beef Fare

Ingredients

• 2 heads of broccoli cut into florets. I cut the stem up to and used it.
• Ground/Mince lean beef (about 500g / 1 lbs)
• 1 small red onion diced
• 1 cup cut mushrooms
• ½ cup coconut milk
• 1 small apple diced
• 2 crushed garlic cloves
• 1 cup (250g) ricotta cheese
• 1 T paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 T black pepper
• 2 T apple cider vinegar

Get your oven ready for 175° C / 350° F.

First cut up all your ingredients. So much easier to have them ready to go as you start cooking.

In a medium saucepan brown your beef. Add the onion. If you used lean beef there shouldn't be too much grease. You need just a little for the mushrooms, but if there is a lot drain it. Put the beef and onion mix in the casserole dish lined on the bottom.

Next spread the crushed garlic and apple on top of the meat mix. (To get the most nutrients from garlic don't cook it. Garlic exposed for a bit, to where it turns browns and then consumed is at its best for you!)

Now steam the broccoli. I used a metal drainer that I put on top of a pot starting to boil with water. Just as the green colour intensifies, I took it out and spread over the meat and apples mix.

Pour the apple cider in the casserole dish to add a flavourful cooking juice.

In the same saucepan you used with the beef, so a little of the oil is still in the pan, on low to medium heat sauté the mushrooms. Add the coconut milk, ricotta cheese, black pepper, paprika, salt and rosemary. Spread this on top of all the other ingredients as your final layer.

Bake in the oven for 20 min.

To serve with this, I made a beet, onion salad mixed with lime and ginger. I also added celery and apple. It complimented the creamy, rich broccoli beef fare with this light, crispy and tart salad.

Savour and Enjoy.