Beef Lasagne

---

“My right-hand lady, Elaine Boshoff, present Sous chef at Hartford House, made the “Taste of Durban” exhibition possible for us, as she held the fort, immaculately, as she always does, while I was trekking between Durban and Mooi River. While running Hartford’s kitchen, she was prepping up stock levels and doing my daily demonstration preparations for the show. Our favourite staff or home-cooked meal is our ultra-rich lasagne, an irresistible Elaine speciality.”

Mince

Ingredients :

• 120gr Salted Butter
• 60ml Sunflower Oil
• 375gr Onions, finely chopped
• 4 cloves (12gr) Garlic, grated
• 4 sprigs (12gr) Rosemary, chopped
• 6 Bay Leaves
• 750gr Tomatoes, chopped
• 200gr Tomato Paste, All Gold
• 1kg Topside Beef Mince
• Salt and Black Pepper

Method :

1. In a large pot, heat the butter and oil.
2. Add the onions and garlic, cooking it really well.
3. Then add the rosemary, bay leaves and tomatoes, cooking till the tomatoes are nice and soft.
4. Add the tomato paste, which will make the consistency of the mixture thicker.
5. Cooking it for about 15 minutes, lastly add the mince.
6. Combine it all well, don't overcook the mince.
7. Season with salt and pepper and keep aside.

Cheese Sauce

Ingredients :

• 2L Full Cream Milk
• 5 Whole Black Peppercorns
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 5ml Salt
• 1 Onion, chopped
• 2 sprigs Rosemary
• 250ml Cake Flour
• 250ml Salted Butter
• 200gr Cheddar Cheese, grated

Method :

1. Bring the milk with the peppercorns, bay leaves, salt, onions and rosemary to the boil allowing all the flavours to infuse. Strain and set aside.
2. Make a blond roux (chef's note: a cooked mixture of equal amounts of flour and butter, used to thicken many sauces. For a blond roux the flour and butter must be cooked until golden in colour to ensure the floury taste is lost). Get a pot on the heat and add the butter. When melted add the flour and cook until golden.
3. Slowly add the warm milk so no lumps form. Bring to the boil and allow simmering until correct consistency is reached. Finish with cheese and seasoning with salt and pepper.

Lasagne

Ingredients :

• 5L Water
• 10ml Salt
• 45ml Olive Oil
• 1 box (500gr) Lasagne Sheets
• 100gr Cheddar Cheese, grated

Method :

1. Place the water, salt and olive oil on the heat in a big pot.
2. When this is boiling, blanch the lasagne sheets in the water, till al dente (firm to the bite) doing only a few sheets at a time.
3. Place on a tray with some olive oil sprinkle over and set aside.
4. You can make this in one big dish or small individual dishes, spray and cook them well.
5. Start by a layer of white sauce, then lasagne sheet and then layer of mince, keep layering like this until you get to the top of the dish. Sprinkle with the cheese.
6. Place in pre-heated oven, 180ºC for 30 minutes or until golden on top.

Please post your comments and any food-related questions below.
I look forward to hearing from you.

---