Lamb Bolognese with Okra

Name: Lamb Bolognese with Okra
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 70ml olive oil; 500g okra, lightly trimmed (see headnote); 1 onion, sliced in half, then each half cut into 4 wedges (160g); 10 garlic cloves, 5 crushed and the remaining 5 very thinly sliced; ½ tsp chilli flakes; 1½ tsp coriander seeds, roughly crushed in a pestle and mortar 1½ tsp cumin seeds, roughly crushed in a pestle and mortar; ½ tsp ground allspice; 300g lamb mince (at least 20% fat); 300g tomato passata; 6 plum tomatoes (550g), 2 roughly chopped and the remaining 4 sliced into 1cm thick rounds; 2 tsp caster sugar; 20g coriander leaves, roughly chopped; Salt and black pepper

6 steps

Prep:30minCook:2h

This is essentially a lamb mince bolognese baked with okra. It's simple, comforting and completely delicious. Eat it as it is, with a salad alongside, or else with some plain rice or spaghetti. Getting ahead: This is a lovely one to bake ahead and have in the fridge for the working week. It keeps well in the fridge, for 2-3 days, ready to be warmed through before serving. Cooking note: As ever with okra (if you don't want a dish to become 'slimy'), don't trim the pods so much that you end up seeing the seeds. If you can see them then they'll be able to seep out. If you can't, then they won't, and anyone accusing okra of being 'gloopy' can be called out as just plain wrong.

Updated at: Wed, 01 May 2024 18:19:34 GMT

Nutrition balance score

Great

Glycemic Index

Low

Glycemic Load

Low

Nutrition per serving

Calories480.5 kcal (24%)

Total Fat35.1 g (50%)

Carbs26 g (10%)

Sugars8.8 g (10%)

Protein18.2 g (36%)

Sodium268.9 mg (13%)

Fiber7.9 g (28%)

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Ingredients

4 servings

70mlolive oil

500gokra

lightly trimmed

160gonion

sliced in half, then each half cut into 4 wedges

10garlic cloves

5 crushed and the remaining 5 very thinly sliced

½ tspchilli flakes

1 ½ tspcoriander seeds

roughly crushed in a pestle and mortar

1 ½ tspcumin seeds

roughly crushed in a pestle and mortar

½ tspground allspice

300glamb mince

at least 20% fat

300gtomato passata

550gplum tomatoes

2 roughly chopped and the remaining 4 sliced into 1cm thick rounds

2 tspcaster sugar

20gcoriander leaves

roughly chopped

salt

black pepper

Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan.

Step 2

Put 1 teaspoon of oil into a large frying pan and place on a high heat. Once smoking hot, add half the okra and cook for 3 minutes, shaking the pan once or twice, until nicely coloured on all sides. Transfer to a plate, then repeat with another teaspoon of oil and the remaining okra. Set aside until needed.

Step 3

Put 2 tablespoons of oil into a large sauté pan and place on a medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring a few times, until soft and lightly coloured. Add the crushed garlic, chilli, coriander, cumin and allspice and cook for another minute, until fragrant. Add the lamb mince and cook for 2-3 minutes, using a spoon to break up any chunks, or until no longer pink. Add the passata, chopped plum tomatoes, sugar, 150ml of water, 1¼ teaspoons of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick and rich.

Step 4

Stir in 15g of the fresh coriander, half the sliced tomatoes and half the okra, then spread out in a large baking dish, about 28 x 20cm. Top with the remaining okra and tomatoes, scattered roughly over, cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 220°C fan, remove and discard the foil and continue cooking for another 20 minutes, or until the okra and tomatoes have taken on some colour and the sauce is bubbling. Remove from the oven and set aside to rest for 10 minutes.

Step 5

Meanwhile, put the sliced garlic and the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil into a small frying pan. Set the heat to medium and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the garlic is golden and crispy. Drain into a sieve set over a bowl and set aside: you don't need the oil for this dish, so either discard it or save it to add to your next salad dressing.

Step 6

When ready to serve, sprinkle over the fried garlic, along with the remaining