Try this mouth-watering beef lasagne, consisting of a tomatoey mince mixture, a creamy béchamel sauce and layers of pasta…

INGRIDIENTS
12–16 lasagne sheets
2 cups grated cheddar
For the mince
250g bacon, chopped
2 onions, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
1 yellow pepper, seeded and chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 kg mince (½ lamb, ½ beef is ideal)
2 carrots, grated
2 × 410g tin chopped tomatoes
1 cup red wine
1 cup beef stock
1 sprig rosemary
2 tbsp chopped origanum
Salt and pepper
For the béchamel
1 onion
4 cloves
1L milk
2 bay leaves
80g butter
⅓ cup flour
Pinch of nutmeg
Salt and pepper

METHOD
For the mince
1. In a large pot, dry-fry the bacon until golden. Remove and set it aside
2. In the bacon fat, fry the onion until golden and soft, 10 minutes. Add the garlic and peppers, and fry for 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
3. Heat the oil and brown the mince, stirring every now and again.
4. When all the extra liquid has cooked out of the mince and it has some colour, add back the bacon, onion and peppers. Add the remaining ingredients.
5. Leave to simmer on low heat for 2 hours.
For the béchamel 
1. Stud the onion with the cloves.
2. Place the milk, onion and bay leaves in a pot and bring to the boil. Switch off the heat and let the milk sit for 15 minutes. Strain.
3. In another pot, cook the butter and flour for 3–5 minutes. Add the milk slowly, whisking constantly. Simmer for 5 minutes, still whisking.
4. Season to taste with nutmeg, salt and pepper.
The assembly
1. Preheat oven to 180ºC.
2.  Soak the lasagne in boiling water for 10 minutes.
3. Layer the ingredients in a 20 × 20 cm ovenproof dish: one fifth of the béchamel, 3–4 lasagne sheets, a quarter of the mince.
4. Repeat 3 times, ensuring you end on a layer of béchamel. Sprinkle with the cheese.
5. Bake for 40 minutes, or until the lasagne is golden and bubbling.

Want something with more vegetables? Try this delicious Ratatouille bake.

The post Classic Beef Lasagne appeared first on MyKitchen.

South African citrus fruits give you plenty of freshness to cook with this season, including these juicy naartjie and ginger glazed ribs!

SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 3 hours 15 min

INGREDIENTS
2 × 1 kg rib racks
2 garlic cloves, grated
¼ cup oyster sauce
6 tbsp honey
4 seedless naartjies, peeled and chopped
1 chilli, chopped
½ cup vegetable oil

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 150ºC.
2. Season the ribs on both sides and lay them down in a roasting tray.
3. Combine all the remaining ingredients in a food processor. Blend.
4. Pour the glaze over the ribs, coating evenly.
5. Cover lightly with foil and roast for 2½ hours.
6. Remove the foil, baste the ribs and increase the oven temperature to 200ºC. Return to the oven for another 30 minutes, checking regularly, until nicely coloured.
7. Allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving with the remaining glaze from the pan.

Recipe & styling: Elizabeth Mackenzie
Photography: Sean Dollery // HMimages.co.za

Complete this dish with a delicious Cape citrus G&T (made with naartjie gin)!

The post Seasonal naartjie and ginger glazed ribs appeared first on MyKitchen.

Is there anything more festive and decadent than a piping hot roast? Save this spicy pork belly roast for an indulgent occasion to treat your loved ones!

SERVES 6 // COOKING TIME 4 hours 30 min

INGREDIENTS
2 kg pork belly
3 tbsp olive oil
1 L beef stock
½ cup oyster sauce
¼ cup soy sauce
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 onions, chopped
2 celery stalks
2 red chillies, seeded and chopped
2 bay leaves
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp five-spice
1 tsp grated ginger
¼ cup coarse salt

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Season pork belly with salt and pepper. Heat oil in an ovenproof pot over high heat. Brown pork for 5 minutes on each side, then remove from the pot.
3. Add remaining ingredients (except the coarse salt) to the pot. Place the pork belly on top, skin-side up. Cook, covered, for 3 hours, until fork-tender.
4. Remove the lid and roast, uncovered, for 1 hour, until the sauce is reduced by half.
5. Before serving, rub the salt over the skin, then place under a medium grill for 8 minutes until crackled.
6. Skim the fat and chopped vegetables from the sauce and discard. Slice the meat against the grain and serve with the sauce spooned over the pork belly roast.

Recipe & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Samantha Pinto // HMimages.co.za

The post Traditional pork belly roast appeared first on MyKitchen.