Turkey Mince Sauce

Turkey mince is lovely on its own, provided it has been seasoned well. But sometimes it is nice to add in a different kind of flavour, particularly if you are not a huge fan of the meaty taste. Aubergine goes extremely well with lamb so I figured it would be interesting to see how it goes with Turkey. Courgette is also a great vegetable to mix into meat dishes due to how it softens in texture and can be diced, minced or sliced. It also has a very subtle flavour like aubergine so wouldn't compromise the taste of the overall dish.

This recipe mixes minced Turkey, Aubergine and Courgette to create a wholly delicious and hearty dish that can be eaten in a variety of different ways - as a curry with rice, or even as a bolognese sauce with some spaghetti! And if you're on a bit of a tight budget, this is a great way to save some £££s as the recipe gives you 2 times more servings than if you were to just use the Turkey mince, and aubergines and courgettes are cheaper to bulk it up in comparison to buying more mince!

Plus, there's an added treat at the end ;)

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes

• 500g turkey mince

• 1 large courgette

• 1 large aubergine

• 1 large red onion

• 2 tbsp ginger - finely chopped

• 2 tbsp garlic - finely chopped

• 1 1/2 tbsp green chilli - finely chopped

• 2 tsp salt

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder (optional for added heat)

• 1 tsp garam masala (adjust this if you want less heat)

• 1 tsp coconut oil

• handful of freshly chopped coriander

• 2 shots of red wine (I measure the 1 shot as the lid of the wine bottle) - OPTIONAL

METHOD:

1. To prepare all of the main ingredients, roughly chop up the aubergine, courgette and red onion then blitz each one in a food processor until they are finely chopped (see above image).

2. In a large pan, heat up the oil then add in the onions. Cook these on medium heat until they start to turn brown then add in the garlic, ginger and green chillies and sizzle for 30 seconds.

3. Lower the heat and ddd in the turkey mince and gently break apart using your cooking spoon (I would recommend using a wooden one).

4. Sprinkle in the salt, turmeric and red chilli powder and mix well. Cover and allow the meat to cook on low-medium heat, stirring occasionally.

5. Once the meat has almost cooked, add in the courgette and aubergine. Mix well then cover and allow everything to cook fully, stirring occasionally.

6. Finally, add in the chopped tomatoes, garam masala, coriander (and of course the wine if you are using - I would advise pouring yourself a glass as well ;) !!) and stir through, mixing thoroughly. Cover and allow to simmer on low heat until everything is fully heated through. Ensure to keep stirring now and then to avoid it sticking.

7. Serve and enjoy (with your glass of red wine if you've decided to treat yourself! :)