Here’s a quick one pan dish that is sure to get the thumbs up from the family. The Japanese ingredients have a long shelf life and are a great addition to your pantry staples. Torello’s beef mince and eggplant will absorb the miso mixture beautifully - transforming this into a really delicious mid-week meal.

serves 4

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 medium eggplant (about 300g each), cut into 2cm cubes

2 bullhorn yellow capsicums, cut into 3cm pieces

1 bunch spring onions, white section finely sliced, reserve green tops

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 long red chilli, finely sliced (optional)

500g beef mince

Steamed rice, to serve

Miso mixture:

¼ cup white or red miso

1 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoons mirin

1 tablespoon sake

1 tablespoon soy sauce

Combine all the miso mixture ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a non-stick heavy based frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the eggplant and cook for 5 minutes, tossing occasionally. Add the capsicum and cook a further 5 minutes, tossing occasionally until the eggplant is golden brown and capsicum has softened. Transfer the vegetables to a plate and return the frying pan to the heat.

Add the remaining oil to the frying pan. Add the sliced spring onion, garlic and chilli, if using. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Increase the heat to high and add the beef mince. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring, breaking up any lumps, until the meat is cooked through and liquid has evaporated. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the reserved vegetables and miso mixture, gently stirring to combine well. Cook for 2 minutes. 

Finely slice the reserved spring onion green tops. Serve the miso eggplant and beef topped with spring onion, accompanied with steamed rice.

 Fiona Hammond © March 2020