I must say, I love the painting too and so do his patients. 

Ostriches are funny old birds.  I always think they look slightly prehistoric.  Like they don’t really fit in modern times anymore?  Ostrich babies are even stranger looking and if you speak to an ostrich farmer, they’ll tell you that it’s a damn difficult thing to get to adulthood.  What does all this have to do with a cooking blog?  Even though my husband loves ostriches, he has no objection to eating ostrich meat and this week’s blog has ostrich mince as the star ingredient.

Ostrich meat is fantastically good for you.  It’s extremely high in protein, low in fat, kilojoules and cholesterol, but high in iron. Some sources I consulted even claims it’s lower in fat than white meat chicken!  Ostrich mince really looks no different from beef mince and tastes much the same.  It is after all from the Camelius Struthious family, which includes the cow, horse and camel line.  Even though it’s a bird, it’s not poultry!

So, if you’re wary of putting on a few kilo’s during the winter – which I always do – then consider swopping beef or lamb with ostrich once in a while.

This week, I’m celebrating the humble ostrich with a delicious Shepherd’s Pie from The Karoo Cookbook, by Rose Willis.  Let’s face it, if anyone knows how to cook meat, it’s Karoo folk.  They practically consider chicken a vegetable. The mash potato pie topping has another interesting twist, and this is the first time I’ve made or even seen this, but it will become a regular feature in my household.

SHEPHERD’S PIE WITH OSTRICH MINCE 

30 ml butter

1 kg ostrich mince

1 carrot, peeled and grated

30-60 ml tomato purée

30 ml tomato sauce

90 ml red wine

5 ml chilli flakes

2 cloves garlic, chopped

10 ml ground cumin

50 ml chutney

Spring onions to taste (optional)

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

TOPPING

6 potatoes, peeled and cubed

4 heads broccoli, cut into florets

60 ml butter

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Fresh parsley for garnishing

Preheat the oven to 180?C.

Heat the butter in a saucepan until foamy, add the mince and sauté for 6-8 minutes until brown. Add the carrot, tomato purée and sauce, red wine and chilli flakes.  Stir well. Increase the heat and cook quickly for about 4 minutes.  Add the garlic, cumin, chutney and spring onions if using.  Season to taste.  Simmer for 5 minutes before scooping into a suitable ovenproof dish.

TOPPING

Boil the potatoes for 6 – 8 minutes, add the broccoli pieces and cook for a further 4 – 6 minutes until both are tender. Drain and mash well.  Stir in the butter and seasoning.  I’ve become used to adding a big tablespoon or two of crème fraiche to my mash potato for extra richness.  Scoop over the top of the meat mixture and bake on the centre shelf of the oven for 20 – 25 minutes, or until done.  Garnish with parsley.

Follow me on Twitter (ilse123) or on Facebook (https://web.facebook.com/IlseCooksTheBooks/) to chat about food and more!

ooOoo