For some reason, I find the idea of liquidised meat distinctly unwholesome. Something about drinking a steak... I dunno. Euch. So while Daughter is still unable to chew, I either have to put aside my idiosyncrasy, or come up with an alternative to pureed creature flesh.
Here's the confession. I was a vegetarian once and actually, I really liked it. The food when eating out tended to be more imaginative than the meat dishes - cheaper too - and I was a damn sight healthier than at most other points during my life (thanks Mum for your nutritional cooking and not letting me eat fake meat). But I don't think vegetarianism is the way to go for a growing girl. So, I started to think about how to break down the meat into manageable mouthfuls.
Stovies were the answer. To those of you who are unfamiliar with stovies, they are a Scottish dish. Not as famous as haggis, but equally as delicious, they consist of onion, potato and stewing steak, cooked right down in stock until the ingredients meld together in an incredibly tasty paste.
I use:
1 beef stock cube
1 large/2 small onions, cut into half rings
250g/half a pound of meat - stewing steak works well, but any leftovers are best. Turkey is awesome post festive season.
2-3 big potatoes/any left over ones from dinner.
Water to cover
Stew all of the above together until they're a thick, glue-like paste. Yes, it will look revolting, but tastes incredible. Serve with pickled beetroot or pickled red cabbageand oat cakes. Daughter loves pickled anything so will happily suck away on a chunk of beet for hours - same with the oat cake - but your child might not like the sour taste so best to keep sundries separate.
Here's the confession. I was a vegetarian once and actually, I really liked it. The food when eating out tended to be more imaginative than the meat dishes - cheaper too - and I was a damn sight healthier than at most other points during my life (thanks Mum for your nutritional cooking and not letting me eat fake meat). But I don't think vegetarianism is the way to go for a growing girl. So, I started to think about how to break down the meat into manageable mouthfuls.
Stovies were the answer. To those of you who are unfamiliar with stovies, they are a Scottish dish. Not as famous as haggis, but equally as delicious, they consist of onion, potato and stewing steak, cooked right down in stock until the ingredients meld together in an incredibly tasty paste.
I use:
1 beef stock cube
1 large/2 small onions, cut into half rings
250g/half a pound of meat - stewing steak works well, but any leftovers are best. Turkey is awesome post festive season.
2-3 big potatoes/any left over ones from dinner.
Water to cover
Stew all of the above together until they're a thick, glue-like paste. Yes, it will look revolting, but tastes incredible. Serve with pickled beetroot or pickled red cabbageand oat cakes. Daughter loves pickled anything so will happily suck away on a chunk of beet for hours - same with the oat cake - but your child might not like the sour taste so best to keep sundries separate.
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