Beef rissoles with herbs

Ingredients

500 g beef mince

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 small onion, finely chopped

0.25 cup finely chopped parsley

2 tsp dried oregano or mixed herbs

2 tbsp tomato sauce

2 tbsp water

tomatoes, red onion and cucumber to serve

Place the beef mince and the remaining ingredients in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Mix lightly to combine.
Take 3 tbsp of the mince mixture and shape it into a rissole. Repeat with remaining mixture to make 8-10 rissoles. Lightly brush or spray the rissoles with oil.
Preheat a large non-stick pan to moderately-hot. Add the rissoles, lower the heat to moderate and cook for 4-5 minutes each side, or until cooked through. Turn them once only. Serve with a salad of tomatoes, red onion and cucumber.
Try this variation: when you shape the rissoles, add a little cube of cheddar or mozzarella cheese inside. Roll the rissoles in flour and carefully brown in olive oil until golden brown and cooked through. Let guests know there is a hot filling inside.

Rissoles, burgers and meatballs should always be thoroughly cooked. They should not be served rare or pink. A good guide is to insert a skewer into the thickest part; if it is ready to eat the juices will be clear.
You can make up the rissoles and freeze for up to one month. Layer them between a sheet of baking paper and store in a shallow, rigid container. Defrost overnight in the fridge. Pat rissoles lightly with paper towel, then brush or spray them with a little oil and cook as directed.
Freeze mince you don't intend to use. Uncooked mince can be frozen for 2-3 months. Rather than freezing loose mince in roundish shape as bought from the butcher lay it out flat to freeze. This is important as it allows the mince to freeze evenly and it allows the mince to thaw evenly. Cooked mince dishes can also be frozen for later use.