Modern Sloppy Joes

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By Claire Tansey

Sloppy Joes are easy, inexpensive, fast and loved by almost everyone.

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp (15 mL) canola oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb (500 g) lean ground beef
• 24 oz (680 mL) jar tomato passata
• 19 oz (540 mL) can lentils, rinsed and drained
• 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) beef broth
• 5 1/2 oz (156 mL) can tomato paste
• 2 Tbsp (30 mL) brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp (30 mL) Worcestershire sauce
• 4 large buns, toasted

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium. Add the onion, celery and salt and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Add the beef, increase the heat to high and cook with out stirring for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the beef becomes golden on the bottom. Stir well, breaking up the beef into little bits, then add the passata, lentils, beef broth, tomato paste and brown sugar.
   
2. Bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer, stirring often, for 10 minutes or until the mixture thickens a bit. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce. Serve on toasted buns.

Serves 4.

Make it Ahead: Make the beef and lentil mixture, then cool completely and pack into a large freezer bag. Flatten the bag to remove the air. Freeze up to 2 months. To use, thaw overnight in the fridge, then simmer until piping hot.

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