This is adapted from a recipe in the Berkeley Co-op’s “Low Cost Cookbook” (1965)

North African Style Stovetop Casserole

4 servings

1 lb extra lean ground beef

1 onion, chopped

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup lentils, half-cooked or leftover cooked

1 cup brown rice, half-cooked or leftover cooked

1 tsp cloves

1 tsp cinnamon

2 cups beef broth

Brown ground beef and onion. Add raisins, cloves, and cinnamon to meat. Combine rice and lentils.  In Dutch oven or heavy pot, alternate layers of rice and lentils with meat mixture, top with rice and lentils (see Notes).  Gently pour beef broth over layered casserole, cover and simmer for half-hour.

Whaledancer’s notes: I don’t actually do the layers thing; I just dump it all in together.

If you don’t have leftover rice, frozen rice works fine. Minute rice would probably work, but I haven’t tried it.