Creamy Beef Sauce

Perhaps it doesn't sound very appetizing, but I really couldn't call this a Bolognese. It's not a far stretch, but it has so many un-traditional ingredients that the name just wouldn't be fitting. However, it's a super good, and simple, sauce for pasta. I liked it. Husband loved it. The kids had seconds, and thirds. It was a big hit.

Creamy Beef Sauce
serves 4-6

1/2 tbsp butter
500 g minced beef
1 yellow onion, finely diced
100 ml water
1 beef stock cube
2 garlic cloves, minced
300 g crushed tomatoes
4 tbsp tomato paste (I used a highly concentrated one that included some semi-dried tomatoes, very flavorful)
1 tsp sriracha sauce
3 tbsp hot & sweet mustard
1 tbsp dried basil
2 tbsp soy sauce
black pepper
white pepper
200 g mushrooms, very finely chopped (I used a food processor for these)
300 ml cream (full-fat!)

First, melt the butter in a large pot, and brown the beef. When it's mostly browned, add the onion and keep frying for a few minutes. Add the water and beef stock cube, and cook until the water is mostly evaporated. Add all the flavorings - garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, sriracha sauce, mustard, basil, soy sauce, black and white pepper. Cook for at least ten minutes, but longer if you have the time. Be careful   to make sure the sauce doesn't burn though!

Once you get your pasta boiling - we chose spaghetti - add the mushrooms and the cream. Season with more spice if you'd like, and salt - but we found it plenty salty anyway.