Spiced mince with croutons and mashed potatoes

Sometimes one turns to the simple fare of childhood as food for reassurance in the complexities of adult life. Thus do we reward ourselves when work has been particularly trying, when family traumas wash up against our door, or merely when we feel a little under the weather. Over the years, I have tinkered with this classic, particularly in the spicing of the meat. Each time, it turns out a little differently as a small inspiration strikes me and I reach for a different accent in the season