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Chilli con carne

A super, spicy dish to warm the cockles of your heart after a long day. This makes enough for at least 12 people.

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 3 large onions
  • 3 red, green or yellow peppers
  • 8 garlic cloves peeled
  • 3 heaped tsp hot chilli powder
  • 3 tsp paprika
  • 3 tsp ground cumin
  • 1,500 g lean minced beef
  • 900 ml chicken stock
  • 3 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tsp mixed herbs
  • 6 tbsp tomato purée
  • 6 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 5 large dried red chillis chopped
  • 2 x 400g can red kidney beans
  • boiled long grain rice to serve
  • natural yoghurt to serve
  • coriander to serve
  • lime wedges to serve

Instructions

  1. Dice the onions into small cubes, chop the peppers roughly and peel and chop the garlic.
  2. Put a large pan on the hob over a medium heat. Heat the oil and add the onions, stirring often for about five minutes or until they are soft and translucent. Tip in the garlic, pepper, hot chilli powder, paprika and ground cumin. Stir, then leave it to cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Turn the heat up a bit and add the mince to the pan, breaking it up as you go. Continue stirring for at least five minutes until all the mince is browned. The pan should be hot enough to brown the meat rather than stew in its own juices.
  4. Add the chicken stock to the pan with the mince mixture - I use homemade chicken stock. Add the chopped tomatoes, dried mixed herbs and season well. Then add the tomato purée, Worcestershire sauce and chillis and stir thoroughly.
  5. Bring the mixture to the boil, stir well and put the lid on the pan. Turn down the heat until it is gently simmering and leave it for 60 minutes. Stir occasionally and make sure the sauce doesn’t catch or is drying out - if it is add a dash of water.
  6. The sauce should be saucy and thick! Drain and rinse the beans and add them to the pot. Bring the mixture to the boil and simmer without the lid for around 30 minutes. You may need to add some water if it starts to look too dry.
  7. Taste and season if needed. Leave to stand before serving, of if you have time, make a day ahead to enable the chilli to deepen in flavour. Serve with rice, sprinkle with coriander and serve yoghurt and lime wedges on the side.

Recipe Notes

This recipe uses 1,500g of mince but could easily be scaled down