Chilli con Carne
Ingredients
Serves four generously
Method
Chop the onions as finely as you you can and sweat gently over a low heat for about 30 mins until soft and translucent (see method for kedgeree). Chop the coriander stalks and chillies and add to the onions. Grate the zest of both limes directly into the pan. Frankly this is a pain in the arse (at least it is if you're me - or maybe we need a new grater?) but worth it for the zing the zest adds to the finished dish.
Turn the heat up (this might necessitate moving to a different hob) and brown the meat all over, stirring to break it up. Add the tin of tomatoes, tomato puree, and beef stock (I do this by rinsing out the tomato tin with water, then crumbling the stock cubes directly into the pan, but whatever works for you). then put the lid on the pan and turn the heat back down, checking from time to time that the mixture isn't sticking. It will probably take at least half an hour - 40 mins to break up the tomatoes and reach the right consistency..
Chop the pepper and mushrooms and add to the pan towards the end of cooking (you don't want to over cook them, but they do need to be cooked properly) along with the kidney beans and cook with the lid off, adding more water if the mixture looks in danger of drying out.. Check seasoning - I like to add enough salt, pepper and lime juice for that elusive zing (you'll know when you've hit it), roughly chop the remaining coriander and add at the last minute.
You'll need to scrunch up the avocado(es) at some stage - I find it quite satisfying doing it with my (clean) hands, and adding lime juice to stop browning, but I don't bother with seasoning as there's more than enough in the chilli. Serve with brown basmati rice, the guac-lite, yoghurt and some grated cheddar. This combination feels luxurious, a proper treat, but is still pretty healthy, due to all the veg and pulses in the sauce, the good fats in the avocado, gut-friendly yogurt and cheese (a little goes a long way).
Well, that's my story and I'm sticking with it.
Serves four generously
- Two onions
- Bunch of coriander
- Chillies, red and/or green
- 2 limes
- 500g minced beef (whatever fat percentage and provenance you like)
- Tin chopped tomatoes
- Tomato puree (about half a tube)
- Beef stock (made with a couple of stock cubes is fine)
- Garlic, to taste - I use about half a bulb
- A green, red, orange or yellow pepper
- Tin of kidney beans
- Packet of mushrooms
- One ripe avocado per two people
- Tub full-fat yoghurt (I like Yeo Valley)
- Grated cheddar
Method
Chop the onions as finely as you you can and sweat gently over a low heat for about 30 mins until soft and translucent (see method for kedgeree). Chop the coriander stalks and chillies and add to the onions. Grate the zest of both limes directly into the pan. Frankly this is a pain in the arse (at least it is if you're me - or maybe we need a new grater?) but worth it for the zing the zest adds to the finished dish.
Turn the heat up (this might necessitate moving to a different hob) and brown the meat all over, stirring to break it up. Add the tin of tomatoes, tomato puree, and beef stock (I do this by rinsing out the tomato tin with water, then crumbling the stock cubes directly into the pan, but whatever works for you). then put the lid on the pan and turn the heat back down, checking from time to time that the mixture isn't sticking. It will probably take at least half an hour - 40 mins to break up the tomatoes and reach the right consistency..
Chop the pepper and mushrooms and add to the pan towards the end of cooking (you don't want to over cook them, but they do need to be cooked properly) along with the kidney beans and cook with the lid off, adding more water if the mixture looks in danger of drying out.. Check seasoning - I like to add enough salt, pepper and lime juice for that elusive zing (you'll know when you've hit it), roughly chop the remaining coriander and add at the last minute.
You'll need to scrunch up the avocado(es) at some stage - I find it quite satisfying doing it with my (clean) hands, and adding lime juice to stop browning, but I don't bother with seasoning as there's more than enough in the chilli. Serve with brown basmati rice, the guac-lite, yoghurt and some grated cheddar. This combination feels luxurious, a proper treat, but is still pretty healthy, due to all the veg and pulses in the sauce, the good fats in the avocado, gut-friendly yogurt and cheese (a little goes a long way).
Well, that's my story and I'm sticking with it.
