CHICKEN CHILLI CON CARNE RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. Peel and finely chop the onions, garlic, carrots and celery – don’t worry about the technique, just chop away until fine. Halve the red peppers, remove the stalks and seeds and roughly chop.
  2. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large casserole pan on a medium-high heat, add the chopped veg, chilli powder, cumin, cinnamon and a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper, then cook for 7 minutes, or until softened, stirring regularly.
  3. Drain and add the chickpeas and kidney beans, tip in the tomatoes, breaking them up with the back of a spoon, then pour in 1 tin's worth of water. Add the minced beef, breaking any larger chunks.
  4. Pick the coriander leaves and put aside, then finely chop and add the stalks to the pan, with the balsamic vinegar. Season with a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper.
  5. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer with a lid slightly ajar for 1 hour, or until slightly thickened and reduced, stirring occasionally.
  6. Serve up with fluffy rice or couscous, a hunk of crusty bread, or over a jacket potato, with some yoghurt, guacamole, and wedges of lime on the side for squeezing over. Sprinkle over the reserved coriander, and some fresh chilli, if you like, then tuck in.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1. Over a high heat, toast the whole chillies on all sides until you can smell them cooking, then remove and set aside. Keep the pan on the heat and toast the peppercorns, cumin seeds and coriander seeds until they just start to change colour, then grind to a powder using a pestle and mortar or spice grinder. Mix with the smoked paprika and oregano (this is a standard tex-mex seasoning), then set aside.
• Return the casserole to the heat, add half the oil and heat until shimmering. Fry the beef in batches, adding more oil if you need to, until it’s browned on all sides, then set aside. Fry the onions in the pan over a low heat for about 8 mins until soft and golden, then add the garlic and cook for 1 min more. Working fast, add the meat and juices, the spice mix, tomato purée, peanut butter and coffee to the pan and cook for 2-3 mins, stirring to coat the meat until everything is thick and gloopy, then pour in the vinegar and stock.
• Add the toasted chillies back into the casserole, along with the bay leaves, cinnamon and some salt. Bring to a simmer and stir well, then cover with the lid and cook in the oven for 3hrs, stirring occasionally, until the meat is very tender but not falling apart. Take the casserole out of the oven, put back on the stove and remove the lid. Simmer the sauce for 5 mins, then stir in the semolina flour and simmer for 2-3 mins more. Finely grate over the chocolate, stir through with the beans and simmer for a minute more to heat through. Fish out the chillies, then leave everything to rest for at least 15 mins.
• Bring the pan to the table. Serve with bowls of accompaniments and the chilli paste (see tip below) to add heat.