CHILLI HOURS RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. Ask your butcher to trim and slice your brisket for you. If you’re doing it yourself, carefully trim the meat by discarding any fat or silver skin. Cut the meat against, rather than with, the grain into 2.5cm thick pieces.
  2. Make the coffee and, while it’s hot, soak the dried chillies in it for a few minutes to let them rehydrate.
  3. Meanwhile, peel and dice the onions and peel and finely slice the garlic.
  4. Heat a few lugs of oil in your largest casserole pan on a low heat, add the cumin, paprika, oregano, bay and onions. Fry for 10 minutes, until the onions have softened.
  5. Deseed and chop half the fresh chillies. Slice up the rehydrated chillies and add them to the onion mixture along with the chopped fresh chilli, the cinnamon sticks, sliced garlic, a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper and a splash of the chilli-infused coffee.
  6. Stir, then add the rest of the coffee, the tomatoes, breaking them up with the back of a spoon, and the molasses or sugar. Add the pieces of brisket and another good pinch of salt and pepper, cover with a lid and simmer for around 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
  7. After a few hours use 2 forks or a potato masher to break the meat up and pull it apart.
  8. Once you’ve done this, deseed, slice and add the peppers, then drain and add the beans. Leave to simmer with the lid off for 30 minutes, or until the meat is completely falling apart and delicious, stirring occasionally.
  9. Have a taste and season well – if you require a bit more heat (like I would), this is the time to deseed and chop the rest of the fresh chilli and stir it in.
  10. Dollop a big spoonful of soured cream over the chilli (if using), and serve straight from the pan, with fluffy rice, flatbreads or potatoes and a really nice fresh lemony green salad. Don’t forget multiple cold beers! Enjoy.

Steps:

• 1. Cover the dried chillies with boiling water and leave to rehydrate.
  2. Peel and finely chop the onions and garlic, pick the coriander leaves, then finely chop the stalks. Deseed and finely slice the fresh chillies.
  3. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of oil into a large pan over a medium heat, add the onions, garlic, coriander stalks and most of the fresh chilli, then cook for 10 minutes, or until the onion is soft but not coloured.
  4. Peel and finely chop the carrots, add to the pan with the paprika, cinnamon and half the cumin seeds, and fry for a further 5 minutes.
  5. Reserving the soaking water, drain the rehydrated chillies, then finely chop and stir into the pan. Add the mince, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, then cook for 5 minutes, or until all the liquid has evaporated and the meat has browned.
  6. Add the reserved soaking water followed by the tomatoes, breaking them up with a wooden spoon. Season with sea salt and black pepper, then bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and leave to tick away for 1 to 2 hours, or until thickened.
  7. Meanwhile, char the peppers by carefully holding them with tongs over a flame or placing under the grill, turning regularly until blackened all over. Place in a bowl, cover and leave to steam for 5 to 10 minutes.
  8. Discard the blackened skin and seeds from the charred peppers, then slice into strips and add to the chilli.
  9. With 5 minutes to go, toast the cumin seeds in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat for 2 minutes. Add a good drizzle of oil, drain and add the beans, then fry until crisp and starting to pop, tossing regularly. Season to taste, then tip into a serving bowl.
  10. Season the chilli to taste, remove the cinnamon stick, then scatter over the reserved fresh chilli, coriander leaves and popped beans. Delicious served with a dollop of yoghurt or soured cream.