Chilli con carne

Ingredients: (for 6)

500 grs minced beef
1 onion (sliced)
2 cloves garlic (crushed)
1 tsp chilli powder (or more if you like it extra hot)
1 tsp thyme
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp ground pepper
4 tbsp tomato concentrate paste
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
3 tomatoes (chopped)
400 grs canned tomatoes ( I like the chopped ones)
400 grs kidney beans (1 can)
1/2 cube crumbled chicken stock
100ml water
3 tbsp canola oil
Salt

To serve with:
500 g rice
1 cucumber
1 avocado
1 small pot of sour cream/ crème fraîche
Large handful of chives finely chopped
Tortilla chips

Chop the onions, mince the garlic and fry in the oil until semi-golden , then add the minced beef and fry on a higher heat till it’s dry and browned. Add the spices (thyme, paprika, cumin, bay leaf, pepper and cinnamon stick), chopped tomatoes, canned tomatoes and tomato paste and crumble the half cube of chicken stock – add the water, salt and stir. Simmer for 15 minutes and add the rinsed kidney beans. Cover with a lid and let it cook on a very low heat for minimum 30 minutes, but I like to cook it for an hour or more as the spices intensify with time and the texture improves.

Steam the rice (I use basmati and have a rice cooker from Cuisinart – can’t live without it!), slice the cucumber and chop the chives. Sprinkle the herbs to the sour cream crème fresh. Slice the avocado last-minute so it does not darken.

Serve the piping hot rice with the chilli con carne. I spoon a generous amount of sour cream on to the chilli, and crunch a few tortilla chips (the kids taught me that trick). A real delight! You can dress this meal up with a bottle of sparkling champagne (just like Nat king Cole sings in ‘Let there be love) or dress it down with a Corona beer.

The best part of this dish are the left-overs. I find it’s even better the next day, and it makes an easy Sunday lunch. We like to have it with a good baguette, not rice, and lots of sour cream and chives. A real cowboy meal!

View the video here: Nat King Cole 'Let there be love'

2 thoughts on “Chilli con carne

  1. Hi Mimi,absolutely love your blog.I have just returned from a two week holiday cooking in Chateau de Rochebonne, near La Rochelle. It was just heavenly.Charente Maritime in autumn was divine. I love the light in your photographs.I have made a very large pot of chilli myself, tastes even better the next day 🙂

  2. Mimi:

    This is the most beautiful food website I have discovered. Fantastic photos and graphics. I like your take on chili con carne. You may enjoy this website/food blog: http://www.homesicktexan.com . Please visit Franklin Barbeque if your book tour brings you to Austin, TX. Cheers.

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