Anyone who follows @annasfamilykitchen knows how she embraces hearty but wholesome comfort food and Chilli Con Carne definitely falls into this category. Here she shares her recipe for Chilli adapted four-ways which makes the perfect meal for even the most fussiest of eaters.

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MY ULTIMATE CHILLI

My favourite chilli recipe uses stewing steak and is regularly rolled out through the winter – it’s definitely a bit more weekend worthy. This recipe is for 8 so you can have freezer portions. In the old world I would have said that it’s a great crowd pleaser, but we’re not allowed to feed a crowd at the moment!! Serve with rice, avocado salsa & herby yogurt.

INGREDIENTS (for 6 people)

1kg stewing steak – I like shin, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 onions chopped
5 garlic cloves chopped
2 red chillis chopped (seeds in if you like spice)
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground allspice
½ tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp dried chilli flakes
3 bay leaves
1 tbsp dried oregano
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
100ml red wine
800g chopped tomatoes
1 red or yellow pepper (or two Romano peppers) chopped
3 tbsp tomato puree
1 tbsp brown sugar
800g borlotti or kidney beans

METHOD

Soften the onion then add the beef to the pan. Whack the heat up, season well & colour the meat.

Add the garlic, chilli, spices, oregano & bay leaves followed by the balsamic vinegar, red wine & sugar. Let it bubble for a minute before adding the chopped tomatoes, peppers & tomato purée.

Put in a low oven (130 fan) for 3-6 hours adding the beans half way through or leave in a slow cooker all day.

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NO FRILLS KID FRIENDLY CHILLI

This simple chilli con carne recipe is my boys’ favourite and I always have a batch of it individually portioned in the freezer for quick dinners on busy evenings. It’s full of flavour but not too hot.

INGREDIENTS (for 6-8 people)

800g 10% fat beef mince⠀
2 red onions chopped⠀
3 garlic cloves crushed⠀
2 red peppers cubed⠀
2 cans kidney beans
2 tsp mild chilli powder⠀
1 tsp smoked paprika⠀
1 tsp ground coriander⠀
1 tbsp brown sugar⠀
200ml red wine⠀
800g chopped tomatoes⠀
300ml good beef stock⠀

METHOD

Sauté the onions for 10 minutes. Add the mince and brown for 10 minutes.⠀

Add the garlic and spices followed by the red wine. Let the wine reduce before adding the remaining ingredients.⠀

Cook for an hour on the hob or better still put it in a slow cooker or low oven (130 degrees) for as long as possible. I often leave mine in all day or overnight.

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VEGAN BLACK BEAN CHILLI

So healthy – black beans are a great antioxidant – and so versatile. Serve this 20 minute chilli with rice, on a tortilla with avocado and an egg (think Huevos Ranchos), in a wrap with leaves and maybe grated cheese, on a baked sweet potato……the options are endless. Accompany with a simple tomato, avocado and coriander Salsa.

INGREDIENTS for 4 people

1 red onion finely chopped⠀
2 garlic cloves crushed⠀
2 tsp Chipotle Paste
½ tsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp Belazu Balsamic Vinegar⠀
1 can black beans⠀
1-2 red peppers chopped⠀
100g cherry tomatoes halved

METHOD

Soften the onion for 5 minutes before adding the garlic, black beans, peppers, balsamic, paprika & chipotle paste.⠀

Add ½ tsp Maldon Salt and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the cherry tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes before serving.

For the salsa cube the avocado and tomatoes and combine with fresh coriander, the juice of a lime and some olive oil.

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CHILLI TACOS

Chilli Tacos – Serve with tortillas, grated cheese, avocado, lettuce, tomatoes…..and anything else you fancy. Top tip for getting taco shaped tortillas. Turn a muffin tin upside down, fold over your tortillas and nestle between the gaps and pop in the oven for 5 minutes. Magic!

INGREDIENTS for 6 people (always good to have leftover!)

For the meat recipe:-
800g 10% fat beef mince⠀
2 onions chopped⠀
3 garlic cloves crushed⠀
2 red peppers cubed⠀
2 cans kidney beans
2 tsp mild chilli powder⠀
1 tsp smoked paprika⠀
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp brown sugar⠀
200ml red wine or 3tbsp balsamic
1 tbsp tomato puree
800g chopped tomatoes
For extra kick – 1 tsp chipotle paste

For the vegetarian recipe:
All ingredients as above but substitute the beef and kidney beans for 3 cans of mixed beans and omit the wine.

Method:-

Sauté the onions and garlic for 10 minutes. For the meat recipe, add the mince and brown for 15 minutes. For the veggie recipe, add the pepper and skip to the next step.

Add the spices followed by the red wine and balsamic (omit wine for veggie version). Let the liquid reduce before adding the remaining ingredients.

For vegetarian simmer for 20 minutes. For the meat recipe cook for an hour on the hob or better still put it in a slow cooker or low oven (130 degrees) for as long as possible. I often leave mine in all day.

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